The UK government’s booklet entitled 'Housing Health and Safety Rating System: Guidance for Landlords and Property-related Professionals’ runs to 72 pages and covers all aspects of a landlord’s responsibilities regarding the safety of their tenants.
A core aspect of this is electrical safety, and there are specific obligations for landlords who are about to let their property, whether it’s a flat, house or HMO (House in Multiple Occupation). The electrical safety rules with which the landlord must comply relate predominantly to personal safety and the risk of fire. They are as follows:
- Sources of ignition such as cooking appliances, space heaters and electrical equipment must be checked
- Electrical distribution equipment must be maintained in good condition
- Automatic fire detection and alarm systems must be installed and tested regularly
- Cookers and electrical appliances must be sited away from flammable materials
- Any space heating must be professionally designed, installed, serviced and maintained
- Sufficient and appropriately sited electric socket outlets must be provided to prevent socket overload and the incorrect use of extension leads
- The distribution board and wiring must be properly installed, maintained and regularly checked and tested
- Residual Current Devices (RCDs) must be installed to reduce the risk of electrical shock and fire
As Mark Smith, owner of MS Electrical Services, confirms, a landlord’s obligations are wide-reaching and can be rather daunting, especially for anyone letting their property for the first time. ‘At MS Electrical we focus on keeping our clients’ electrical safety in check,’ says Mark. ‘As a result, we are now working with more and more landlords and letting agents who are rightly prioritising compliance with government legislation. We carry out PAT testing, fixed wire testing and emergency lighting installation and testing, and all of these fall within a landlord’s remit. Our service ensures that not only is the testing carried out to a very high standard, highlighting any corrective action that needs to be taken in order to comply with the law, but our reminders are issued one month before renewal to help our clients remain current.’
MS Electrical Services offer PAT testing and fixed wire testing in Cambridge, so please contact us to discuss any aspect of your electrical safety.