Gas Safety Regulations put strict requirements on Landlords to ensure that the boiler and gas systems in rental properties are safe and well maintained on an annual basis. However, there is not the same level of requirement on Landlords to ensure that the electrics in a property are adequate and PAT testing is not a compulsory requirement unlike Gas Safety Inspections. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 provides that an electrical installation in a property is “Safe when a tenancy begins” and “Maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy”. The Act also imposes a duty of care on Landlords to ensure that their tenants are safe and that the property is maintained to a safe standard. Even though there are no specific regulations relating to electrical safety, a landlord is potentially liable under the Defective Premises Act if a tenant or resident suffers death or injury or has personal belongings damaged as a result of a defect in the electrical system in the premises. According to research by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) electricity kills at least 30 people a year and there are around 4,000 accidents annually in the UK involving electrics, so don't think it can't happen in your properties. In Brighton & Hove there is now a pre-condition for Houses of Multiple Occupation where a Landlord is required to obtain a landlord licence from the local authority. Landlords must provide to the Council an inspection report carried out by a competent electrical engineer (preferably N.I.C.E.I.C or E.C.A) to show that the installation is safe and satisfactory and has been obtained within the last 5 years or as recommended by the engineer. The duty of care therefore imposed on Landlords of HMO’s is far higher than that of other Landlords. PAT tests are very straight forward and are recommended to be carried out at least once every 5 years or on change over of tenants. For a landlords insurance quotation, clickhere
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