Electrical Safety
By law,you must ensure that the electrical system and any electrical appliances supplied with the let such as cookers, kettles, toasters, washing machines and immersion heaters are safe to use. If you are supplying new appliances, you should also provide any accompanying instruction booklets.
Any new work on the electrical installation must comply with the Building Regulations, and may need to be checked and approved by your local authority building control department unless carried out by a registered installer. If in any doubt, check with your local authority before starting work.
Building Regulations (opens new window)
Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
These regulations came into force on January 9th 1995 and are applicable to all electrical equipment with voltages between 50v and 1000v if alternating current or between voltages of 75v and 1500v if direct current.
In order to comply a Landlord must ensure that all the electrical equipment in his property is safe. It must therefore comply with the Consumer Protection Act 1987 but must also comply with the above regulations. Therefore in order to minimise risk the Landlord must ensure the safety of all animals and the property as well as those humans who either live in the property or may enter upon the premises. Safety includes minimising the risk of injury as well as death.
The Landlord must:
1. Ensure there are written instructions for all electrical equipment in the property.
2. A safety check should be carried out by a qualified electrician (NIC), preferably annually or when the tenancy changes. We advise annually.
3. Provide the agent and tenant with written proof of the safety check prior to the tenancy commencing.
PENALTIES:
Should the electrical equipment not comply with the Regulations and an incident occurs the penalties are:
3 months and/or £5000 fine if there is risk of fire and/or an animal is injured
6 months and/or £5000 fine if a human is injured or killed.
Remember that you could also be convicted of manslaughter and there are far greater penalties for that!
For Information on the supply of Second Hand Equipment click here