Landlords supply behind fixed panel

Just been doing an EICR on a converted mill. The property has 3 small stairwells serving  the various flats. Now the main supply is to 1 stairwell, in a little cupboard under the stairs, then submained to the other 2 stiarwells. In these stairwells the Cu is behind a very nicely fireproofed wooden panel which is held by 4 screws, so basically can only be accessed with tools, and therefore not easily accessible. To my  mind these panels should be hinged and CU accessible without use of a screwdriver. Am I being overzealous?????

I don't see how this is any different to a DB/CU with a lock.

you can find a DB with a lock. I've now installed labels to indicate the boards are behind the panels - I had to find them!

I'm thinking Firebrigade, and isolation in the occurence of a fire

You could probably argue that isolation is at the source so access to these is for maintenance only.

I don't think the regulations are explicit enough here, you could argue it either way and not be wrong.

Think of it like this, if the landlords supply was all derived from a single CU in stairwell 1 would you be concerned about the lack of isolators in the other stairwells?

Needing a tool to access the fuseboard isn't accessible IMHO and I believe that a CU in a domestic environment should be accessible without a tool - the only exception would be if the CU is in a communal area

Just saying

this is in a communal area. Have been reading a few things elsewhere on t'internet, and many make comment about locked cupboards, so in reality it's kind of super-locked! Given the size of fire-brigade axes, I don't think the panel would last long if they did want to gain access...... :^O .

On same day I retested another place I had been to in 2009. I had noted the lack of smoke detectors and emergency lights on the 3 storey stairwell that is the only fire escape for the 5 flats. Apparrently they still have better things to spend money on than protecting the fire esacape route :facepalm:

At my parents place the new block management co. elf and safety checklist people have just insisted on a lock being fitted to the metering cupboard (which also has communal CU)

All locked D/B’s I’ve installed have had an accessible isolator.

Binky, I don’t think you’re being over zealous.

binky said:

. Am I being overzealous?????

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I'd say yes .   No offence Binky ...like a lot of us  you have given this some thought ....is this right ? etc  etc .   But no different to a locked door really  . 

I've just done a similar thing following an EICR  .   Rented house.  I was called out on a Saturday morning , no power , fizzing noise from CU , cannot turn the main switch off.      Tenant has obviously turned it off & on  ( to fit some chrome switches I'd say )    its left in the central position , arcing away and in meltdown so yank the main cut-out  (Yeah yeah)  change the switch , replace the tails .

Notice that the cut-out carrier has no fuse , solid link   (  No, Not a red one )   .

The landlady asks me to come back and do an EICR so I took a 100A fuse with me , but without the blades of the solid link , the carrier is a sloppy fit so refit  link .

I phoned it in to the DNO  as I've never seen a house without a fuse and learned that , their records show all the houses in that row are fused in a cabinet somewhere and links in the houses .    Well new one on me ....seen it in flats with fuses / meters in cellar say and red links in the flats. 

I got the impression the DNO guy thought I was a tosspot but as far as I knew there was no fuse between the house and the network.     Learn something every day in this trade.

datadiffusion said:

At my parents place the new block management co. elf and safety checklist people have just insisted on a lock being fitted to the metering cupboard (which also has communal CU)

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I doubt that the Elf 'n' safety brigade are competent to make that call, & I know more than a few.

If I were involved I would be taking them on, even if it cost me money to do so.

binky said:

this is in a communal area. Have been reading a few things elsewhere on t'internet, and many make comment about locked cupboards, so in reality it's kind of super-locked! Given the size of fire-brigade axes, I don't think the panel would last long if they did want to gain access...... :^O .

On same day I retested another place I had been to in 2009. I had noted the lack of smoke detectors and emergency lights on the 3 storey stairwell that is the only fire escape for the 5 flats. Apparrently they still have better things to spend money on than protecting the fire esacape route :facepalm:

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To your first question, no you are not being over zealous.

You are correct.

The scenario is dangerous. No more to be said. I would code C2, and I would find a reg, that escapes me at this time of might after imbibing, and without regs open.

Second, they do know that this is a criminal offence, and that they can end up in prison personally don't they?

Whether "they" are managing agent, rental company, or landlord.

Do the realise what a criminal conviction can do to them personally, e.g. forget travel to Trump land...

datadiffusion said:

At my parents place the new block management co. elf and safety checklist people have just insisted on a lock being fitted to the metering cupboard (which also has communal CU)

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We have overcome this with a key in a 'break glass' container, the door is locked to stop tennants dumping rubbish in cupboards, but a key is available in emergency for fire brigade. Have to say this block of flats was 'gentile', I can think of lots of places where that would be a bad idea.

binky said:

Have to say this block of flats was 'gentile',

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Gentiles  !  Ah  and theres me thinking they were Jewish :innocent :C

make that genteel :innocent

LOL. I just think in my parents case it won't get done, appearing on the £499.99 tickbox exercise every year, but keeping the meter reader and everyone else happy.

There are some things that make you wonder how they pass inspections, the local hospital where my wife works is a typical example. There is a back stairwell, leading from the first floor to the ground floor, this is a "staff only" area, except during an emergency when it is used to evacuate members of the public who are visiting clinics held on the upper floor.There are no maintained emergency lights on the stairwell, come to that there are no emergency lights at all, I pointed out to the wife that in my opinion this isn't correct, the switch to turn on the stairwell lights is located behind the door at the top of the stairs. The managements attitude is this is fine because in the event of an emergency a member of staff would be at the top of the door to turn on the lights! Somehow I think this is a claim/prosecution waiting to happen.

datadiffusion said:

LOL. I just think in my parents case it won't get done, appearing on the £499.99 tickbox exercise every year, but keeping the meter reader and everyone else happy.

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Please explain more, I don't get this?

phil d said:

There are some things that make you wonder how they pass inspections, the local hospital where my wife works is a typical example. There is a back stairwell, leading from the first floor to the ground floor, this is a "staff only" area, except during an emergency when it is used to evacuate members of the public who are visiting clinics held on the upper floor.There are no maintained emergency lights on the stairwell, come to that there are no emergency lights at all, I pointed out to the wife that in my opinion this isn't correct, the switch to turn on the stairwell lights is located behind the door at the top of the stairs. The managements attitude is this is fine because in the event of an emergency a member of staff would be at the top of the door to turn on the lights! Somehow I think this is a claim/prosecution waiting to happen.

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Get her to ask them how this is going to work when the fire has been started by a fault elsewhere in said stairwell lighting circuit which has subsequently disconnected this lighting circuit so the switch no longer turns the light on, but, the other means of egress are now blocked by fire, and the only exit is down the now unlit stairwell?