Landlord electrical safety certificate legal requirement 2020
The Landlord electrical safety certificate legal requirement 2020 has new changes to help strengthen electrical safety practices. These changes have been brought in to keep landlord practices in line with gas safety regulations in private residential tenancies. Additionally, the new electrical safety rules will help to ensure that private tenants are better protected. Here, we look at the changes and the benefit to the tenant.
What changes are in the Landlord electrical safety certificate legal requirement 2020?
Under the new regulations, landlords and agents will need to make changes to electrical installation inspections and testing. These regulations are for new tenancies in England from 1 July 2020, or from 1 April 2021 for existing tenancies. Within these new guidelines, landlords must ensure fixed electrical installations are inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person. The Regulations also state that a landlord is required to obtain a report of the results of any inspection. Following this, they must then test and supply the results to each tenant within 28 days. Also, the landlord must retain a copy until the next inspection is due.
Why have the new regulations come into place?
The new regulations ensure all electrical wiring and fixed installations are signed off and reported by a qualified electrician. If the report highlights any issues, the landlord will then be required to remedy this. Then, landlords have 28 days to remedy the issue, or potentially face a fine of up to £30,000. Whilst these stipulations might seem strict, they are there to better protect the tenant and make the rental market more regulated. This will not only benefit the tenant but will ensure rental properties are safe, minimising future issues for landlords.
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