Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate

As a landlord you are responsible for ensuring that the electrical installation and appliances in your residential property are safe and remain in proper working order throughout any tenancy.

You will probably already carry out regular visual safety checks and repair or replace any unsafe electrical issues such as damaged cables, sockets and light switches, but it is also necessary for an electrician to test and inspect the condition of the installation at least every 10 years.

The Electrical Safety Council recommends that periodic inspections are carried out at least every 5 years and the Institute of Electrical Engineers recommend that an inspection is made every time you have a new tenant. This is not necessary if a change of tenancy is within a short period of time, but it is necessary for a visual electrical safety inspection be conducted by a professional prior to re-letting.

If your rental accommodation is an older property it is likely to be fitted with fewer electrical sockets than a modern property. Tenant's will often use extension leads to power their electrical appliances which can easily lead to an overloaded circuit in a poorly maintained installation and may result in a fire or shock accident.

If the electrical installation in your property is safe and a regular inspection is carried out you are ensuring the safety of your tenants and other residents in the building.