Electrical Inspections

SELLING YOUR HOME? WANT TO ENSURE YOUR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION IS SAFE? YOU NEED A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE.

To get an electrical certificate of compliance, and to ensure your installation is compliant with the Electrical Installation Regulation SANS10142-1, you need a qualified and registered electrician to inspect your property.

An electrical Certificate Of Compliance (COC) is a document verifying that an electrical installation such as the plugs, lighting, DB board, geyser and building wiring complies with the legal requirements as detailed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

According to this act, property may not be sold unless a valid certificate of compliance has been presented, requiring that the property pass an inspection and comply with SANS 10142-1 regulations. This will prove to the potential buyer that all of the electrical work and installations are in good working order, and up to standard.

If during your inspection it is found that anything is not up to standard, you will be required to have those items repaired before the certificate can be issued.

What does the COC cover?

The electrical COC covers your entire electrical installation from your main DB (distribution board) to the plugs, lights and other circuits. When the inspection takes place, the following will be inspected:

Your entire distribution board (DB) and any sub boards such as circuit breakers, earth leakage etc.
The earthing and connectivity of your entire installation.
The bonding of all metal components such as satellite dishes or TV antennas.
Light switches and sockets.
Isolators and all fixed appliances.
All the incoming wiring from the mains to the distribution board.
All internal wiring from the distribution board to switches and plugs.
Position of all electrical equipment and the accessibility of main switches.
Ensuring all electrical equipment is of the correct type and rating for the application, has been installed in an approved manner, is SABS (and other relevant standard regulation authority) approved.
Full readings to test voltages, earthing and more.

When would you require an electrical Certificate Of Compliance?

As a standard, the electrical certificate of compliance will last 2 years from the date of issue, as long as there has been no changes to the electrical installation subsequently. If any changes are made to your electrical installation, a registered electrician will need to provide a supplementary certificate for any changes done. It is, however, recommended at the very least, and required that you get a new electrical certificate of compliance when you decide to sell your home.

Are there any other certifications I need when selling my home?

Other than the electrical certificate, there are four other certificates required when selling your home, namely beetle, gas, water/plumbing and electrical fence. At Green Light City, we offer a full 5-point inspection of each of these areas for your home, ensuring you are 100% compliant before selling your home. Let’s take a look at what these inspections are for:

BEETLE CERTIFICATE

This certificate is not legislated, however, it is requested and common practice in all property sales, specifically in coastal areas to get a beetle certificate. This certificate ensures that the wood structures of your home are free from certain types of beetles that eat and destroy wood that could potentially make your home structure unsound. This certification is not usually required in sectional title sales.

GAS CERTIFICATE

If your home has been fitted with gas appliances such as a gas stove or a gas fireplace, it is required that you get a gas certificate that certifies that any gas installation complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act meaning that it is in a safe, working condition and that all shut-off valves have been correctly installed. If you do not have any gas appliances in your home, then this certificate is not required.

PLUMBING CERTIFICATE (WATER)

This Cape Town municipality-specific certification is required in terms of the City’s Water By-Laws and is required to certify that a property’s plumbing installation is in line with municipal and building guidelines and needs to be issued by a registered and qualified plumber. The purpose of this certification is to limit water wastage due to leakage.

ELECTRICAL FENCE CERTIFICATE

This certificate only applies for homes that have electrical fencing and is to certify that your electric fence installation is compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act standards.