Electrical Safety not included in new regulations designed to protect tenants
From 1st October 2015, landlords are required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms under new measures announce by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis earlier this year. The new law; The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 comes with solid support after a consultation on property condition in the private rented sector.
The move will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries a year.
However, Director General of leading safety charity Electrical Safety First; Phil Buckle has said to be ‘extremely disappointed’ after electrical safety has not been included in these new regulations. The charity has been campaigning for five yearly electrical checks of the electrical installation in all privately rented tenancies – along with any electrical appliances supplied with it.
Electricity is responsible for almost half of all domestic fires in Britain. Electricity kills one person a week and seriously injures around 350,000 people each year.
The human cost is immeasurable, and with an estimated cost of £1 billion; it’s considered a massive flaw by most of the electrical industry that electrical standards have not been included in the new regulations to help prevent injuries and the loss of lives.
Electrical Safety First has also been campaigning for the introductions of RCDs (Residual Current Devices) to be installed in all PRS to prevent fatal electric shock.
“Given the huge expansion in the PRS, where a third of properties fail to meet basic standards, concerns around electrical safety can only increase. So we were deeply concerned when our call for regular electrical checks in the privately rented accommodation was omitted from these new regulations.” Phil Buckle
Five yearly electrical checks and the regular installation of RCD’s in homes have a minimal monetary investment considering the lives it will save and the potential cost and damage later down the line.
Get in touch with Humphreys Electrical for a free consultation if you are a landlord in the PRS and we will be happy to assist you in implementing safeguards in your property that will set you apart from the rest.