07 May Is your Rental Property Electrically Sound?
Renting a property is a fantastic way to save up for the big day when you get a mortgage and a house of your very own. Whilst the process of renting a house for the buyer is easy, behind closed doors the preparation of a house in order to satisfy health and safety requirements on behalf of a landlord can be a stressful time. With that said, the importance of your rental property being safe is massive and when it comes to electricity, there are some things you should know.
Before I kick start this blog post, the Electrical Safety Council have a fantastic electronic booklet online which details in full electrical safety for landlords and property. As a buyer, despite the booklet being tailored towards the landlord, this is still a vital read and will help you further understand the importance of electrical safety and also the requirements asked for by law of a property.
Key facts about electricity
Electrical safety is incredibly important within any type of property or application. Here are some interesting facts:
– 30 deaths per year are recorded in the UK as a direct result of electricity.
– 4,000 accidents per year (those which do not result in death) are recorded in the UK from electricity.
– 20+ amps is considered as a lethal dose of electricity for human beings.
Electrical safety for rental property
Rental properties are very usually maintained to a high standard through either the landlord or previous rental owners. If you are renting a property, here are 3 things landlords must do to ensure your safety:
1. Landlords must ensure that electrical equipment and electrical systems are safe
This goes without saying, however landlords by law have to ensure that electrical equipment and electrical systems are safe. This means that appliances which come with properties, as well as internal wiring, must be maintained to a good standard.
2. Landlords should give you copies of operating and safety instructions for electrical equipment
In order to maximise safety landlords must produce copies of documents relating to electrical systems and electrical appliances. Safety documents and instructions are a part of these. If you do not have them, ask for them.
3. Under Part P of Building Regulations certain types of electrical work must comply with standards
in 2005 legislation was passed which requires that certain types of electrical work, such as those in garages, sheds, dwellings and outside building must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. As such, any outside areas of your property should comply with this.
Despite an outcry from groups, there are no statutory obligations on landlords to have professional checks carried out on electrical systems. Despite this, many landlords have electrical checks carried out on properties anyway as to keep occupants as safe as possible.
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