RE: Re: New Regs to kill DIY HA?

["Kenneth Watt" <kwatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sadly Part P comes into effect on the 1st Jan. 2005 and there's nothing
anyone can do to stop it at this stage, but I would agree with the general
sentiments shown on this list and, I suspect, when the general public
actually realise what it means that they will treat it with contempt if not
hostility. Safety is paramount and I don't think that anyone would argue
the
point, however at what price do you offer that level of safety?

In my industry, whitegoods repairs, we have *JUST* discovered that any
appliance that is deemed to be fixed, i.e. ovens/hobs/hoods/integrated
appliances and suchlike may well come under the remit of Part P, we are
currently seeking full clarification. There has been no consultation on
this
by government to any manufacturer or any of the trade bodies such as they
are. What this means is that after 01/01/05 it may well be illegal for any
repairer not qualified to carry out the checks under Part P to repair a
domestic appliance. If this is the case then many, many companies may cease
to exist and many people will find themselves on the dole queue. Not
because
they are incompetent or unsafe, simply because they don't have the bit of
paper to say that they can do the job they've been doing for many years.

I have read through the bones of the legislation and, frankly, I find it
obscene that it even got past the draft stage, it is a shocking bit of
legislation IMO. However, enforcing the legislation may well be another
matter.

Oh and they made a right pig's ear of telling anyone about all this as
well!

The cost is going to be passed on to the consumer, *YOU*, as anyone
involved
in business here will tell you, our costs rise then the cost to the end
consumer rises. There's no magic wand that gets rid of it.

But never mind eh, we're all wrapped up in state sponsored cotton wool
which
is of course Part P compliant, meets all current EU Health & Safety
Regulations, is accessible to the disabled and is fully recyclable (all at
the consumers expense of course who demand all this, well the tree huggers
at least).

:/

<end rant>
K.