Irrespective of the size and nature of the rental property, any domestic landlord in the UK is legally required to maintain electrical safety to a standard that means that it’s safe for continued use by the occupants. But what does that actually entail?
The published minimum standards apply to all domestic residences, including houses, flats, maisonettes, bungalows and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). They relate to the fixed wiring inside the property.
As they’re required to commission the testing, the landlord’s obligations include ensuring:
- that there is power to the property
- that everything that needs testing is accessible to the electrician
- that any communal areas are open
- that, if relevant, access is provided to any appliances that are supplied as part of the tenancy agreement
- that prior to commencement the scope of the testing and inspection is agreed by both parties
Both the scope and results of the testing and inspection must be recorded in the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) that is issued once the process is complete. In the unlikely event that there are limitations to the extent of the inspection, these should also be recorded in the EICR, along with an explanation for their existence. Any limitations should be justifiable and necessary in order to maintain the validity of the EICR.
In terms of liabilities, the electrician will focus solely on the items and areas specified in the project scope. The landlord is responsible for the entire electrical installation, including anything excluded from inspection and also any areas that couldn’t be inspected, for whatever reason. For safety, the inspection should be carried out with the installation disconnected from the supply.
All landlord safety checks should cover the following:
- The arrangements for the incoming supply
- The main bonding and earthing
- The consumer unit(s)
- Electrical equipment, including light fittings, switches, sockets, and so on
- The terminations and connections of items of electrical equipment on every final circuit & inside the distribution board, especially if any have caused concern
When the inspection is complete, landlords must receive an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), accompanied by an inspection schedule and a comprehensive list of test results. The EICR will state whether the electrical installation is safe or unsafe for continued use, and will grade areas of concern as follows:
- presenting a danger (code C1)
- potentially dangerous (code C2)
- requiring further investigation (FI)
- Improvement recommended (C3)
Items C1, C2 & FI will make the EICR report unsatisfactory. It is then the responsibility of the landlord to act accordingly upon these findings.
As Mark Smith, owner of MS Electrical Services, points out, electrical safety testing for landlords is no longer negotiable. ‘With the government regulations around electrical safety testing now applying across the entire rental estate, landlords need to build it into their routines,’ comments Mark. ‘Failing to comply is now an offence, notwithstanding the risks that it poses for tenants who may not be aware of their rights. We’re looking to reach out to – and work with – landlords in and around Cambridge to help them ensure that their rental properties are compliant now and into the future.’
MS Electrical specialise in fixed wire testing for landlords and EICRs in Cambridge, so please contact us for advice or to request a no-obligation quotation.