Electricians, like many other trades within the construction industry, are required to have décennale assurance. The electrical work I do for you, whether devis/factured or factured with no devis, it is 'assured'. Both devis and factures are legally required to show décennale details. Plus, my attestation d'assurance is made available to anyone who requests to see it. I have been asked on many occasions by Notaires to submit my attestation when a client is selling their home. As is the case with many of my clients, they are repeat customers, and I have to submit the attestation for each year of working for that client, when they sell.
I take my professional activity and décennale assurance very seriously. It protects me, and it protects you. Electrical safety in your home is the mantra of my business and I work to a high standard in accordance with French normes. Electrical work that is not carried out according to French normes, can have direct consequences: flaws in the system, abnormal operation, and fire. But even good trades people can have claims made against their workmanship. I am not immune but for me, usually, they have either done something themselves or used another person to carry out electrical work with no insurance or registration, and it has gone wrong. In these instances my assurance has been invalidated. I also keep very efficient records of all my work, everything is photographed and clients sign my worksheet, when the work is complete.
What my décennale assurance does and doesn't do
Last year a client that I could not attend to at the drop of a hat decided that rather than wait to have the work done properly, they used a person who was neither registered nor insured to do the work. They then contacted another electrician after it had all gone a bit wrong, who condemned the work. The client contacted me and said I needed to come back and sort the problem out. By their admission, they said they had used another person because I wasn't around. My insurance company quickly confirmed that my décennale assurance was invalid, as the unregistered/uninsured person had compromised the installation.
I have recently worked for a new client. Work assessed, devis provided. Work done, facture provided. Again because of an urgent issue [according to the client], they called another electrician to fix the problem. That other electrician will now be responsible for that client, as my décennale assurance no longer applies.
I regularly receive work requests from homeowners where a non sireted and non-insured person has carried out an electrical installation. While some are aware that their home is at risk from flaws in the system, abnormal operation or fire, some homeowners are not. Again I have to decline; as you can appreciate. My décennale assurance covers my work, not that of another. There are exceptional circumstances. Either an electrician is no longer in the country or is deceased and I've had a good chat with my assurance providers, and I state very clearly that I will assess the work beforehand to make sure that it has been carried out in accordance with French normes.
I am often asked can I 'sign off' a homeowners work? Again, no. My décennale insures my work, not that of a homeowner. Signing off is different here in France. If you have done your own electrical work, then you are responsible for it. And this is likely to come about if you sell your property within 10 years. It is becoming more and more common for Notaires to ask for all factures for work carried out - and if you are unable to provide these - then you as the seller will become responsible for 'assuring' the remainder of the term from when you did the work.
At the moment trusted and reputable trades are under pressure, and their diaries are full, reducing their availability. Clients want their problems resolved as quickly as possible and call around until they get someone who answers the phone/responds. There are less trusting, less reputable trades very happy to take work where they can get it, take your money but not provide you with a facture or confirmation that their work is suitably insured.
Always ask to see attestation d'assurance décennale. If they cannot provide it or won't provide it, why?? Don't leave your home exposed to risk.
For more information on the importance of décennale assurance and what trades are required to have it, visit this article at Artisan Central
I take my professional activity and décennale assurance very seriously. It protects me, and it protects you. Electrical safety in your home is the mantra of my business and I work to a high standard in accordance with French normes. Electrical work that is not carried out according to French normes, can have direct consequences: flaws in the system, abnormal operation, and fire. But even good trades people can have claims made against their workmanship. I am not immune but for me, usually, they have either done something themselves or used another person to carry out electrical work with no insurance or registration, and it has gone wrong. In these instances my assurance has been invalidated. I also keep very efficient records of all my work, everything is photographed and clients sign my worksheet, when the work is complete.
What my décennale assurance does and doesn't do
Last year a client that I could not attend to at the drop of a hat decided that rather than wait to have the work done properly, they used a person who was neither registered nor insured to do the work. They then contacted another electrician after it had all gone a bit wrong, who condemned the work. The client contacted me and said I needed to come back and sort the problem out. By their admission, they said they had used another person because I wasn't around. My insurance company quickly confirmed that my décennale assurance was invalid, as the unregistered/uninsured person had compromised the installation.
I have recently worked for a new client. Work assessed, devis provided. Work done, facture provided. Again because of an urgent issue [according to the client], they called another electrician to fix the problem. That other electrician will now be responsible for that client, as my décennale assurance no longer applies.
I regularly receive work requests from homeowners where a non sireted and non-insured person has carried out an electrical installation. While some are aware that their home is at risk from flaws in the system, abnormal operation or fire, some homeowners are not. Again I have to decline; as you can appreciate. My décennale assurance covers my work, not that of another. There are exceptional circumstances. Either an electrician is no longer in the country or is deceased and I've had a good chat with my assurance providers, and I state very clearly that I will assess the work beforehand to make sure that it has been carried out in accordance with French normes.
I am often asked can I 'sign off' a homeowners work? Again, no. My décennale insures my work, not that of a homeowner. Signing off is different here in France. If you have done your own electrical work, then you are responsible for it. And this is likely to come about if you sell your property within 10 years. It is becoming more and more common for Notaires to ask for all factures for work carried out - and if you are unable to provide these - then you as the seller will become responsible for 'assuring' the remainder of the term from when you did the work.
At the moment trusted and reputable trades are under pressure, and their diaries are full, reducing their availability. Clients want their problems resolved as quickly as possible and call around until they get someone who answers the phone/responds. There are less trusting, less reputable trades very happy to take work where they can get it, take your money but not provide you with a facture or confirmation that their work is suitably insured.
Always ask to see attestation d'assurance décennale. If they cannot provide it or won't provide it, why?? Don't leave your home exposed to risk.
For more information on the importance of décennale assurance and what trades are required to have it, visit this article at Artisan Central
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