Electricity can cause shocks and burns and can start fires. All fixed electrical installations should be designed, installed, operated and maintained with the aim of preventing risk to the occupiers. The standard of electrical wiring in a rented property should conform to BS7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations.
It is recommended that electrical installations are inspected and tested at regular intervals, at least every 5 years in the case of a rented house. This should be carried out by a competent person, ideally an electrician registered with NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) or the ECA (Electrical Contractors Association).
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires that a landlord ensures that the electrical installation in a rented property is safe when a tenancy begins and is maintained in a safe condition throughout that tenancy. For Houses in Multiple Occupation, specific regulations impose a duty on landlords to ensure the electrical wiring in letting rooms and common areas is maintained in a safe condition and in proper working order. Please refer to the “Duties of the manager” section in “Houses of multiple occupation” for more information.
Electrical checks should also extend to portable equipment and appliances to ensure they are in good repair, sockets are correctly positioned and not overloaded, plugs are correctly attached and cables undamaged. Landlords who provide portable electrical appliances for use by tenants are under an obligation to ensure that they are safe to operate.
What you should look for
- broken, cracked or damaged electrical fittings
- the use of temporary connectors to join flexible cables
- burnt, melted or distorted socket outlets or switches
- exposed or bare core wires serving sockets, light fittings or appliances
- the number of socket outlets available – are there sufficient to prevent overloading and the use of trailing extension cables?
- the presence of socket outlets and switches in bathrooms and shower rooms
- missing or damaged smoke detectors or regular faults indicated on a fire alarm system control panel (if fitted)
- regular false alarms from a fire alarm system (if fitted)
What you should do
Tenants should immediately report any evident electrical problems such as those described above to their landlord. No attempt should be made to repair or alter the electrical installation as to do so could increase the risk of personal injury.
Landlords should carry out the following to safeguard the safety of their tenants:
- have the ring main and lighting circuits periodically inspected by an NICEIC or ECA registered electrician
- have all fire alarm and detection systems (if fitted) inspected on a regular basis; BS 5839 Code of Practice for the Design and Installation of Fire Detection and Alarm Systems in Buildings gives details of recommended testing intervals and certification that should be obtained when the system is first commissioned and subsequently tested
- ensure all lettings are provided with sufficient and suitably positioned socket outlets to prevent overloading
- ensure there are no socket outlets in bathrooms other than those connected to a 12volt AC supply eg. shaver sockets
- undertake a test of portable appliances at least every two years and when the tenancy changes
- respond promptly to any concerns raised by tenants
Building Regulations Part P – Electrical Safety
From 1st January 2005 the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in domestic dwellings will be controlled under the Building Regulations. The measures have been introduced to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations and to make it harder for ‘cowboy’ builders to leave wiring in an unsafe condition.
Small jobs, such as providing a socket outlet or a light switch on an existing circuit, will not need to be notified to the Council’s Building Control Team (although there will be some exceptions for high risk areas like kitchens and bathrooms). However, work that involves adding a new circuit or alterations in kitchens, bathrooms or ‘special locations’ will either need to be notified or be carried out / certified by a competent person who is registered with a ‘Part P Self Certification scheme’.
More information about these requirements can be obtained from the Council’s Building Control Team on 023 9283 4722.
Electrical appliances
It is recommended that electrical installations are inspected and tested at regular intervals by a competent electrician. New circuitry alterations in the kitchen or bathroom are subject to building regulation control. Used electrical appliances supplied during the course of a tenancy must be reasonably safe and regularly tested. Further information can be sought from the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting and the Electrical Contractors Association.