There is a statutory requirement for landlords to maintain electrical appliances under their control in a safe condition. These are outlined in The Consumer Protection Act 1987 and The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The Consumer Protection Act 1987 – If you let a property you are deemed as a “supplier” (supplying goods to the tenant) Therefore applicable to the safety of any electrical appliances (portable or fixed-wired) made available for use by the tenant
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 “A self-employed person is an individual who works for gain or reward otherwise than under a contract of employment whether or not he employs others.” A tenant is a person affected by the landlords operations- in essence the electrical regulations directed at employers will also apply to landlords, their premises and their tenants.
In summary, a landlord has duties both as a ‘supplier of goods’ and as the ‘person responsible’ for an electrical installation. As a ‘supplier of goods’ they are responsible for ensuring goods are checked before the tenant takes them over and as a ‘person responsible’ they must uphold an adequate system of maintenance. A landlords electrical safety certificate will show evidence that these have been complied with
Failure to comply with Safety Regulations is considered a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine and/ or 6 months imprisonment. This is why it is imperative to have a landlords electrical certificate completed in order to be able to show you took reasonable steps to avoid committing an offence.
You should always ensure you employ a competent person who is knowledgeable, experienced and well trained to undertake your landlords electrical safety certificate.
A landlords electrical safety certificate is issued after a routine check to confirm the correct wiring, correct earthing and the correct operation of safety devices. A visual survey of the electrical power points, light switches, earth bonding and fuse box is also included in the landlords electrical safety certificate.
It is recommended to have a landlords electrical safety certificate carried out annually or at a change of tenancy (if sooner).
A landlords electrical safety certificate is an important part of any landlords health and safety policy.
A landlords electrical safety certificate is required for the portable appliances you use everyday in the home for example a kettle or microwave.
To be able to show you took steps to comply with the regulations and to adhere to your requirements regarding electrical appliance maintenance we recommend booking in an annual landlords electrical safety certificate.
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