If you're doing electrical installation work in your home or garden in England or Wales, you must follow the building regulations. It's recommended to hire an installer who is registered with a competent person scheme (a registered competent person’) who can self-certify that the work meets the required standards.

A ‘P certificate’ may refer to confirmation that electrical installations within a building are compliant with Approved Document P of the building regulations.

An electrician who is Part P certified is able to self-certify domestic work they complete, meaning you do not have to submit a building notice. To ensure your electrician is Part P certified, use a registered competent person.

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Yes, but this type of conversion will require full planning permission. This is because you’d be changing the use of the ground floor from residential to commercial (typically to a use class such as E), while the upper floor would remain as a residential flat (Class C3). The change of use triggers the need for planning approval.  

Find out more about change of use

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You typically will not need planning permission to install a hot tub in your garden, as it is classed as an outbuilding and within the permitted development rights in terms of size and portability. However, you may need planning permission if you live in a listed building or conservation area, you should check first with your local authority.

The hot tub will need to adhere to the building regulations in terms of safe and adequate electrical installation by a registered competent person. Find out more about using a registered competent person.

Also, if the hot tub is placed within a building such as a large shed-style structure, there will be separate planning and building control limitations on that structure.

Installing solar panels on your roof will often fall under permitted development rights, meaning an application for planning permission is not required provided certain limits and conditions are met.

The limits and conditions vary based on the type of roof you want to install the solar panels on and the location of the house. See the details below:

·     On a pitched roof, panels should not be installed above the highest part of the roof (excluding the chimney) and should project no more than 200mm from the roof slope or wall surface.

·     On a flat roof the highest part of the solar PV equipment cannot be more than 600mm higher than the highest part of the roof(excluding chimney).

·     The panels must not be installed on a building that is within the grounds of a listed building or on a site designated as a scheduled monument.

·     If your property is in a conservation area, or in a World Heritage Site, panels must not be fitted to a wall which fronts a highway.

As you have stated you’re in a conservation area, you must apply to the local authority for prior approval. This process includes submitting a form to the local planning authority which ensures that you meet the limits set out in legislation.

Forms relating to prior approval for mounting solar equipment can be submitted through the Planning Portal’s online application service and attract a fee of £240.

Visit our solar common projects page for more details and to explore similar permissions.

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