Electrical Safety Guidance for Landlords


“As the number of people becoming landlords soars, research from the Electrical Safety Council has found that misunderstandings between landlords and tenants over responsibilities for safety are exposing many people to life-threatening electrical dangers.”

The consequences for not understanding obligations can be serious. If a landlord is found to be negligent over electrical safety it can lead to fines or even imprisonment.” Electrical Safety Council 2012 www.esc.org

Know Your Responsibilities

  • Landlords are responsible for maintaining electrical safety in a property. If a tenant is injured due to unsafe electrics in a property the landlord will be held responsible.  Electrical Safety Council 2012 www.esc.org

Check Your Insurance

  • Check your insurance policy and look for wording like:-

“You will take all reasonable precautions to prevent accident or injury to any person or loss, destruction or damage to their property.”

“You will comply with all legal requirements and safety regulations.”

This wording is in place to make sure that landlords maintain the property in a safe condition. If an accident were to take place that could have been avoided with good maintenance, you could find yourself in a situation where the insurance company will not cover you at all.

How to maintain electrical safety?

The best way to ensure the electrical safety of a property is to get a periodic inspection, now called ‘Condition Report’, carried out every 5 years.

A Condition Report…

  • …will provide you with a report detailing any damage, deterioration, defects or conditions within the installation that are a danger, giving you the opportunity to put it right before it causes any harm to your tenants.
  • …should always be carried out by a registered electrician and you should always be presented with a report following the inspection.  Using a registered electrician will give you peace of mind that the job has been done to the highest standard and complies with all of the current regulations.
  • …is the most thorough and effective way to ensure the electrical safety of a property.

PAT Testing

Portable Appliance Testing should be carried out before every new tenancy. Electrical Safety Council 2012 www.esc.org

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