17
May
DM&Co Property Column - Electrical Safety as a Landlord
The role of Landlords has begun to be taken more seriously, not
just being obliged to make use of a deposit scheme, but also
ensuring that the property is in a safe condition for tenants to
live in. Part of this involves electrical safety.
At a minimum, Landlords must:
-Ensure that all electrical installations are safe both when
tenants move in, and for the length of their tenancy (installations
include sockets and light fittings)
-Any electrical appliances supplied with the property must have a
CE marking and be safe (includes cookers, kettles etc)
-If the property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) a
registered electrician should carry out periodic inspections and
tests every five years
Periodic inspections to check the condition of electrical
installations must be carried out by electrically competent
persons, i.e. registered electricians. You can expect the cost to
be around £150, and upon completion you should receive an
Electrical Condition Report.
Electrical appliances should be PAT tested, once again by an
electrically competent person, though there's no specific guidance
on how often this should be done. Costs can be around £1-2 per
appliance.
It's not required by law in existing homes, but new homes since
2008 have been required to have an RCD installed. These can not
only make the home safer for those residing in it, but also
provides some protection from electrical fires. The installation
should be in the ballpark of around £300, so whilst this isn't
necessarily cheap, it's certainly a worthwhile investment.
Keeping your home electrically safe is the right thing to do,
particularly if you have tenants, but is also a legal obligation.
Unsafe properties may be liable to claims from tenants under the
Consumer Protection Act, and failure to comply may result in
landlords being fined or even banned from letting altogether.