How can I check if electrical work in French home conforms?

Reader question: I am concerned about an electrical installation by a local artisan. How can I make sure the work conforms? Do I need a certificate to prove it?

If the local artisan is a qualified electrician, it is likely that the work will comply with regulations. France has a good system of trade schools, and the qualifications are highly regarded.

In addition, there is a certification body for electricians called Qualifelec, which is recommended by the state electricity company EDF. Check their list to see if your local electrician appears on it.

Legally, a professional electrician may be expected to alert a client to obvious safety defects discovered while carrying out work, and can incur liability in some circumstances if dangerous problems are ignored.

Contact Bright Avocats to obtain advice in English on legal matters in France.

If an electrician sees something that causes concern, they should report it or rectify it.

To check whether your system complies to the current standards in place, called NF C 15-100, without hiring an electrician, you could spend around €100-150 on a diagnostic électrique – the same as that required when selling a house. 

The surveyor will neither carry out any work nor issue a safety certificate, but will point out any risks.

Not every older installation must fully comply with the latest version of NF C 15-100 and older systems are often assessed primarily on safety rather than being forced to meet every current standard.

Official safety attestations are only mandatory for new electrical installations before they are connected to the network and may also be required in certain cases of major renovation or complete rewiring. They are issued by the Comité national pour la sécurité des usagers de l’électricité (Consuel). 

Its sign-off is not needed for renovation work or for old houses, but a voluntary certificate can be issued for €144.67 online. 

You will need to fill out a detailed form before a visit from a surveyor, who will issue an attestation de conformité if all is well.

Sarah Bright-Thomas is an English-speaking lawyer at Bright Avocats