That's rough, although coming from kitchen fitters, not unexpected. They've acquired something of a reputation here in recent years for shoddy electrical work.
And why is that I ask?, when EVERY other electrician is measured with Part P, sounds like a non-level playing field here.
Are authorities turning a blind-eye towards these clowns in favour of stifling business?
These people(I have worked in with kitchen fitters before) have the minimum of tools with them, they even ask to borrow yours as well.
They seem to think that as long as they have a saw, a hammer and a screwdriver, it qualifies them to do all sorts of damage that will be later covered up by their flash melamine-faced MDF cabinet work and a (rare) coat of plaster and paint.
Pretty much the same here, either hardwired to an FCU or powered via a regular BS1363 socket & plug -- In either case accessible. No RCD required though.
Paul,
I think in every area of the world that has up to date electricity regulations, you'd be violating at least a few of them regs, by hiding rubbish like this in the walls or behind somewhere that did not require "significant removal of building parts" to access the connections.
Imagine having to turn that off in a hurry?
Most people don't think of the switch-board, it becomes one big panic, they want a switch they can turn off near the appliance!
Is that too much to ask?
No, it isn't, that is why clowns like this need to be made an example of.
Are kitchen fires caused by this sort of work that prevalent in the UK and Ireland?
We went mad with RCD protection here, requiring all new domestic installations to have 30mA RCD protection on all lighting circuits and most of the socket-outlets in a house.
No way could you use any of the older type double socket-outlets that had an integral RCD, it all had to be at the switch-board, meaning the price of a switch-board panel blew out after the Regs changed, more so if you were unfortunate enough to have to wire a 3 phase 230V house, as they often are out in the country here.
At the end of the day, I don't think anyone is any safer, I think it is just the "warm-fuzzy" factor, given by people that have a minimal understanding of how electricity actually works.
If you are going to be electrocuted, often an RCD will not stop it, mainly because they aren't tested enough in the houses where they are installed, people forget they even own them.