Your Electrical Questions Answered
At Lektrix Installations Ltd, we understand that homeowners, landlords and commercial clients often have questions about electrical work, fire alarm installation, fuseboard installation, EICR landlord certificates, PAT testing and EV charging point installation. Below, are our FAQ’s covering all our main services across South London and Surrey including Wimbledon, Kingston, Tooting, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Beyond. If your question isn’t listed, our electricians are always happy to help.
1. Do I need a fire alarm installation in my home?
Yes. All domestic properties benefit from interlinked smoke and heat alarms to improve early detection and protect occupants.
2. Are fire alarms a legal requirement for commercial buildings?
Commercial premises must have a compliant fire alarm system that meets fire safety regulations. We install both addressable and conventional systems.
3. How often should commercial fire alarms be inspected?
Fire alarm systems should be professionally serviced at least every 6 months, with weekly on site testing recommended.
4. Can you replace or upgrade an old fire alarm system?
Yes. We upgrade outdated systems to meet current safety standards and improve coverage across the property.
5. Do you install smoke and heat detectors for HMOs?
Yes. HMOs require specific smoke and heat detector placement. Our electricians ensure compliance with landlord and HMO fire safety rules.
6. How long does a fire alarm installation take?
Most domestic installations take a few hours, while commercial systems vary depending on size and complexity.
1. Do I legally need a fire risk assessment?
If you are the responsible person for any premises that is not a single private home, yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. That covers blocks of flats and HMOs, the common parts rather than the inside of each flat, as well as offices, shops, restaurants, schools, care homes and licensed premises.
2. Does it have to be written down?
Yes. Since 1 October 2023, when the relevant parts of section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force, every responsible person must record the fire risk assessment in full and record who carried it out. The word “significant” was removed from the Order, so recording only the significant findings is no longer enough, and the old exemption for premises with fewer than five employees has gone.
3. Who is the responsible person?
Whoever has control of the premises. For a block of flats it is usually the freeholder, the management company or the managing agent. For a business it is normally the employer or the occupier. If more than one person has control, the duty is shared and each has to cooperate with the others. You can delegate the assessment itself, but the responsibility for it stays with you.
4. Is a fire risk assessment the same as an EICR?
No, and they are often confused. An EICR is an inspection of the fixed electrical installation and reports on its condition. A fire risk assessment looks at the whole building, escape routes, fire doors, detection, emergency lighting, signage, housekeeping and ignition sources, and records what needs to change. They complement each other, and an overdue EICR is a very common finding on a fire risk assessment.
5. How often should it be reviewed?
The Order requires the assessment to be kept up to date rather than repeated on a fixed date. In practice an annual review, and a fresh assessment roughly every three years, is what most responsible persons work to. You must review it sooner if the building, its use or its occupants change, or after a fire or near miss.
6. What do I get at the end of it?
A written report that records the hazards, who is at risk, the fire safety measures already in place, and a prioritised list of significant findings with an action plan. It is written so you can hand it to an enforcing officer, an insurer or a managing agent and it will stand up.
7. Can you carry out the work the assessment identifies?
Yes, and that is the main reason clients come to us. We are BAFE SP203-1 registered for the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems, third party certificated by NICEIC, so detection, emergency lighting and electrical remedial work can all be done by the same firm.
8. Does my fire risk assessor have to be certified?
No. In England there is no licence, no protected title and no mandatory register for fire risk assessors. The Fire Safety Order sets an outcome based test instead: the person must have sufficient training and experience, or knowledge and other qualities, to do the work properly. Schemes such as BAFE SP205 are voluntary. What the law does require is that you record who carried out your assessment, so you should satisfy yourself about their competence and keep that record. We will tell you who is coming and what their background is before you book.
9. What happens if I do not have one?
The fire and rescue authority can serve an enforcement or prohibition notice, and serious breaches are prosecuted. Fines are unlimited and imprisonment is possible in the worst cases. Insurers also routinely ask to see the assessment after a claim.
1. What domestic electrical services do you provide?
We handle rewires, socket installations, lighting, fuseboard installation, fire alarms, EV charging point installation and more.
2. How do I know if my home needs a rewire?
Signs include old wiring, repeated tripping, outdated fuseboards or discoloured sockets. We can inspect and advise.
