What electrical certificates do landlords need?

As a landlord, understanding which electrical safety test certificates are required can get confusing with evolving legislation. Ensuring tenant safety is a top priority and something that should be taken seriously, not only to comply with safety standards but to ensure safety and to foster a good reputation amongst your tenants. 

We’ll break down the essential rental electrical safety checks you must carry out to meet current standards of electrical safety, helping you stay compliant and maintain a safe rental property.

What electrical safety test certificates are required in the private rental sector?

Every landlord must comply with the latest government regulations by ensuring they have the correct electrical safety test certificates to ensure tenant safety. We’ll guide you through what you need to do.

First things first, you need to ensure that you meet the national standards for electrical safety. The standards are called British Standard 7671, and a trained electrician will be able to check that your property meets these standards. The next thing to note is that all electrical installations on the property need to be done by a qualified professional at least once every 5 years.

After the electrician has carried out this inspection, they will issue you with an electrical safety test certificate detailing the results and the date of the next test. As a landlord, it’s crucial to keep this report safe and make multiple copies.

You should send a copy of the electrical safety test certificate to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, supply a copy to a new tenant before they move into the property, and finally, if a prospective tenant would like to see the report, you must share it within 28 days of the request. It’s possible for the local authority to request a copy, which you must provide within 7 days.

What happens if remedial work is required following a rental electrical safety check?

The results of the inspection may show that remedial or investigative work is essential, and this needs to be done within 28 days. Following the completion of any extra work, the landlord must gain written confirmation of the work from the electrician and pass this on to the tenant and the local authority. Again, this action must be done within 28 days.

The results of the inspection will include classification codes that indicate the severity of any issues:

• Code 1: Danger present. Risk of injury
• Code 2: Potentially dangerous
• Further investigation: Further investigation without delay
• Code 3: Improvement is ideal

If you receive code 1, code 2, or ‘further investigation’ for your rental property, landlords need to arrange remedial work. In the event of code 1, the electrician should resolve the issue immediately. If you get code 3, it’s not mandatory to carry out remedial work, but it would improve the safety of the installation. Electrical Safety First gives further details on the classification codes.

What type of rental properties does the rental property electrical safety check apply to?

For the majority of landlords, these rental property electrical safety checks will apply. The government states that where your private tenant has the right to occupy your property as their only or main residence and pays rent, the guidelines will stand. This can include assured shorthold tenancies and licences to occupy.

What types of properties are excluded from rental property electrical safety checks?

Bear in mind that there are a few cases where these rental property electrical safety checks aren’t mandatory. This includes:

• Social housing
• Lodgers
• Those on a long lease of 7 years or above
• Student halls
• Hostels and refuges
• Care homes, hospitals, hospices, and related healthcare accommodation

We do however highly recommend that landlords and property owners in these sectors put tenant safety first. Consider conducting regular electrical inspections.

Although this is not a legal requirement, carrying out these checks can help to prevent potential hazards. Keeping your tenants and investment safe. It also helps foster a good landlord-tenant relationship.

What does an electrical inspection and test involve?

During the inspection, an electrician will be on the lookout for the following issues:

• Identify defective electrical work
• Spot poor earthing or bonding
• Detect potential electric shock risks or fire hazards
• Recognise overloading of circuits or electrical equipment

The benefits of regular rental property electrical safety checks

While it is not a legal requirement to conduct regular electrical safety checks, it is good for the following reasons: 

• Early detection: It can help to identify potential hazards before they become expensive or dangerous for you and your tenants. 
• Tenant safety: You can reduce the risk of electric shocks, fires and other accidents by ensuring a safer environment for your tenants.
• Property maintenance: By inspecting your property regularly, you can also extend the lifespan of your property.
• Peace of mind: Not only does it ensure you are compliant with regulations but it can also give you and your tenants peace of mind. 

Regular electrical inspections are not just a legal requirement. It’s an important aspect of landlord obligations to safeguard your tenants and your property. 

How to find a qualified electrician to carry out your rental electrical safety check

Please make sure that you use a legitimate electrician to carry out the rental electrical safety check, or else the electrical safety test certificate won’t be valid. There are trusted sites to help you find a registered electrician nearby. To establish if an electrician is the real deal, landlords can check if they’re a member of a competent person scheme.

Alternatively, you can ask the inspector to complete a checklist certifying their competence. This should include their experience, insurance, and qualification for the current version of the Wiring Regulations. As well as the periodic inspection, testing, and certification of electrical installations. 

We hope that you now feel prepared to organise an electrical safety inspection for your rental properties. While you’re sorting through your admin, have you remembered to take out a Landlord Insurance and a Landlord Contents Insurance policy? We at CIA Landlords can help. Get a quote or request a callback today.

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