If you rent out a property in England, it’s essential that you keep on top of your landlord electrical maintenance, including carrying out the correct electrical safety checks.
But what safety checks are you required to carry out, how often do they need to be done and what are the risks of letting your electrical maintenance fall by the wayside?
In June 2020, it became a legal requirement that landlords who offered private rented tenancies in England hire an electrician to complete an Electrical Installation Conduct Report (EICR) every five years.
During this electrical safety check, a qualified electrician will test every electrical installation in the premises and record its condition. This report is then not only shared with the landlord, but also the tenant.
The check will either be deemed satisfactory or unsatisfactory. It may also include a list of areas that warrant further inspection to ensure their safety. As a landlord, it will then be your job to act on this information.
Is your EICR up to date?
However, research conducted by insurer Direct Line last year, as the first EICRs were due to expire, found many landlords were still unsure of their responsibilities or failing to keep on top of the reporting requirements.
For example, 25 per cent of landlords surveyed revealed they were unsure of whether their EICR was still valid. What’s more, a further eight per cent said that they knew they didn’t have an EICR for their rental property.
The research also found that many landlords were unaware of the potentially hefty fines of up to £30,000 for non-compliance with this legislation. In fact, as many as 21 per cent of landlords acknowledged that they didn’t know they could be fined for not having an EICR for their property.
So, if you are a landlord and you either know your EICR is coming up for renewal, or you’re unsure if you have one for the properties you rent, now is the time to act. Because the consequences of not doing so could be a significant financial penalty.