Tougher electrical safety standards for tenants

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has published recommendations for new safety measures to better protect private tenants.

Published for consultation, the measures are aimed at reducing the risk of electric shocks or fires caused by electrical faults, using new powers, announced in the Housing and Planning Act 2016, to set and enforce tougher electrical safety standards in the private rented sector.

Housing Minister Heather Wheeler said the government is also consulting on whether landlords who do not comply should face tough penalties of up to £30,000.

Recommendations include five yearly mandatory electrical installation safety checks for all private rented properties and mandatory safety certificates confirming installation checks have been completed along with any necessary repair work provided to both landlord and tenants at the beginning of the tenancy and made available to the local authority on request.

Wheeler said: “Everyone deserves a safe place to live. While measures are already in place to crack down on the minority of landlords who rent out unsafe properties we need to do more to protect tenants. That’s why we introduced powers to enable stronger electrical safety standards to be brought in along with tough penalties for those who don’t comply. We want to ensure we strike the right balance between protecting tenants while being fair for landlords. So I want to hear from as many people as possible whether these independent recommendations are the right approach.”