 |
| New Electrical Safety Standards |
Retford Property owners who let properties to tenants need
to be fully aware of this new legislation
This short blog should give you a good idea of what you
need to do as a landlord, but in order to fully comply with the regulation I
recommend turning to your letting agent for further guidance. If the letting
agent is a member of ARLA (Association of Residential Lettings Agents) they
should be fully up to date with what is required.
Who
is eligible?
Any new fixed term tenancy that starts on or after 1
July 2020 will need to adhere to electrical safety standards.
For
existing tenancies, you have until 1 April 2021.
Landlords should be aware that because the rules came
into force on 1 June 2020 this means that tenancies signed on or after 1 June
2020, which start on or after 1 July 2020 should comply with the regulations.
Which
tenancies?
All tenancies in residential properties unless they are
excluded tenancies. This includes:
Assured Shorthold Tenancies, Assured Tenancies, Licences
to occupy, Secure Tenancies, Regulated Tenancies, Rent act tenancies, Rent
agriculture tenancies, Non-housing act tenancies
Examples
of excluded tenancies are:
Social housing, Shared accommodation with a landlord or
landlord’s family, Long leases, Student halls of residence, Hostels and refuges,
Care homes, Hospitals and hospices
What
about renewed tenancies?
A renewed fixed term tenancy is a new tenancy; therefore
from 1 July renewed fixed term tenancies will need to adhere to electrical
safety standards.
What
are the electrical safety standards?
All fixed electrical cables and equipment will need an
inspection and test by a qualified person in accordance with the 18th edition
of the wiring regulations.
This includes appliances that are fixed directly to the
electrical supply, such as showers or fitted kitchen appliances.
Once a qualified person has carried out their inspection
and tests, they will provide an Electrical Installation Safety Report.
What
is an Electrical Installation Safety Report?
This is a report that will include the results of the
inspection and test and will state the date for the next inspection and test.
Typically, an Electrical Installation Condition Report
(EICR) is the type of safety report you will receive, however, there are
alternatives.
Who
is a qualified person?
Someone who is competent to undertake the inspection,
testing and any remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety
standards.
Usually this person will be part of a competent person’s
scheme, for example NAPIT or NICEIC.
What
do I need to do to once I have the Electrical Installation Safety Report?
- Supply a copy to each existing tenant of the property within 28 days of the inspection and test.
- Supply a copy of the most recent report to any new tenant before they move in.
- Supply a copy of the most recent report to any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving the request.
- Retain a copy of the report until the next inspection and supply it to the qualified person carrying out the inspection.
- When requested, supply a copy to the local authority within seven days.
How
long does the Electrical Installation Safety Report last?
Under the regulations, every fixed electrical
installation at the property must be inspected and tested at least every five
years by a qualified person.
What
happens if the electrical installation needs further work to meet the
standards?
This is called remedial work and should be carried out by
a qualified person within 28 days of the report, or the period specified in the
report if less than 28 days.
Once completed you should receive written confirmation
from the qualified person that the remedial work has been carried out. This
will then need to be sent with a copy of the report to the existing tenant and
your local housing authority.
If
my certificate says 10 years, do I still need to renew every five years?
If an existing certificate was done longer than five
years ago, regardless of whether it is valid for 10 years, it will not be applicable
for these regulations. Consequently, to comply with the electrical safety
standards the existing EICR must be less than five years old (dated back five
years from when the tenancy agreement was signed).
I
have a new build property with a valid Building Compliance Certificate, can I
use this?
These are acceptable for the new electrical safety
standards, but they are only valid for five years from their start date.
What
is the penalty for breaching the rules?
Local authorities can issue a fine up to £30,000. Before
imposing a financial penalty, the local authority must serve a Notice of Intent
within six months from when the landlord is in breach outlining the amount,
reasons and right to appeal.
Thanks for reading.
I’m always happy to help anyone selling, buying, letting
or renting property
☎01777 237310 ☎ Messages to ☎07981 744003 ☎
email: geraldbowers@thegoodea.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment