UK regulations allow anyone to carry out electrical work. This may result, in many cases, in poor electrical installation, which may lead to failures of the installations and fires.

The NICEIC is a non-profit organisation, established a system of vetting and yearly assessing its members.

Because the NICEIC approved contractors program has become the benchmark for electrical work standard, most insurance companies insist that any installation that is newly insured or that has recently suffered a flood or fire should have a Safety Electrical Inspection & Testing carried out by an NICEIC contractor.

The NICEIC; National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, initially vets all joining members, in order to establish whether they have the correct qualifications, premises and equipment to carry out the work to comply with BS7671.

Subsequently, every year, each member is re-assessed.

In January 2005 the domestic part of electrical installation works in the UK has become regulated rather than self regulated. This is known as Part P of the building regulations.

This means that any works carried out in the domestic sector can only be carried out by persons who are initially vetted for their qualifications, their premises and possession of the equipment and documentation enabling them to carry out quality assured electrical works.

Subsequently, annually, members of the Part P approved Domestic Installer scheme are re-assessed.

Any person employing an electrician to carry out work in domestic installation has the duty to ensure that the person carrying out the work is part P approved.

Failure to do so has legal consequences and may invalidate building insurance policies.