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Yes it's all supposed to make things harder for the cowboy but it is similar to the results that happened in the early 90's when portable appliance testing was introduced, I had to go on a course to learn the in's & out's (mainly paperwork), one of the rules is that portable appliance testing must be carried out by a 'competent' engineer we asked what they meant by competent & were told thereis no actual definition the person just had to be 'competent'!
I was in charge of all electrical & electronic equipment at the company because I was the workshop manager.
I was on staff so no overtime pay for me we had over a thousand items of equipment that needed to be tested and entered into a log over about 6 weekends.
Health & Safety called around on one of their visits and because it was a new law asked to see the log, they went away happy (yippee I'm competent), The managing director wanted a small extention building on the factory so had to apply to blackburn council for planning permission, their building inspector called and amongst other things wanted to see the Pat testing log, He then said because I wasn't NICEIC registered I wasn't competent to carry out the tests.
I showed him proof of the course I'd been on all my qualifications and the report from the Heath and safety stating that the log was satisfactory.
He just turned round and said as far as he was concerned because I wasn't NICEIC registered I wasn't competent, and if he found me doing anymore portable appliance work within the boundaries of Blackburn I and my employer would be fined.
My employer enquired to H&S they confirmed that I was competent so my boss cancelled his application for an extension and instead moved out of Blackburn, never to have that problem again!