A trade body is urging the government to put a hold on introducing the new electrical safety rules in order to best protect tenants’ safeguards.

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At the beginning of the year the new regulations were presented before parliament with the government’s intention to strengthen electrical safety practices and to ‘mirror’ the already regulated gas safety practises in private rented homes.

The electrical safety regulations which will more than likely be passed, will only affect private rented homes with new tenancies starting from 1st July 2020, and properties with tenancies starting prior to this will have to follow the regulations from 1st April 2021.

The government’s proposed regulations will make sure that not only all electrical wiring will have to be checked and signed off by a qualified electrician, it will also cover all of the fixed electrical installations.

If the electrician’s report highlights any problems within the property, then the landlord has 28 days to remedy the faults or be liable to face a fine of up to £30,000.

The trade body however has found a major problem within the proposed regulations as the new rules are only obligatory until a new tenancy is arranged or until after April 2021. This will leave many landlords with properties that will not be legally bound to have the electrical safety checks being carried out until April 2021, so tenants could be at risk.

The trade body has written to the Ministry of Housing outlining its real concerns that because of the interim period some rogue landlords will not carry out necessary electrical safety checks. It urges the government to take time out so it can properly assess the dangers and provide solutions to the loophole.

A spokesperson for the trade body, said: “Good landlords don’t need to be told to carry out safety checks but these changes to regulations leave tenants vulnerable to those landlords who are not so responsible.

“It is essential for the safety of tenants that the loophole being created is closed and we urge the government to delay implementation until that happens.”