The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 come into force on 1 June 2020.
The new regulations require private sector landlords in England to undertake regular safety checks of electrical installations in their properties.
Subject to some exclusions they apply to:
- New residential tenancies from 1 July 2020; and
- Existing residential tenancies from 1 April 2021.
The following are excluded: private registered providers of social housing, lodgers, tenants sharing accommodation with landlords or landlord’s family, long leases (more than seven years), halls of residence, hostels and refuges, care homes, hospitals and hospices and other NHS provided accommodation.
The new regulations require all private landlords to ensure that every fixed electrical installation in the property is inspected by a qualified person at least every five years. Copies of the inspection report should be supplied to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection, and to the Local Authority on request.
A copy of the inspection report should be retained and provided to the qualified person carrying out the next inspection.
Any faults must be investigated and repaired within 28 days (or sooner if stipulated in the report). Completion of the works should be confirmed in writing to the tenant.
Local Housing Authorities are responsible for enforcement and landlords who fail to comply can be fined up to £30,000. The Local Authority can also arrange for the remedial works to be carried out and recover the costs from the landlord.
If a landlord cannot carry out either the initial checks or any follow-up works due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they may be able to avoid enforcement action if they can demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with the regulations.
If you are a landlord and wish to speak to a solicitor regarding your property then please do not hesitate to contact one of our specialist property solicitors today.
