Midland Fire’s Commercial Electricians Complete Consumer Unit Upgrade for Places for People
Our electrical team at Midland Fire was recently contracted to supply, install and test brand new Wylex consumer units at residential properties managed by Places for People. Our electricians visited 232 homes across Nottingham, Loughborough, Mansfield and Birmingham over the course of the project.
The reason for the upgrade was to make sure that every home was up to date with the latest UK wiring regulations and electrical safety standards. By replacing the older units with more modern Wylex models, we helped improve the overall safety of these homes and also gave the residents peace of mind that they were living somewhere safe and secure.
This project is a great example of how our commercial electricians can communicate and work efficiently as a team across multiple locations – which we’ll go more into later – while always keeping up high standards of work with minimal disruption to residents. We coordinated the project closely with our client to make sure the work was carried out in line with their schedule and in full compliance with the national guidelines. The result was a safer living environment for the Places for People’s community of residents and a satisfied client on completion of this key upgrade. Happy days!
“For me and the team, our work is all about keeping people safe and making sure that properties comply with Electrical Safety Standards. This project is a good example of that, and whilst coordinating around people’s lives in lots of different locations was a challenge, our team delivered as usual, getting this important work done within the given timeframe.”
Pete Walker, Midland Fire Electrical Division Project Manager
Places for People
Describing themselves as ‘The UK’s leading social enterprise’, Places for People build new developments, manage homes and create communities where everyone can thrive. They put people first, helping to create living areas that are more than just a collection of homes, shops and leisure facilities, but rather places where people can feel safe, connected and cared for.
Places for People were established in 1965, and now manage nearly a quarter of a million homes, reinvesting all profits into their communities. They are placemakers, with a philosophy centring around long-term social impact. And of course, at the heart of that lies the safety and wellbeing of all their residents. Which is where we come in.
Consumer unit upgrade and electrical safety checks for Places for People
The project
Places for People needed a NICEIC approved electrical contractor to carry out a large-scale upgrade of consumer units (also known as fuse boxes) across 232 residential properties. The purpose of the upgrade was to make sure that these consumer units now met current regulations and safety standards.
The project took place as follows:
- Our admin team arranged appointments with each resident and sent out letters explaining the work that would be taking place.
- Electricians visited the homes at the allocated times, allowing around two hours at each property to complete the consumer unit upgrade.
- This work included the removal of old units, followed by the installation and thorough testing of new Wylex consumer units.
- Second visits were arranged in the case that other electrical issues or non-compliance with current wiring regulations were identified and repairs were needed.
- A full NICEIC electrical installation certification was issued to each home on completion of the upgrade as proof of compliance with the latest electrical regulations.
The installation of the new consumer units included modern Surge Protection Devices for enhanced system safety, as well as Type A Residual Current Devices to detect and protect against both alternating AC and DC residual currents. These Type A RCDs are ideal for modern homes, where everyday devices like computers, chargers and LED lighting can create types of electrical faults that older Type AC RCDs might miss.
The challenges
The biggest challenge we had in this project was having to schedule in lots of resident appointments across a large geographical area. We had to reschedule a lot of the appointments due to last minute changes from residents, whilst working to tight deadlines set by the client. By remaining flexible and stressing the importance of the upgrade, we were able to still complete the work within the set timeframe. Our team also made sure that we carried out all works during normal working hours, Monday to Friday, 8:00 – 16:30 to reduce disruption to the residents.
As this was an extensive project, it was also crucial that everyone involved communicated effectively and regularly checked in to update on progress and report any issues. To do this, we scheduled weekly catch-up meetings with Places for People’s Project Manager, and every meeting was documented and uploaded to a shared portal on Microsoft Teams. This way, progress could be tracked live and all stakeholders had access to certification.
A note on consumer units and the UK electrical safety standards
A consumer unit, AKA a fuse box, is the central control hub of a home’s electrical system. It distributes electricity safely throughout the home and protects people from electric shocks and fires by automatically cutting off power when a fault is detected. Modern consumer units include circuit breakers, RCDs (Residual Current Devices) and surge protection to meet the latest safety standards.
For the People for Places upgrade project, we installed new Wylex consumer units in each home. Wylex is a great choice as it’s a well-trusted brand in the UK, known for its high-quality, regulation-compliant products that are easy to install, are reliable and built to last.
Wylex units are designed to meet BS 7671 – the UK Wiring Regulations which set the national standard for electrical installation safety. These rules require consumer units to be metal-clad, fire-resistant and equipped with devices that can detect the more complex faults found in today’s homes. Choosing a reputable brand like Wylex, and making sure you hire a NICEIC approved contractor like Midland Fire, will give you complete peace of mind that your business’s electrical appliances are fully compliant and safe for use.
Looking for a commercial electrical contractor in the Midlands?
We offer electrical installation, maintenance and commissioning services in Nottingham and Birmingham as well as the surrounding cities, towns and villages across the Midlands.
We’ve been providing reliable commercial electrical services for 25 years and we’re an NICEIC approved contractor. We use the latest standards in electrical testing equipment to ensure that your installations meet your legal obligations and are as safe as they can possibly be. At Midland Fire WE PROTECT.
For more information and a free consultation contact Midland Fire Security Services Ltd.
