Electrical Safety in the Private Rented Sector: Guidance for Landlords

All tenants deserve to live in homes which are safe, notably from risks such as fire or electrocution.

To protect tenants, ECA, Electrical Safety First and other partners pressed the government for a sustained period to introduce legislation. As a result, government introduced new regulations to improve electrical safety in the private rented sector.

Guidance for Landlords

On 1 June 2020, the ‘Electrical Safety in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020’ came into force utilising the powers set out in the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

It also made amendments to the ‘Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006’.

ECA, ELECSA, NICEIC and Electrical Safety First have produced the following short animation video to highlight the key elements of this new legislation, and immediate actions landlords should take to ensure their properties are safe for tenants.

Landlords should also note the following key points:

Existing tenancies must be checked by 1 April 2021
Newly built or rewired properties will be covered for five years from completion, and will subsequently require an EICR to be carried out