> Not only is it breaking the law, but you could also jeopardise your insurance!
> Changing powerpoints or light switches might seem simple, but unless you are trained and qualified, there are lots of risks you just won’t know about. Never attempt to do your own electrical work – you could kill or injure yourself or your family, or start a fire. Always use a licensed electrician.
I think we can all agree that Australia is taking it waaaaay too far, and requiring a licenced electrician to change your own light switches is just dumb, and it has nothing to do with safety but making sure that electricians have a steady source of bread doing work that anyone should be able to do with a screwdriver.
Unless Australia has a much lower rate of home electrical accidents than rest of the world, I refuse to believe that this is a good thing.
Sorry, a bit offtopic but that partiular thing really grinds my gears, especially since it covers any cabling that goes inside your wall, so even just running an HDMI cable inside your wall requires a certified electrician to sign off on it.
I can no longer edit, but I've learned my comment is somewhat misleading.
Home insurance policies (in the US) often cover negligence including faulty electrical work. If it's in your contract, they will pay.
Insurance companies will then do their job, which is to find someone liable and send them the bill (subrogation). If you did the work, you're the responsible party.
TL;DR: Burning your house down is probably covered by insurance, but that doesn't mean you're not liable.
ceejayoz|1 year ago
For example, DIYing electrical work in Australia is illegal. https://www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au/electrical-safety-ho...
> Not only is it breaking the law, but you could also jeopardise your insurance!
> Changing powerpoints or light switches might seem simple, but unless you are trained and qualified, there are lots of risks you just won’t know about. Never attempt to do your own electrical work – you could kill or injure yourself or your family, or start a fire. Always use a licensed electrician.
gambiting|1 year ago
Unless Australia has a much lower rate of home electrical accidents than rest of the world, I refuse to believe that this is a good thing.
Sorry, a bit offtopic but that partiular thing really grinds my gears, especially since it covers any cabling that goes inside your wall, so even just running an HDMI cable inside your wall requires a certified electrician to sign off on it.
bastawhiz|1 year ago
itishappy|1 year ago
itishappy|1 year ago
Home insurance policies (in the US) often cover negligence including faulty electrical work. If it's in your contract, they will pay.
Insurance companies will then do their job, which is to find someone liable and send them the bill (subrogation). If you did the work, you're the responsible party.
TL;DR: Burning your house down is probably covered by insurance, but that doesn't mean you're not liable.