Minister tightens rules on electrical safety to protect renters

Private tenants will receive better protection as a result of new measures designed to ensure mandatory electrical inspections are carried out by competent and qualified inspectors.

As part of the Government’s drive to raise standards in the private rented sector, landlords will be legally required to ensure the inspectors they hire to carry out safety inspections have the necessary competence and qualifications to do so. Tough financial penalties will be imposed on those who fail to comply.

New guidance is to be published setting out the minimum level of competence and qualifications necessary for those carrying out these inspections, so both landlords and tenants can be assured their home is safe from electrical faults.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Heather Wheeler said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in their own home. While measures are already in place to crack down on the small minority of landlords who rent out unsafe properties, we need to do more to protect tenants.

“These new measures will reduce the risk of faulty electrical equipment, giving people peace of mind and helping to keep them safe in their homes. It will also provide clear guidance to landlords on who they should be hiring to carry out these important electrical safety checks.”

As well as making homes safer for tenants, improving electrical safety benefits landlords by making a material improvement to their property and helping to prevent fires, which can cause costly and significant damage.

The Government announced last July that regulations would be introduced requiring private sector landlords to undertake 5 yearly safety checks of electrical installations in their properties. It is expected the new guidance will be broadly in line with existing regulations in Scotland.

A decision on penalties for non-compliance will be made before the secondary legislation is introduced. Penalties are likely to include a range of sanctions, with local authorities being given discretion to decide which is the most appropriate in particular cases.

By Patrick Mooney, editor