An electrical Certificate of Verification (COV) for residential property can often be requested by insurance companies during the sale & purchase of property. In particular, older properties are more likely to receive a request for a COV from an insurance company. Insurance compliance is normally a vital requirement for banks to sign-off on mortgage settlement.
The purpose of the electrical COV is to verify the condition and safety of the electrical circuits in the property. Typically, the certificate covers verification of; ‘an existing installation on which no work has been carried out and is not subject to Regulation 73’.
Situations in which COVs are commonly requested
Electrical COV’s help to identify potential electrical hazards and provide peace of mind to individuals and a level of risk reduction to insurance companies & banks. Common situations when electrical COV’s are requested include:
Purchasing Property:
As a Pre-Purchase requirement for mortgage settlement (via the insurance company).
As a Pre-Purchase reassurance measure or due diligence condition of sale.As a Post-Purchase reassurance measure to give you peace of mind.
Electrical Issues:
As an identification measure when you receive repeated ad-hoc and often intermittent electrical issues throughout the property.
Selling Property:
As a evidence when selling your older home or investment property.
Types of verification:
The time it takes to complete an on-site electrical COV inspection can vary. Depending on how large the site is ,wether if it’s a building or home due to the space that needs to be covered to carryout COV. Verification is classified as either: (a) Basic visual inspection; (b) Visual inspection and limited testing; or (c) Visual inspection and full testing.
Our standard residential home or commercial building is electrical COV is by Basic visual inspection and also by testing & checking all your main switchboard and distribution boards installations are up to current electrical regulations.
The verification process includes:
The visual inspection applies to the readily visible wiring and electrical items. An electrician or electrical inspector will throughly work through a checklist and grade a series of listed items that typically include:
- light switches
- power points
- main earth
- main earth lead
- cabling
- earth bonding
- earthing of metal surfaces
- cable termination
This will give you, your insurance company and your bank piece of mind that at this particular moment in time a qualified electrician believes the electrical condition of the property is safe.
Book a COV for you property now, call the office on 0800 020 097.
