Landlord Electrical Safety: UK Guidelines And Safety Rules To Know
As a landlord, electrical safety within your properties is not just a moral responsibility but a legal one too. Keeping your tenants safe is your main priority, and the electrical standards across your properties need to be in line with the current recommendations. This means ongoing work, maintenance and servicing to keep your properties up to date.
Failure to keep your properties safe and compliant not only puts your tenants at risk but can also expose you to criminal issues such as legal fines and even sentences based on the severity of the case. This is why it is always best to be proactive and work with professional electricians like SCV Electrical.
Using our experience and industry skills, we are sharing everything you need to know about landlord electrical safety and the role you need to maintain for your tenants.
The Legal Obligations For Landlord Electrical Safety
In the UK, landlords have not only a moral but a legal responsibility to ensure that all electrical installations in their rental properties are safe. They need to provide safe environments for tenants to use, and this includes covering their electrical needs and keeping the home compliant at all times.
The main legislation that impacts landlord electrical safety is the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
Under these regulations, landlords in England must:
- Arrange for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to be carried out at least once every five years; however, this may be required sooner if the report specifies it. A qualified electrician is needed to perform EICRs.
- Provide EICR documents to all new tenants before they move in or to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection. Landlords must also be able to provide their local authorities with these reports if requested within 7 days.
- Complete any remedial or recommended work highlighted in the report within 28 days or sooner, if deemed urgent by the electrician during the inspection.
These rules regarding EICRs and landlord electrical safety apply to all kinds of private rental properties across England, including:
- Single Lets: Any privately rented property across the country, whether this is furnished or unfurnished.
- Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs): This applies to separate houses that share facilities like kitchens and bathrooms, such as house shares or student accommodation.
- Furnished Properties: Rental properties where the landlord has provided electrical appliances, such as kettles, toasters, and fridges.
Understanding EICRs: Why They’re Important For Landlord Electrical Safety
One of the main responsibilities for landlord electrical safety revolves around the EICR. This report must be carried out every five years, or sooner if deemed necessary in previous reports and is part of your legal duty as a landlord.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a professional inspection of electrical systems, fixed appliances, and outlets within a property. This inspection and the following report must be carried out by a qualified electrician and is done to highlight potential hazards and urgent repairs that may be needed. During the inspection, the property will be tested against the current electrical safety regulations to determine compliance.
As a landlord, performing EICRs is a way to ensure that your rental properties are safe and legally sound. The documents provided during an EICR report are not only useful for your own records, but also need to be provided to tenants as proof of your protection. For most rental properties, an EICR needs to be done every five years or ahead of a new tenancy to ensure compliance and landlord electrical safety.
What Happens During An EICR?
An EICR is a comprehensive inspection of all electrical appliances and systems within a rental property. This test needs to be performed by a qualified electrician, who will:
- Visually inspect the wiring, sockets, switches, and distribution boards throughout the property
- Test circuits to ensure they are safe, fully functional and not overloaded (which can lead to power outages or electrical fires)
- Identify any damage, deterioration or wear in cabling, connections, and protective devices across the home
- Highlight any issues which could lead to electrical shocks, fire risks or are deemed non-compliant with UK regulations such as BS 7671
Following the inspection, the electrician will present a formal report with the results. In this report, they will not only outline the current condition of the rental property but also highlight their recommendations and the necessary repairs needed.
Landlords must get these repairs done within 28 days, or sooner if deemed urgent, to remain compliant.
PAT Testing For Landlord Electrical Safety
Alongside EICRs and fixed electrical tests, landlords also need to ensure that all portable appliances within the property are safe and compliant. This is done through a Portable Appliance Test (PAT), which is also performed by a qualified electrician.
During PAT testing, appliances such as kettles, toasters, fridges, microwaves and televisions are inspected to determine whether they are safe for continued use. This test involves a visual inspection of all appliances and wiring to identify signs of wear and tear, damage to plugs, or frayed leads, as well as electrical testing. Electrical testing is done using specialised equipment and determines whether the appliance is operating safely and in line with current regulations.
Following the PAT test, each appliance is then labelled with a pass/fail sticker to show compliance.
Most letting agents, local councils, and housing authorities require PAT testing to be performed every 12 months to maintain landlord electrical safety.
What is PAT Testing For?
PAT testing is a vital part of landlord electrical safety, not only because it is a legal responsibility of property owners but also because it can offer support, such as:
- Fire Prevention: The main purpose of annual PAT testing is to prevent electrical fires and ensure that all appliances are safe for continued use. Poorly maintained appliances can lead to electrical fires, which may result in property damage or loss of life.
- Tenant Safety: As a landlord, you are both legally and morally responsible for the safety of your tenants, which PAT testing can guarantee. With regular testing, you can demonstrate that appliances are safe for continued use throughout the tenancy.
- Proof of Due Diligence: With regular PAT testing and visible pass stickers on all provided appliances, landlords can prove that they’ve met their duty of care and are legally compliant in their role.
- Peace of Mind: Both landlords and tenants can rest assured that the property is safe with PAT testing, creating a happier relationship between the two.
Documentation And Recording Keeping: Demonstrate Compliance With Every Tenant
As well as performing these regular tests on wired systems and portable appliances, landlords must maintain effective documentation to support their role. Documents regarding landlord electrical safety, such as PAT testing and EICRs, which will be provided by the electrician following their inspections, should be kept by both the landlord and the tenants.
Landlords need to provide all tenants with copies of the EICR, and it is a good idea to keep the PAT testing stickers on all tested appliances. These are ways to demonstrate your compliance and your duty of care, as well as being part of your legal role.
Keeping these documents can help with several areas of landlord electrical safety, such as:
- Proving Compliance: As part of your legal role, landlords must get EICRs every 5 years (or with every new tenant) as well as perform annual PAT testing on all appliances. Keeping these documents proves you have done your duty of care and are legally sound in your role.
- Protect Against Disputes: should the worst happen, your document provides evidence that your role has been done effectively and legally. It is a form of protection for the landlord and a way of supporting their case during insurance claims, tenant disputes or other cases.
- Support Insurance Claims: If a claim is required due to electrical faults, fire or other damage, your documentation is a way to prove you are in the right. Insurance companies require copies of all testing and inspections to determine whether you were in the right, ahead of paying out the money owed.
Conclusion
Maintaining landlord electrical safety is a legal and moral responsibility for those renting out properties. As a landlord, you need to keep your tenants safe, and failure to do this can lead to large fines or even criminal charges, depending on the severity.
Some of the key elements of landlord electrical safety include testing, such as PAT tests and EICRs. These need to be carried out by qualified electricians, such as SCV Electrical, to ensure compliance. Our team offers a range of services, including maintenance, testing and installation, to ensure your home or property is safe. We can support landlords with our work and keep you on the right side of the law without inspections.
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FAQs
How often do landlords need an EICR?
Landlords are required to get an EICR every five years, or with every new tenant. Documentation should also be provided to the tenant at the beginning of their rental period or within 28 days of the inspection for existing tenants.
Is PAT testing legally required for landlords in the UK?
No, PAT testing is not legally required for landlords. However, landlords are legally responsible for making sure that all electrical appliances within their properties are safe to use, as outlined in the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, which is why PAT testing is highly recommended.
What happens if I don’t comply with these electrical safety rules?
Failing to meet these landlord electrical safety requirements can result in fines of up to £30,000 per breach, as well as invalid insurance claims, putting tenants at risk and leaving landlords legally liable for any electrical damage or injury within the property.