Why is it a bad idea to let an owner do handyman work around the building?

We have an owner that wants to fix a minor electrical problem – he says it is just a little wiring issue and he is sure he can fix it even though he is not an electrician and has never done any electrical work before – but if he screws it up it could kill the electricity for the entire building until a licensed, insured electrician can come out and fix it.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why letting an owner do work on a common area is inadvisable? (Other than, you know, he might electrocute himself!)

I expressed those thoughts but everyone loves this guy and they just know he can do it. So I’m going to need to come back with something stronger, if possible. (And I seem to remember reading earlier posts on this topic - anyone remember where they were?)

Great idea, but our agent stopped taking my phone calls when I complained that they were not licensed (and, big surprise, yes, they are still our agent, welcome to my corner of hell, I am so not kidding).

All it takes is for someone to break a nail or get a scratch and you will be signing your home titles over to the handyman.
The intentions may be well and good, but lead to disastrous consequences. Plus I don't think your Master insurer or home owners
insurer will like that, there is probably an exclusion about that in the pages of leagaleeze.

Everyone has given great reasons, and here's mine - if you purchase materials for this project that have a warranty, not using a licensed person to install it can void the warranty if something goes wrong.

It's really too bad your neighbors are so hellbent on rejecting anything you say (because it seems you think things through unlike them) that they're willing to put their homes and wallets at risk

Is he a licensed contractor? Might be illegal for him to do job.
Is he getting paid? May be rule against directors getting paid.
Is he insured?

Is that not clear at this point? You have someone not qualified, insured, or licensed that wants to do work. How is that not setting off a bomb inside your community waiting for the lid to blow off?

Oh, for heaven's sake - when you started this conversation, you said the owner wanted to fix a minor electrical issue because "it's just a little wiring issue and he's sure he can fix it, even though he's not an electrician and has never done any electrical work before" You also noted if he screws up, he could kill the electricity for the entire building until someone with a license could come out and fix it.

JackieB4 just said hiring this guy is a ticking time bomb and you're received a number of good reasons why this isn't a good idea - hell, your reservations are on target. If this wasn't a major issue, why did you post the question in the first place? Your previous conversations about your community indicate it's you vs. everyone else (3), so it may be nothing you say will convince the others.

There is no silver bullet or magic words - either they'll hire a licensed electrician or go with this guy and hope he doesn't kill himself or blow up the building or the wiring issue won't get fixed at this time. In case it has to be spelled out for you - there's a reason people are licensed to do certain things. If this guy wants to play electrician with his own property (detached from yours and everyone else's), I'd say have at it. But you're in a condo, and for better or worse, all of you are connected.

It's hard enough finding qualified people to do anything - and if this guy is so convinced he can do the work and fix it, maybe he should do it for free. If everything works out, you can think about paying him for something else. As for me, I don't want people who've never done the job experiment on my property and this stunt could lead to others paying unlicensed people because it's cheaper. That doesn't guarantee it's automatically better. But hey, do you.

In the state of California, engaging in the business of, or acting in the capacity of a contractor without a CSLB-issued license for jobs that total $500 or more is a criminal misdemeanor. (BPC § 7028 & 7028.7).

CONTRACTORS STATE LICENSE BOARD Fast Facts

Get an estimate, you might be surprised

If it was only his house yes but this is work affecting his other neighbors’ properties.

We are not talking one person's house. If it's their house, mostly their business unless in a condo/attached situation. My opinion in a HOA if you need to pull a permit, you need to hire a professional. It will be between the HOA and the professional whom pulls the permit for the work.

You have probably done this already but memorialize your concerns, the risks, and the law, and address it to the association and the directors individually and remind them if there are any negative effects from the board’s approval of this work, and the director’s desire to perform common area maintenance for which he is not qualified, that the association and the directors individually could be held liable by members and the State of California.

I'm sorry.