Installers and plumbers surveyed at a recent trade show are still confused about the Part G building regulations and what is required by law - two years after they were introduced.
The survey of more than 100 installers and plumbers undertaken by Inta at PHEX Chelsea, revealed that two thirds of plumbers and installers were unclear of what the building regulations entailed and two out of five had no idea what the maximum temperature water delivered to a bath fitted with a thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) should be.

It also exposed lack of enforcement as a serious issue, with 89% of respondents calling for policing of the regulations to be made more rigorous.

More than half of those questioned were unaware of any enforcement of the Part G building regulations since they came into force in 2010. The regulations, which were designed to reduce the risk of bathroom scalding, make the fitting of a TMV with baths compulsory in new builds and refurbishments if the positioning of the bath has changed.

Darran Bougourd, sales director at Inta, said: 'It's sad to say, but we are not surprised by the findings. The regulations present a real grey area regarding whether refurbishments fall into this category.'

'To us it seems utterly ridiculous that a TMV is only required in instances where the bath is moved. The position of a bath has absolutely no relation to the risk of scalding, but the fitting of a TMV eliminates this risk completely. The regulations left many in the industry flummoxed as they had the potential to be a game changer, but instead cover limited ground,' he added.