Landlord - Gas & elec checks - whats the legal requirement?

millepede

Hello, I have been researching my legal requirements as a new landlord but a little confused about the electricity checks required.
I am getting the gas check and boiler service but have been told that as I have a new property (coming up to 5 years) electricity/wiring is covered as part of the NHBC and I don’t need a periodic or appliance check just yet. (I will be leaving the integrated oven, fridge and washing machine).

On other threads i have read posts that say the landlord is legally obliged to also book an annual electricity check. I want to do the required but obviously not waste money. Thanks for any help.

sooz

Gas safety certificate is mandatory, & should be done annually.

Electrical check not mandatory, but advisable, and should be done every 5 years. Unless the property is an HMO, when it is mandatory.

If there are only a few appliances, you might as well get them done at the same time as PIR. If many, either remove the appliances, or do a one day course & do it yourself.

00ec25

electrics
- where the property is an HMO it is manadory to have an electric "safety inspection" (see below for what this means in reality)

- where it is not an HMO there is no legal requirement to have the inspection however in reality you are very exposed if you do not do so. Legally the LL has a duty of care towards the tenant, if a tenant was injured you must (in court) be able to prove what steps you had taken to show this care, the lack of an electrical inspection would count heavily against you in court

the inspection is formally called a "Periodic Inspection Report"
in the context of a business premises (which is what a tenanted property would be viewed as) the electrical regulations list the frequency as every 5 years

the PIR is a formal document - make sure you get that document not just any old written "safety" report - see here

G_M

The posts above answer your question.

However, if you need to ask the question it is possible there are other aspects of renting - legal, financial or perhaps practical - that you are unaware of?

There's more info here.

gordonbennet

Not forgetting PAT testing (portable appliance testing) which covers any electrical appliances you have provided. And not just the portable ones! Fridge, washing machine, table lamps, lawn mower, kettle etc.

Although not law, it is advisable to do this anually - again for your own peace if mind, not to mention your defence if ever a tenant was injured.

As someone has said you can go on a one day course and learn how to do this yourself, however the PAT machine that you need to do the tests with is quite expensive (a few hundred pounds) AND needs to be re-calibrated every year at a cost of £60, so depending on the number of properties you wish to test at, it may be easier/cheaper to pay an external company to do it for you.