Scott Battram examines new electrical safety regulations in Property Industry Eye

Scott’s article was published in Property Industry Eye, 19 February 2020, and can be seen here.

Scott Battram, Associate in our Residential Property department, explains that new electrical safety regulations were recently introduced before Parliament, aiming to align electrical safety standards in private residential tenancies with those already established for gas safety.

If passed, the regulations will apply to new tenancies from 1 July this year and to existing tenancies from 1 April 2021. Under the proposed rules, landlords must ensure that all electrical wiring and fixed installations are inspected and certified by a qualified electrician. A valid electrical safety report must be provided at the start of each new tenancy and renewed at least every five years, or sooner if any electrical modifications are made.

Should the report identify any issues, landlords will be required to address them within 28 days, or sooner, depending on the report’s recommendations. Failure to comply could result in local authorities issuing fines of up to £30,000 and potentially carrying out the necessary repairs themselves, with costs charged back to the landlord.

The regulations are designed to be self-policing, preventing landlords and agents from marketing properties without the required certification.

While the policy targets negligent landlords, all landlords must now ensure compliance, which may lead to increased demand for electricians and potentially more properties being listed for sale by those unwilling or unable to meet the new standards.

Read the full article on the Property Industry Eye website [external link].