17th
Dec 2020
A trade body has told the government that its target of April 1st 2021 for all landlords and agents to be fully compliant with the new electrical safety standards will be virtually impossible.
It is urging the government to delay the date by a further twelve months because of the shortage of electricians caused by the backlog of work and the Covid pandemic.
The policy director for the trade body Timothy Douglas wrote to the Housing Minister Christopher Pincher expressing his grave concerns over the impending deadline because of the pandemic’s restrictions on electricians being able to access properties, a shortage of qualified electricians together with the expense of making sure that ‘homes’ are compliant, will result in an ‘anticipated and widespread failure in compliance’.
The new standards make it mandatory for landlords to have all electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a ‘qualified and competent’ electrician at least every five years.
Tenants have to be provided with a copy of the electrical safety report and landlords or agents must also send a copy to the local authority if requested.
Douglas says although agents have had less restrictions or lockdowns than other sectors due to Covid, there are “concerns remain about the ability for letting agents to ensure compliance with the Electrical Safety Standards by April next year.”
“From a snap survey of 220 letting agent businesses in September, 50% have more than 60 tenancies signed before the rules came into force that will require every fixed electrical installation at the property to be inspected and tested by April next year.
“Furthermore, it is not just the test and inspection but the time and expense of arranging remedial work to ensure tenancies are compliant. “This is exasperated further under the Regulations which require remedial work to be carried out within 28-days from when a notice is served.”
Ironically when the ESS became law in June the government had to withdraw its original guidance on the new electrical standards safety guidance because of the many inconsistencies that were uncovered.
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