Not only is domestic electrical testing demanded by law (Part P of the Building Regulations for England and Wales) but it very definitely saves lives and property.

About 30 people a year die, and around 4,000 are injured, in electrical accidents and the resulting fires that happen in homes.

MDC Electrical, based in Westbury, Wiltshire, are approved by the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) to inspect, test and certify the safety of electrical installations for homeowners and landlords.

All MDC Electrical engineers are fully trained and qualified to carry out electrical inspections and testing of electrical systems and, crucially, fire alarms, in domestic premises.

Not only must electrical installations in new build homes meet legal requirements, but also any changes made to existing electrical installations - including rewiring of any part or all of a property - needs to be tested and certified safe. This is in order to protect those living in the house or flat from electric shocks and electrical fires.

It's not worth taking chances. The only way to ensure you have safe "Part P" compliant electrical installation work done on your property - whether it is in the house, garden, conservatory or outbuildings - is to use a registered electrical firm like MDC Electrical. When work is finished MDC will undertake the required testing of your electrical systems and issue you with a certificate confirming the work meets BS 7671 (the regulation British Safety Standard) and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate.

It's not only new electrical installations and circuits which need to be tested. If you move in to an established property there is the risk that wear and tear and the activities of well-meaning DIY-ers could have rendered the electrics unsafe. There's no legal requirement to get an electrical report when moving in to a residential property, but it is certainly advisable to have a registered electrician like MDC Electrical inspect the electrical installations.

As the owner or landlord of a property you are responsible for the safety of the electrics.

Like all experienced electricians, for safety's sake MDC Electrical recommend having the electrical installations and wiring in your residence inspected and tested routinely every five years or so.

Commercial Testing

MDC Electrical provides commercial electrical installation testing for all sorts of premises - offices, retail outlets, industrial sites, hotels and so on - in Westbury and surrounding Wiltshire towns.

All commercial premises where people are employed have to comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989. The laws are in place to ensure that all electrical installations and equipment in the workplace are not a fire hazard or a danger to employees. Insurance companies also generally require safety certification for the electrical installations at commercial properties.

As NICEIC registered electrical engineers, MDC Electrical are professionally qualified to undertake electrical testing and inspections for commercial enterprises, and the issuing of Electrical Installation Certificates.

Testing for certification involves not only the fixed wiring and electrical circuits in the building, but also testing of all portable appliances, however small.

Electrical testing for commercial properties is not a "one-off" affair: a periodic electrical testing programme should be carried out, which is necessary for a variety of reasons, ranging from the criteria of mortgage lenders and insurance companies to the requirements of public bodies and licensing authorities.

MDC Electrical is happy to handle periodic electrical and fire alarm testing and inspection reports for commercial clients in and around Westbury, mutually arranged for a time that will cause the least disruption to business operations.