ELECTRICAL TESTING FOR LANDLORDS IN EAST ANGLIA

Agents and landlords will need to ensure electrical installation condition reports (EICR) are carried out for all new tenancies in England from 1 July 2020 or from 1 April 2021 for existing tenancies.

Independent recommendations published included:

• 5 yearly mandatory electrical installation safety checks for all private rented properties.
• Mandatory safety certificates confirming installation checks have been completed along with any necessary repair work provided to both landlord and tenants at the beginning of the tenancy and made available to the local authority on request.
• A private rented sector electrical testing competent person’s scheme should be established to ensure properly trained experts undertake this work. This would be separate from existing building regulations competent person.
• Landlord supplied electrical appliance testing and visual checks of electrical appliances by landlords at a change of tenancy should be promoted as good practice and set out in guidance.

Currently, the Landlords and Tenants Act 1985 requires that the electrical installation in a rented property is: Safe when a tenancy begins and maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy.

The Landlords and Tenants Act 1985 makes it an implied term of every tenancy that the landlord will ‘keep in repair the structure and exterior’ of the property and ‘keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for the supply of water, gas and electricity, and for sanitation, space heating and heating water.

What will you check?

• Your consumer unit/fuse box
• Highlight any lack of Earthing & Main Bonding to water and gas service pipes
• Internal & external wiring
• Accessories & Equipment
• Check if electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded
• Identify potential electrical shock risks and fire hazards
• Find any defective electrical work.

What will an EICR tell me?

An EICR will provide you with a full breakdown of the condition of the fixed wiring and accessories in your home or business and determine whether it is compliant with the current British Standards (BS 7671) for electrical safety. The EICR will record relevant observations in conjunction with BS 7671 and make various recommendations where improvement may be compulsory or beneficial to improving the electrical safety within your home or business. Once the Electrical Safety Test is completed, we will provide you with an NICEIC certificate detailing the overall condition of the electrical installation.

How Can Trevor Wright Electrical Help You?

• We can normally provide a same day or next day service for Electrical Installation Condition Reports
• We have competitive pricing – discounts may be available for multi-property landlords and letting agents
• We are NICEIC registered and all our Electricians are qualified to carry out EICR’s
• We will provide the highest standards of customer service and safety to you and your tenant
• Free no-obligation quotation for any remedial works if needed
• Reports issued by email the same day or the next working day