Electrical safety for private rental accommodation is always a hot topic, more so now with the introduction of the new (PRS) Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, published on the 1st of June 2020, all private rented accommodation must be regularly electrically tested and inspected with a report obtained on the condition of the electrical installation in the form of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
In addition to having an EICR carried out an Electrical Interim Inspection should also be carried out at intervals of a least every 12 months or at change of tenancy, whichever comes first.
Should the EICR report result with an unsatisfactory EICR then the Landlord has a maximum of 28 days to rectify the defects noted on the EICR report and obtain a satisfactory EICR. If any Code 1 (danger present) observations have been identified then these must be rectified as a matter of urgency.
An electrical installation should meet the minimum standards and requirements as set out in the current edition of the IET Wiring Regulations – Requirements for Electrical Installations.
Having regular electrical inspections carried out has been a requirement of BS 7671 Wiring Regulations for decades, however as many Landlords were not aware of the Wiring Regulations the electrical inspections on their rental properties were not being carried out.
