Understanding The Legalities Of Electrical Inspections
Electrical inspections are vital to ensure the safety of both homes and businesses. Performed by certified electricians, an inspection is performed to determine whether your electrical system, wiring and appliances, are compliant, safe and effective.
While these are essential inspections and should be performed regularly to ensure your premises are safe, many people are confused about whether it is a legal requirement. Electrical inspections may be a good idea, but whether they need to be done legally is another question.
In this guide, leading electricians SCV Electrical will outline everything you need to know about the legalities of electrical inspections and whether you legally need to get them done.
What Are Electrical Inspections?
An electrical inspection is a professional assessment of electrical systems, determining whether they are safe and compliant with current safety regulations.
These inspections should be performed by professional electricians to ensure accuracy, as they inspect a range of safety factors. Inspections are done to determine whether there are any hazards present within electrical systems, including risks of electrical fires.
Due to how vital these inspections are for safety, they can be done on both residential and commercial premises. In terms of the legalities of electrical inspections, these assessments determine whether your premises are compliant and in line with the current safety regulations.
Electrical safety regulations are subject to change as technology updates, along with user demand and safety research.
Several types of electrical inspections can be performed, including:
- EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report): Inspections for both homes and businesses.
- PAT (Portable Appliance Testing): Testing of portable devices, specifically for workplaces.
- New Installation Inspections: To ensure compliance with building regulations.
Based on the kind of property being assessed and the electrical systems within it, you may require one or more of these inspections.
Are Electrical Inspections A Legal Requirement In The UK?
Determining the legalities of electrical inspections will vary based on the kind of property being assessed and the conditions within this. The legalities of electrical inspections vary for homeowners, landlords and businesses.
Legalities For Homeowners
There is no official legal requirement for private homeowners regarding electrical inspections. No law indicates that electrical inspections need to be done in private residents, nor how frequently this should happen but this does not mean that electrical safety is not a concern in your home.
As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to ensure electrical safety within the property. To ensure that your home is safe and free from hazards, it is recommended that you get an EICR done every 10 years
Legalities For Landlords And Rental Properties
Landlords and owners of rental properties do have a legal responsibility to ensure that homes are safe and compliant. As a landlord, you are legally required to get EICRs every five years.
Rental properties are held to higher standards than private residents and face different legalities of electrical inspections because of this. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must get EICRs done regularly as well as provide a copy of these reports to tenants.
This copy should outline the findings of the report as well as any repairs that have been done to fix the issues.
Legalities For Businesses
The legalities of electrical inspections are more complex for businesses and commercial premises, due to the various risks these premises can hold. Like rental properties, businesses need to get EICRs done every five years to ensure compliance and get any issues highlighted resolved as soon as possible.
Another law that applies to businesses is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which outlines the employer’s responsibility to ensure electrical systems are safe. Under this law, regular inspections, testing and maintenance of electrical systems are required to ensure everything is compliant with current standards.
In terms of portable electrical devices, such as employee laptops or mobile phones, another form of testing is required. PAT testing should be done for all portable devices to ensure they are safe and suitable for ongoing use.
This too needs to be done regularly and with all new forms of portable devices used within the business.
Legalities For New Builds And Renovations
While new builds are residential spaces, the legalities of electrical inspections here can vary from privately owned homes. New builds and renovations include new electrical installations, which are subject to Part P of the Building Regulations.
Building regulations are in place to ensure that renovations, new builds and other forms of construction are safe. This particular part of building regulations indicates that any new electrical installation should be carried out or tested by a certified electrician.
It is always recommended to rely on certified electricians for installations, maintenance and upgrades as this ensures the highest safety standards are being met. When working on a home renovation or the construction of a new build, it is your legal requirement to ensure that all electrical installations are carried out by professionals.
The Importance Of Electrical Inspections
Regardless of whether the legalities of electrical inspections apply to your premises, it is still recommended to get your systems inspected.
No matter whether you own a private home, a rental property or a business, electrical inspections are very useful and are recommended in all cases. Even if there are no legal consequences, avoiding electrical inspections can be extremely detrimental to your home or commercial site.
Avoiding electrical inspections can lead to issues such as:
- Fines And Legal Action: If you are legally responsible for electrical inspections, failure to do this as and when required can lead to criminal fees and even legal action in severe cases. This applies to landlords and commercial sites.
- Invalid Insurance Claims And High Premiums: If any issues do arise following poor electrical installations, you will not be able to claim on your insurance. It is part of insurance policies to ensure that the property is safe, and failing to get electrical inspections makes your claims invalid. Invalid claims can lead to higher premiums in the future, making it more expensive for your home or business.
- Increased Risks: Electrical inspections are not just a legal responsibility, in many cases, but essential to ensuring the safety of your premises. Without electrical inspections, issues within appliances and systems can go unnoticed leading to risks such as electrical shocks, disturbances and even electrical fires.
Failing to get your home or business inspected can put occupants at risk and should not be delayed.
How To Arrange Electrical Inspections
Working with professional electricians, such as SCV Electrical, is the best way to perform electrical inspections. As outlined in the legalities of electrical inspections, several types of assessments need to be done based on the type of premises you own.
From PAT tests to EICRs, electrical inspections will vary to suit the needs of the property and the electrical systems within it. Professional electricians can recommend the right assessment for your needs, as well as perform these to the highest standards.
Working with professional electricians also makes it easier to get any maintenance or repairs done, as they can handle it all. This is why we offer such an extensive range of services for both commercial and domestic clients, allowing you to rely on us for everything.
Conclusion
The legalities of electrical inspections can vary based on your premises, its purpose, and the kind of electrical appliances used. While homeowners do not have a legal responsibility to get their homes inspected, it is still a good idea to do so.
Businesses, landlords and new build constructions are legally required to get electrical inspections done. From regular EICRs to ensuring that the premises are compliant with PAT testing for portable devices and assessments of new installations, there are several types of electrical inspections needed across industries.
To ensure you abide by the legalities of electrical inspections, work with certified electricians such as our team. Not only can we offer the specific inspection needed for your home or business, but we can also deliver the maintenance and repairs that may be required.
Contact Us Today
Don’t leave things to chance – ensure your home or business is safe by booking your next electrical inspection. Reach out to the team today to get started or to learn more.
