What Landlords Must Know About Electrical Checks in Rental Properties

On 1 June 2020, new legislation in England was passed that directly affects landlords in the private sector. 

As with any new safety regulations, reading the fine print can be confusing. If you don't, though, you could be in hot water. But don't worry - that's why we're here. 

The safety of your tenants ought to be your priority, and our main goal at Switched on London is to make the compliance process as simple as possible! That's why we've compiled all the need-to-know knowledge about these new electrical checks in one place. 

What Has This New Legislation Changed?

First, let's examine the update's specifics. Landlords previously had the option of getting regular electrical checks, but now, these checks are mandatory.

This means landlords must get every electrical installation on their premises tested/checked by a qualified individual once every five years. These checks are our speciality, and you can view a full list of our services here.

If your tenancy began on or after 1 July 2020, this updated legislation is already in effect, and you are required to comply immediately. For all existing tenancies, the deadline to begin compliance was 1 April 2021.

Both of these dates have already passed. Therefore, you can safely assume that all tenancies in your operation should be provided with these electrical checks.

What Should I Do as a Landlord?

By hiring a trusted electrician, like Switched on London, to complete your checks, they'll worry about complying with the specificities of the new regulation so that you don't have to. So you can sit back and relax. They'll provide a detailed report once it is finished. The report, or certificate, will outline the results of your inspection and give you a date by which you must complete the next test. 

This report must be supplied to every tenant within a month of the test (28 days, to be exact). You'll want to keep another copy of the report for your records. 

If a law enforcement agency writes to request a copy of the said report, you must supply it within one week. If you lose or misplace your certificate, you can follow these steps to obtain a new one. 

What if Landlords Don't Comply?

It's important to remember why this legislation was implemented: to provide an extra safety measure for your tenants. All landlords should welcome compliance with these standards! 

However, if one chooses not to comply, they risk being fined thousands of pounds. Don't worry because you'll likely receive a 28-day notice before any meaningful action is taken.  

We're Here to Help Landlords

You have all the details you need about the new legislation regarding electrical checks there. Landlords should consider Switched on London when scheduling mandatory testing. 

We understand you may still have questions, so check out our Blog page to quickly find answers. If your question isn't there, message us, and one of our qualified professionals will get back to you as soon as possible.