Guidance for landlords

As the number of people becoming landlords soars, research from the Electrical Safety Council has found that misunderstandings between landlords and tenants over responsibilities for safety are exposing many people to life-threatening electrical dangers.

The ESC is concerned that the rise in inexperienced landlords - many of whom are finding it easier to rent out their property than sell it - will further compromise safety.

The consequences for not understanding obligations can be serious. If a landlord is found to be negligent over electrical safety it can lead to fines or even imprisonment.

Our guidance for landlords outlines the simple steps you can take to ensure the electrical safety of your properties.

Top tips

• Landlords are responsible for making sure the electrical installation is safe in a property

  This responsibility applies at the start of a tenancy and the property must be maintained in a safe condition throughout its duration. You should carry out basic visual checks to ensure that the installation has no hazards, including broken accessories (such as sockets and light switches), signs of scorching around sockets due to overloading, damaged cables to portable equipment or trailing cables/flexes.

• Have a regular periodic inspection and test carried out on the property

  If you own a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), you have a legal obligation to have a periodic inspection carried out on your property every five years. If your property is not an HMO, you are not legally obliged to get your installation inspected and tested on a periodic basis. However, the ESC recommends that a periodic inspection and test is carried out by a registered electrician on your rental properties at intervals not exceeding five years, or on a change of tenancy. They will then issue an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) which details any damage, deterioration, defects or conditions within the installation that give rise, or potentially give rise, to danger.

• Make sure that your property has adequate RCD protection

  Since 2008 the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671, has called for almost all electrical circuits installed in homes to be RCD protected. An RCD is a life-saving device which protects against dangerous electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires.

• Use a registered electrician for any work on your property

  By choosing a registered electrician, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing the work is being done to the UK National Standard, BS 7671.

• Carry out regular safety checks on the electrical appliances provided as part of the rental agreement

  As a landlord you are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that the appliances you provide are safe. One way of doing this is to carry out regular basic safety checks.

  For example, you and/or your tenant should check that:
  1) there are no cuts or abrasions in the cable covering (sheath)
  2) the outer covering of the cable is gripped by the cord grip in the plug top, so
  that no coloured cable cores are visible from outside of the plug
  3) the plug has no cracked casing or bent pins
  4) there are no signs of overheating or burning, particularly at the plug and socket
  5) there are no loose parts or screws
  6) no part of the appliance is damaged or missing

  
  Most dangerous defects in electrical appliances can be identified by carrying out such simple checks. For more information on testing electrical appliances, go to: www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm
  
  

  
  

• Download the ESC's 'Home Electrical Safety Check' smartphone app

  Our free smartphone app makes it easy for you to carry out a fast and effective review of your properties and fulfil your responsibility for tenant safety.  Visit the Android Market or App Store and search for ‘Home Electrical Safety Check’.

Support for landlords

The National Landlords Association offers support and guidance to private residential landlords across the UK, representing members' views and interests at local, national and European level.

Visit www.landlords.org.uk for more information.

The Residential Landlords Association is a campaigning organisation, lobbying government and parliament on behalf of its members, also offering guidance and support to its members in England and Wales.

Visit www.rla.org.uk to find out more.