As from 1st, the government’s new regulations which should make electrical safety practices far more robust in private rented homes have come into force.

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The electrical regulations will now match the government’s tougher gas safety regulations for the PRS  that were introduced in 2018.

The electrical safety regulations will firstly affect, new tenancies starting from July 1st 2020.  The electrical safety regulations will affect the properties with tenancies that started before the July 1st (2020) next year from  April 1st 2021.

The regulations will make sure that all electrical wiring and fixed installations in properties are checked  at least every five years by qualified electricians and signed off if found fully compliant.

Copies of the reports will be handed over to the landlord/agent and the tenants, and if a local authority requests a report they will be given one as well.

However if a report highlights any non compliancy issues, then the landlord has 28 days to resolve the issue, failure to do  this could result in the landlord having to pay a fine of up to £30,000.

The government has already issued new guidance on how the Electrical Safety Standards in the PRS will affect, tenants, landlords and local authorities, view here.

NAPIT the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers is providing detailed guidance for landlords, lettings agents and members view here.

The new legislation for the Electrical Safety Checks in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 is available to view here.