Spaldwick Electrical is fully authorised to complete Landlords Electrical Safety Checks (EICR – Electrical Inspection Condition Report).
New Regulations are coming into force for new tenancies from the 1st July 2020 and for any existing tenancies from 1st April 2021, as they have now been debated in the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Despite the challenging times we find ourselves in, with much uncertainty and extreme social distancing measures in place due to Covid-19, the Government has issued Guidance which makes it clear that landlords are still required to ensure the electrical safety of their properties. However, the Government acknowledge the restrictions placed on them under the current situation, and on compliance states:
“If a landlord can show they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with their duty under the regulations, they are not in breach of the duty. … A landlord could show reasonable steps by keeping copies of all communications they have had with their tenants and with electricians as they tried to arrange the work, including any replies they have had. Landlords may also want to provide other evidence they have that the installation is in a good condition while they attempt to arrange works.”
The new Regulations require private landlords to ensure their properties are subject to electrical inspection and testing, resulting in a satisfactory report, by a qualified, competent person at intervals not exceeding 5 years. Local Authorities will be responsible for enforcing the new Regulations and can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000, if they find a landlord is in breach of their duty. Local Authorities also have the power to arrange remedial work to be carried out, with consent from the tenant, if the landlord fails to comply with the remedial notice and then recover the costs from the landlord. The powers that have been given to Local Authorities to enable effective enforcement are strong and show the Government’s commitment to supporting these Regulati0ns. We appreciate that many Local Authorities are under resource pressure, but the ability to impose fines of up to £30,000, which can be retained by the Local Authority to support their enforcement activity will be a great support for them.
The full post is available on the NAPIT (National Ascociation of Inspectors and Testers) Website Here.
Jason Pope
Spaldwick Electrical
07446 965 998