Electrical services for Landlords and Estate Agents in Leicester and across Leicestershire

The purpose of the Regulations, which came into force on 1st April 1990, is to require precautions to be taken against the risk of death or personal injury from electricity in work activities. 

The Regulations are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which imposes duties on employers, the self-employed and on employees (all referred to as ‘duty holders’) in respect of systems,electrical equipment and conductors, and in respect of work activities on or near electrical equipment.

A key electrical safety law, often referred to as Part P of the Building Regulations, aims to improve electrical safety in the home and prevent the number of electric shocks, accidents and fires, which are caused by faulty electrical work. 

Part P, which only applies to England and Wales, requires an electrical installation to be safe, one route is to use an electrician registered with a government approved scheme (such as NICEIC and NAPIT) to carry out notifiable electrical work in domestic dwellings.

After completion of any work electricians will issue their clients with a Building Regulations

compliance certificate to prove it meets the required standards of Part P. 

It is not recomendned that householders carry out electrical work themselves. If they so choose that route the installtion should be inspected and testded . To comply with the law, householders must notify their local building control office before they begin any work and pay the appropriate fee for building control officers to inspect the work.

Most electrical installation work undertaken after 1st January 2005 should have appropriate certificates.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained

in a safe condition.

The frequency of inspection and testing depends upon the type of equipment and the environment it is used in. For example, a power

tool used on a construction site should be examined more frequently than a lamp in a hotel bedroom

The person doing testing work needs to competent to do it. In many low-risk environments, a sensible (competent) member of staff

can undertake visual inspections if they have enough knowledge and training. However, when undertaking combined inspection and

testing, a greater level of knowledge and experience is needed, and the person will need:

The right equipment to do the tests

The ability to use this test equipment properly

The ability to properly understand the test results

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 came into force on 1st October 2015. These regulations require a smoke alarm to be installed on every storey of a property used as accomodation. A carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in any room which is used as accomodation and has something which could emit carbon monoxide.

Private sector landlords were required from 1st October 2015 to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing something which may emit carbon monoxide. After that, the landlord must make sure the alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy.

The requirements are enforced by local authorities who can impose a fine of up to £5,000 where a landlord fails to comply with a remedial notice.

Find out more here.

If you are renting out a property, it is your responsibility to make sure that it's safe. At 786 Electricals Limited in Leicester, we provide electrical safety certificates to landlords and letting agents to show that the premises is ready for tenants to move into. We also provide regular maintenance, electrical improvement and remedial work for landlords and estate agents across Leicestershire. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.

Landlords are required by law to ensure:

That the electrical installations in a rented property are safe when tenants move in and maintained in a safe condition.

That a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) has a periodic inspection carried out every five years. If your property is not an HMO, you are not legally obliged to do this. However, we recommend that a periodic inspection and test is carried out by a registered electrician on your rental properties at least every five years. 

That any appliance provided is safe and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturer’s claim that it meets all the requirements of European law).

To meet these requirements a landlord will need to regularly carry out basic safety checks to ensure that the electrical installation and appliances are safe and working.

786 Electricals advises:

That a visual inspection of the property is conducted between tenancies

Making sure that your property has adequate RCD protection

Using a registered electrician for any work on your property

Carrying out regular safety checks on the electrical appliances provided as part of the rental agreement

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) states the condition of electrical installations in your property is “satEICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is an official document that is generated after a qualified professional carries out an assessment of any electrical installation. All types of premises such as domestic, commercial or industrial require inspection with varying degrees of frequency depending on the policies for each.

An EICR is performed on the property by approved contractors only. When the inspection takes place, the contractor will need to disconnect the installation from the mains electrical power supply.

The duration of tests can vary from one hour to weeks based on the kind of test and the nature and size of the property.

An EICR is requested in rental properties to ensure older installations are electrically safe and to detect misuse of installation such as vandalism or exposure to harsh weather or UV light.

An EICR will pick up any potential problem before it can become a serious, or even hazardous.

EICR test typically consists of:

Visual inspection

Dead testing

Light testing

• All electrical installations can deteriorate or damage over the time, so it is important to have regular electrical inspection and testing of the systems to check their condition. 

• We carry out testing and inspection of switches, light fittings, sockets and more to investigate the fault before it turns into a costly repair

• We test each circuit to ensure the wiring is safe.

During an EICR, the inspector may make a number of electrical observations and will give each one a recommendation code C1 C2 or C3. The observations describe a defect or omission within the electrical installation.

EICR Legal requirements for landlords highlights the use of safe electrical equipment at all times. This includes not only white goods such as washing machines and ovens but also consumer units and light switches.

According to the current national statistics, electrocution and fatal electrical burns were a direct cause of death for over 22 people in 2010. Number of accidental fires in homes also is 20403, which is a worrying issue indeed. That is why EICR requirements put the onus on landlords to provide safe and working electrical equipment, respond regularly to repairs and maintenance issues.

All electrical installations deteriorate with age and use. They should therefore be inspected and tested at regular intervals to ensure they are in a satisfactory condition.

Once completed you will be issued with an Electrical Condition Report (EICR).

A periodic inspection will:

Reveal if any of your electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded.

Find any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards.

Identify any defective electrical work.

Highlight any lack of earthing or bonding.

Tests are also carried out on wiring and fixed electrical equipment to check that they are safe. A schedule of circuits is also provided, which is invaluable for a property.

How often is a periodic inspection required?

Your electrics should be inspected and tested every:

10 years for an owner-occupied home.

5 years for a rented home.

3 years for a caravan

1 year for a swimming pool.

Other times when a periodic inspection should be carried out are:

When a property is being prepared for letting.

Before selling a property or buying a previously-occupied property.

Who should carry out the periodic inspection and what happens?

Periodic inspection and testing should be carried out only by electrically competent persons, such as registered electricians. They will check the condition of the electrics against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations (IET Wiring Regulations).

The inspection takes into account all the relevant circumstances and checks on:

The adequacy of earthing and bonding.

The suitability of the switchgear and controlgear. For example, an old fusebox with a wooden back, cast-iron switches, or a mixture of both will need replacing.

The serviceability of switches, sockets and lighting fittings. 

Items that  may need replacing include: 

older round-pin sockets, round light switches, cables with fabric coating hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings, black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards.

The type of wiring system and its condition. For example, cables coated in black rubber were phased out in the 1960s. Likewise cables coated in lead or fabric are even older and may well need replacing (modern cables use longer-lasting pvc insulation).

Sockets that may be used to supply portable electrical equipment for use outdoors, making sure they are protected by a suitable residual current device (RCD).

The presence of adequate identification and notices.

The extent of any wear and tear, damage or other deterioration.

Any changes in the use of the premises that have led to, or may lead to, unsafe conditions.

The competent person will then issue an Electrical Installation Condition Report detailing any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliances with the present-day safety standard that might give rise to danger.

If anything dangerous or potentially dangerous is found, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be declared to be 'unsatisfactory', meaning that remedial action is required without delay to remove the risks to those in the premises.