Requirements of the Private Rented Sector Scheme The Government introduced new legislative requirements in
June 2020 for landlords in the Private Rented Sector. By April 2021, it required
landlords to ensure all tenancies have electrical safety checks. These checks
must be carried out my competent, qualified professionals and an Electrical
Installation Condition Report must be provided.
At DBF Electrical
(Chelt) Ltd , we are registered members of the Private Rented Sector (PRS)
Scheme . This month’s blog looks at the requirements of the PRS Scheme for
landlords. Call 01242 578623 .
What Do the Electrical Safety Standards Require? Landlords of privately rented accommodation are required to
meet certain electrical safety standards to ensure the safety of their tenants.
They must ensure that the national standards for electrical safety are met.
Furthermore, any electrical installations in their rented properties must be
inspected and tested at least every 5 years or when there is a change of
tenancy.
In addition to this, landlords must obtain a report from the
electrician carrying out the inspection and provide a copy to their tenants.
New tenants must receive a copy before they move in, and existing tenants must
receive theirs within 28 days.
The report is known as an Electrical Installation Condition
Report (EICR).
What is an EICR? An EICR is designed to guarantee the safety of individuals
within a property. It requires a thorough inspection of a property’s electrical
installations. This means that all electricals must be PAT
tested to have a report provided. It assesses the competency in 3
categories:
C1 – Danger exists and requires immediate attention. C2 – Potential risk of danger and urgent attention is
needed. C3 – The electrics pose no danger, but improvements
are recommended. The inspection finds out if any installations are
overloaded, if there are any potential shock risks or fire hazards, defects and
lack of earthing or bonding. Over time, electrical installations will
deteriorate and become a risk.
If the report highlights any issues, they must be resolved
within 28 days. All landlords are encouraged to use registered members of the
PRS Scheme.
What Are the Consequences? If you fail to have electrical safety tests carried out or
fail to resolve any issues highlighted on the report, you could face a fine of
up to £30,000. Furthermore, if insurance companies find that you have failed to
obtain an EICR, they can refuse your claims if the fault is electrical.
Book an EICR Today To book an Electrical Installation Condition Report, contact
DBF Electrical (Chelt) Ltd today. Call us on 01242
578 623 or 07973 501 017 . You can also
make an enquiry through our online contact form .
We are Part
P Electrical Safety qualified. 
