hi all, a little help with landlord rules?

rach!_3

hi all,
well we moved into this house almost 10 months ago, and i have just been in contact with the previous tenant who tells me no safety checks were ever done etc in the 7 months she was here.
so im wondering as its coming to winter(and in our council property we got annual checks)
should we be having any checks done? we dont have gas only electric but i would feel saer knowing we had, had an annual check.
Also it is an old fusebox in the property and i would like to have it changed to a CU? i think theyre called. Do i have to gain her permission first?

ILW

What do you want checking for safety?

rach!_3

the electrics, probably sounds daft, but i am used to having regular checks. and with having 3 kids i kinda start worrying about these things around the time the electric/gas man would have been coming.

Pepzofio

Are you sure the council checked the electrics annually, not just the gas? AFAIK there is no requirement for annual electricity safety testing.

And YES you will need to get LL permission before changing the fusebox - not to mention getting a qualified electrician to do it/get it Part P tested (I think it's called).

amy104

The shelter website advises...

Landlords have legal obligations to ensure the safety of tenants. They must:

• get a gas safety certificate for every appliance in the property. These must be issued by a registered gas engineer and renewed every year
• ensure that any necessary work identified by gas engineers is carried out
• ensure furniture meet fire safety standards
• ensure electrical equipment provided is safe.

Tenants can also ask landlords to fit and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. Although these are not legal requirements, it is in the landlord's best interest as well as the tenants'.

Though to my knowledge whilst they must have a gas safety certificate the do not need a similar annual certificate for electrics.

clutton_2

do not have any of your landlords electrical equipment altered without his written and express permission

there are no legal requirements for LLs, private or public sector, to check electrics annually.

rach!_3

ok thanks for all your replies.
i have just been told it is illegal to have an old fuse box in a rented house,
how true is this please?

DVardysShadow

rach! wrote: »

ok thanks for all your replies.
i have just been told it is illegal to have an old fuse box in a rented house,
how true is this please?

If you are worried about having an old fusebox, you could hide it under the bed or perhaps get a friend to look after it if they have their own place. But most landlords don't mind.

G_M

rach! wrote: »

ok thanks for all your replies.
i have just been told it is illegal to have an old fuse box in a rented house,
how true is this please?

Told by who?
No. The electrics must be safe, but age or design does not mean the fuse box (or indeed any other part of the electrical system) is unsafe.
There is no requirement for the LL to check/inspect the electrics annually.
If you have reason to believe a particular item is dangerous, either write to the LL explaining what you fear, explaining why and asking for it to be checked, or ask an electrician to check it for you (and then you can approach the LL with definitive proof).

The reason electrics are not subject to the same requirement as gas for an annual check is that electrics are inherently much safer - unless of course you fiddle with them by, for example, trying to replace a fusebox yourself!

clutton_2

Landlords have a "duty of care" under Health and Safety regs and Electrical regs to maintain the electrics to a safe standard. Some electrics which are 30-40 years old are still very safe. There is no compulsion to have a Certificated inspection done.

what exactly are you worried about ?

barnaby-bear

rach! wrote: »

ok thanks for all your replies.
i have just been told it is illegal to have an old fuse box in a rented house,
how true is this please?

Of course it isn't. Why are you worried about an old fuse box... I advise on IEE regulations - a modern trip switch is more convenient and probably slightly better at reducing the chance of property damage but stick your wet fingers in a socket and a brand new consumer unit isn't going to help - faulty electrics really are a minimal risk, a faulty washing machine/dishwasher/toaster/bed side light/mobile charger/CRO telly far more likely to spontaneously combust - your real concern is gas safety and the LL is obliged to do an annual gas safety check, personally I always had my own Carbon Monoside detector £10-15 from B&Q, the LL is legally oblied to give you this within a few weeks of moving - start asking questions....