Question Re: Electrical Inspector

Hi All,
My husband and I own a former rental house that is currently unoccupied and will be until we get it repaired to the point where we can sell it. This past summer, a tree branch fell on the power lines as a result of a storm and ripped off the meter box and mast from the side of the house. We hired an electrician with the insurance money and he repaired the electric service so that it worked again.....this work was done under a permit, as he was a very ethical and honest electrician. He thought that we would hear from the electrical inspector within a week or two, but we never did, even after contacting the electrician to make sure that he had provided the correct information on the permit....
Now a couple of weeks ago, we recieved a notice on the door of the house which said that the inspector was unable to get in to inspect the house, so we need to contact him or the permit will be "closed" and "anyone who asks" will be told that the work was not approved.
My husband and I were discussing calling the inspector and started wondering what it would mean for us if we didn't call the inspector?
To reiterate:
Work was done by a licensed electrician who obtained a valid permit.
Electricity works fine in the house.
How important is it to have this inspected 5 months after the work was done?
Please try to be sensitive in your response, I honestly want to know and would rather not be called dumb or anything, even if this is perceived as a dumb question, sorry.....

 

This is not a dumb question although I have seen alot of different reactions to the questions of inspections. In reallity the inspection is for your protection, and it is to you benefit to have it done. If the work is substandard, then you have a legal means to have it fixed at no cost to you, Instead of finding out five years from now. Next if you hope to sell and they find out there was work done without inspection then you might have to pay to have it inspected and brought up to whatever code is in force at the time. Mortgage companies usually won't lend money to a buyer if the property is not free and clear of all know dangers. Next if you were to rent the property and something was to happen and someone got hurt and they found no inspection done you could be into a major legal battle trying to hold on to what you own. Next in some areas if the inspection is not completed the power company may not allow you to have electricity they can turn it off if they don't know if the premisses are safe to accept the power.

 

You should absolutely have the inspection completed. You hired a licenced electrician and as part of it there was suposed to be one you should get it. Its been paid for, I would call the inspect back and make arrangements to get it finished.