Landlord Electrical Safety Legislation Guide

A guide to landlord electrical safety legislation.

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The Electrical Safety Standards outline that landlords are required to ensure that electrical installations within properties that they own and rent out are inspected every five years.

To ensure that you understand the Electrical Safety Standards imposed by the Government, at Peninsula Electrical, we have produced a 2020 Landlord Electrical Safety Legislation Guide.

This guide will ensure that you understand your responsibilities as a Landlord, the Regulations imposed and the factors that must be taken into consideration when complying with the Electrical Safety Standards.

What Do the New Electrical Safety Standards Mean for Landlords?

If you are a landlord, the Electrical Safety Standards implemented earlier this year requires you to ensure that electrical installation inspections are carried out every five years on properties that you own and rent out.

The new regulations apply to both new tenancies and existing tenancies. However, the dates in which the new regulations come into force differ.

For new tenancies, regulations came into force on 1st July 2020. For existing tenancies, the regulations will come into force from 1st April 2021.

Failure to comply with the Electrical Safety Standards could see you in breach of your duties, leaving you with a somewhat hefty fine of up to £30,000.

Rules and Regulations Outlined in The Electrical Safety Standards

As a landlord, you must ensure that all national standards for electrical safety are met.

Regardless of whether you own one property or ten properties, under the Landlords Electrical Safety Legislation, you are responsible for organising and ensuring that electrical installation inspections are conducted every five years.

In addition, you must comply with the following rules and regulations;

You must ensure that electrical installations in rented properties are inspected and tested by an authorised and qualified individual, or company, every five years
You must obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report from the professional carrying out the inspection and tests
You must provide an Electrical Installation Condition Report to the existing tenant of the property within 28 working days of the inspection being carried out
You must provide a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report to your local authority
If the Electrical Installation Condition Report outlines that any problems need to be remedied, you are required to ensure that any work is be completed within 28 days
You must provide written confirmation of completed work to both the tenant and local authority
You must store a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report and written confirmation of any completed work
Should a new tenant occupy the premises, you are obliged to provide them with a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report

As highlighted above, failure to comply with the electrical health and safety legislation could see you fined up to £30,000.

What Will Need to Be Inspected?

Throughout the electrical installation inspection, the following will need to be reviewed and tested;

Fixed electrical parts within the property such as plug sockets
Light fittings throughout the property
The fuse box, or consumer unit as it is otherwise known
Electrical wiring within the property
Appliances that are permanently fitted such as showers

In addition to the above, the inspection must determine that electrical installations meet the criteria that is set out in the most recent edition of the Wiring Regulations.

As a landlord, you must ensure that the individual or team hired to fulfil your inspections are qualified and competent in the recent edition of the Wiring Regulations.

What Does the Electrical Safety Standards Not Cover?

Although it is imperative to ensure that your property boasts safety for your tenants, the Government has outlined that the Electrical Safety Standards do not cover electrical appliances such as ovens and fridges.

Instead, they have recommended that landlords conduct frequent appliance tests on any appliances that are supplied to the tenant throughout the property.

It should also be noted that landlords are not required to conduct appliance tests on any electrical appliances that tenants have installed into the property themselves.

Who Can Carry Out the Required Inspections?

The Government has stated that electrical installation inspections must be carried out by an individual, or company, that is qualified to do so.

As stated above, the selected individual should also be competent in the recent edition of the Wiring Regulations.

What Information Must Be Communicated Within the Inspection Reports?

As and when it is time for your electrical installations to be inspected, the professional that you hire to complete the inspection will provide you with a detailed Electrical Installation Condition Report.

This report will typically outline the condition of your current electrical system and appliances. Should any problems with your electrical system be uncovered, the Electrical Installation Condition Report will determine how they can be resolved.

Should you choose to take advantage of the services that our team at Peninsula Electrical can provide you with, we will provide you with a no-obligation cost estimation for any repair work required.

As outlined within the landlord electrical safety legislation, you are obliged to ensure that any required work is completed within 28 days of the Electrical Installation Condition Report being provided to you. With this in mind, we can also provide you with a no-obligation estimate to determine how long it would take us to complete any necessary repairs.

Contact Us Today

If you have read our 2020 Landlord Electrical Safety Legislation Guide and now find yourself looking for a credible, qualified and professional team to conduct your electrical installation inspections, look no further.

At Peninsula Electrical, we are affiliates of the National Association for Professional Inspectors and Testers. We pride ourselves on conducting thorough and comprehensive tests to ensure that properties remain safe for occupants.

If you require our services to ensure that you abide by the landlord electrical safety legislation, do not hesitate to contact us today.

Please email us at info@peninsulaelectrical.com or call 0151 668 0794.

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