Exposure to faulty electrical work is hazardous to you, your family and your home, so it’s important that you receive assurance that the work that’s completed in your house is safe. We’ve discussed the importance of not DIY’ing your electrical work, but not receiving a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) from a qualified electrician also puts you and your family at risk of house fires, injury or death.  

Not only are Certificates of Electrical Safety important for your peace of mind, but they’re required by law in Victoria and help to ensure that qualified electricians are complying with regulations. The Electrical Safety Act of 1998 and the Electrical Safety (Installations) Regulations of 2009 mandate that a COES is a requirement for all electrical installation works completed in Victoria. It’s a criminal offence if an electrician fails to comply with these regulations, and they risk losing their licence among other severe penalties. On top of this, if your electrician doesn’t supply you with a COES for installations in your house, your insurance may not cover any accidents that occur as a result of faulty work, so it’s important to have the certificates!

It’s your electrician’s responsibility to purchase, complete and lodge the COES with Energy Safe Victoria within 14 days of completing any electrical installations in your home. It’s also their responsibility to provide you with a copy of the certificate. If your electrician does not provide you with a copy, there is no guarantee that your electrical works have been completed to a standard that complies with safety requirements, so you must voice your concerns to them or their business. In an extreme case, if an electrician is unwilling to cooperate in providing you with a copy or a suitable suggestion as to how to go about obtaining one, you are within your rights to request a copy from Energy Safe Victoria and make a complaint about the tradesperson. You can find out more about how to do that here.  

An electrician may choose to bill their customer separately for the handling fees related to filling out the COES, and they are entitled to do. If the COES is not listed on your invoice, it may be included in the total, however, if you have concerns, you must mention this to them.

At Quay Electrical, we pride ourselves on providing top quality service which is compliant with all safety regulations, and will always supply our clients with COES. To find out more about our services, contact us here.