3. Can you install power to my garden or outbuilding?
Yes. We install outdoor sockets, lighting, and power supplies to sheds, garages and garden buildings.
4. Do you install kitchen and bathroom electrics?
We install lighting, extractor fans, appliance circuits and shaver points, following correct zoning regulations.
5. Are your domestic electricians fully qualified?
Yes. All work is carried out by trained electricians who follow the latest British Standards.
6. Can you help with small electrical jobs?
Absolutely. No job is too small, from a single socket to a complete installation.
1. What types of commercial properties do you work in?
We work in offices, shops, restaurants, schools, warehouses, industrial units and public buildings.
2. Do you offer ongoing electrical maintenance for businesses?
Yes. We provide routine testing, repairs and planned maintenance to keep your premises safe and operational.
3. Can you install new lighting for commercial spaces?
Yes. We install LED lighting, emergency lighting, security lighting and full lighting upgrades.
4. Do you carry out commercial rewires?
We undertake partial and full rewires for commercial properties of all sizes.
5. Can your electricians work outside business hours?
Yes. We can work at times that reduce disruption to staff and customers.
6. Do you install fire alarm systems for commercial buildings?
Yes. We design and install addressable and conventional fire alarm installations for all commercial environments.
1. Do I need a dedicated EV charging point at home?
Yes. A dedicated charger is faster, safer and compliant compared with a standard 13A plug.
2. What EV chargers do you install?
We install 7kW home chargers, 22kW workplace chargers, smart chargers and tethered/untethered units.
3. Do I need a fuseboard upgrade before installation?
Not always. We assess your system during the survey and only recommend upgrades if necessary.
4. Can you install multiple EV chargers at a business premises?
Yes. We install workplace chargers for staff, fleets and customers.
5. How long does an EV charging point installation take?
Most domestic installations are completed within a few hours.
6. Are smart EV chargers worth it?
Yes. Smart chargers allow scheduling, load control and usage tracking, helping reduce energy costs.
1. What is included in your testing and inspection service?
We test circuits, wiring, fuseboards and safety devices, providing clear reports on any issues found.
2. How often should a property be inspected?
Typically every 5 years.
3. Do you issue EICR certificates?
Yes. We provide EICR landlord certificates and inspection reports for domestic and commercial properties.
4. Can you find faults if my electrics keep tripping?
Yes. Our electricians carry out detailed fault finding to locate and repair the issue.
5. Do you check smoke and heat detectors during inspections?
We can check detectors as part of a wider inspection or as an additional service.
6. Do you offer emergency electrical testing?
We can arrange urgent testing depending on availability, contact us for support.
1. Is an EICR compulsory for landlords?
Yes. Landlords must obtain an EICR landlord certificate every five years, or sooner if recommended.
2. Do landlords need PAT testing?
If you supply portable appliances, PAT testing is recommended to ensure tenant safety.
3. What electrical requirements apply to HMOs?
HMOs require regular inspections, interlinked smoke and heat alarms, and often emergency lighting.
4. Can you upgrade my fuseboard to make it compliant?
Yes. We install modern fuseboards with RCD/RCBO protection, suitable for rental properties.
5. Do I need to provide electrical certificates to tenants?
Yes. The EICR must be given to new tenants before they move in.
6. Can you manage the electrical compliance for multiple rental properties?
Yes. We work with landlords and letting agents to maintain ongoing compliance across entire portfolios.
1. Which areas do you cover?
We provide electrical work, fire alarm installation, fuseboard installation, EICR landlord certificates, PAT testing and EV charging point installation across South London and Surrey including Wimbledon, Kingston, Tooting, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Beyond.
2. Are your electricians fully qualified and insured?
Yes. All electricians at Lektrix Installations Ltd are fully qualified and covered by public liability and professional indemnity insurance.
3. Do you offer free quotations?
Yes. We provide clear, no obligation quotes for all domestic and commercial electrical work.
4. How soon can you begin work?
This depends on the size of the job. Smaller tasks can often be scheduled quickly, while larger installations are booked in advance.
5. Can you work around my schedule?
We aim to be flexible and can arrange appointments at times that cause minimal disruption to your home or business.
6. Do you supply all materials and equipment?
Yes. We provide all necessary equipment, materials and certification required for electrical work, ensuring everything meets current British Standards.