Hi,

The husband and I had our items which were held in storage delivered today. Amongst those items was a month old tv and home theater system. When it was disconnected in Germany, to be packed by the relocation people, they explained to us they would reconnect the system for us upon delivery in CH.

Today I was informed that it is "illegal" for non-licenced operators to do such dangerous work as hook up a telly to a home theater system and we have to go to a registered operator, such as Fust to have this done. They also said we are not allowed to install it ourselves.

This makes less than no sense to me. Is it actually true that we have to pay someone else to plug things together (because if we are, I'm sending the bill to the relocation people!) or am I being led around the garden path?

Incidentally, the system is simple enough to operate that -I- figured it out. I'm sure it does not require a "licenced operator" therefore.

Appreciate all advice, as always.

I.

I personally do not think you need "licensed" persons to hook up 2-3 power cables and many other signal cables forming your HT system. I've done a few installations here in ZH although I am not a "licensed" person but simply one with several years of experience.

Would be good to have a pointer to that piece of legislation which authorises only licensed persons.

They're having you on! Unless it's a super duper built in system with TVs that disappears behind pictures or into the walls like a James Bond villains lair.

They probably just don't want to be held responbible should they break a bit of expensive electrical equipment by accident.

Yeah, it sounded super strange to me, but since I am in Switzerland (officially the most over-regulated country ever) I thought, perhaps I should check before accusing the delivery dudes of being slackers.

The most annoying this is, I know these things worked before being picked up- no idea if they'll work after delivery. I thought they were required to test this in order to be able to satisfy their insurance requirements.

Ah well. Back to the relocation people I write.

Thanks for your help!

Just a tip - your relocation insurance probably has a very small time frame in which to make a claim - I learnt the hard way by not unpacking everything straight away...

Can you feel something on your leg... as I think your having it well and truly pulled.

Not possible. In Switzerland you can even wire all the electricity in you house yourself - apart from the high voltage stuff.

Perhaps there is a warranty issue? but there is definately no Swiss law that requires this.

Actually InShan, it is more regulated in Australia - I discovered I could not do data cabling, phone extension cabling, Sat coax cabling etc. without an ACMA certification. Of course, the tradesmen were more than eager to point to legislation that asserts this. Over here, it is far more flexible.

Things were connected and tested tonight. My Monty Python DVDs work, the TV works, the home theater works. All is well in the world.

Apart from that leg, throbbing from the yanking >:|

someone was obviously trying to make a few bob out of you.