Electrical Safety for Landlords

Overview of Electrical Safety

Hi landlords, It’s Sam welcome to the third-part of our ten-part series on the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Today we will cover Electrical Safety which falls under the Fitness for Human Habitation Standards that we previously discussed. The new regulation requires landlords to provide a valid electrical condition report.

Fires caused by electricity can be common due to deterioration of an electrical installation so therefore it is vital that you ensure the regulations are met. One thing you can do is periodically inspect  the electrical installation to check if it is safe for continued use.

Should you require more help on this topic you can email 'marketing@lettingsangels.co.uk' at any point with your questions.

Please note this email is for landlords in general and you may not be required to take action if we are already managing your property.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

An EICR will need to be provided on the property’s electrical installation.

This inspection should be carried out by a qualified person who is competent to carry out the inspection in accordance with the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations. The EICR you receive from the inspection must be given to the contract-holder within 7 days of the occupation date.

It’s important to note that this electrical condition report will most commonly last for 5 years from when it has been carried out however if the report has indicated there is a need for a re-inspection at a sooner date then the report may last less than 5 years.

What will the report reveal?

There are a few things that the EICR report will reveal about your property which includes:

• If any of your electrical equipment or electrical circuits are overloaded or likely to become overloaded
• Any potential electrical shock risks or potential fire risks around the property
• Any defective or faulty electrical installation
• Any areas with lack of earthing or bonding

If no dangerous problems are found then the electrical installation is satisfactory for continued use.

What should I do with the report?

You are required to make the EICR that you receive from the inspection available to the contract-holder within 7 days of the occupation date.

You have to provide the contract-holder with written confirmation of all investigatory and remedial work that was carried out on the electrical installation from the inspection.

Deadlines

These regulations apply to any new contract created on 15th July.

However, an existing tenancy agreement which has been converted into an occupation contract will have a grace period of 12 months so only after the 12 months is it required for the landlord to comply with the regulations. If the converted contract comes to an end then the grace period exemption no longer applies.