Mandatory landlord electrical checks- scotland

baldelectrician

Today (1st December 2016) is the day that all private landlords in Scotland require to have an electrical check for their private lets.


There is a bit of activity but nothing meeting the amount of private lets- 120,000 (they know about)


So - is it a good idea?
Opinions please


Actual (mandatory) guidance
https://www.housingandpropertychamber.scot/sites/default/files/hpc/SCOTTISH%20GOVERNMENT%20GUIDANCE%20ON%20ELECTRICAL%20INSTALLATIONS%20ND%20APPLIANCES%20IN%20PRIVATE%20RENTED%20PROPERTY%20-%20REVISED%20NOV%202016_0.pdf

Niv

not read the guidance but, if it is for a basic safety check then I think its a good idea, if its to ensure electrics meet current building regs then I think its a terrible idea.

agrinnall

The link doesn't work but the guidance can be seen here.

http://www.landlords.org.uk/sites/default/files/SCOTTISH%20GOVERNMENT%20GUIDANCE%20ON%20ELECTRICAL%20INSTALLATIONS%20AND%20APPLIANCES%20IN%20PRIVATE%20RENTED%20PROPERTY%20-%2019%20Feb%2015%20-%20Copy.pdf

It's basically PAT plus an Electrical Installation Condition Report. When I last rented in Scotland (April 2014 - September 2015) the LL/LA was already doing the PAT part of it every year when they did the gas safety certification.

It has to be done before a tenancy starts and at intervals of no more than 5 years during a tenancy. For a LL that has tenancies that are generally shorter than that it probably will add to costs and may be overkill, perhaps a straightforward annual PAT and 5 yearly EICR would have been better.

G_M

What next? Annual roof checks to ensure no missing tiles? Water checks to ensure no limescale build-up in pipes?

there are already plenty of legal protections on electrics - forcing LLs to undertake regular checks (every 6 months if tenants only stay that long :eek: ) will just force rents up further.

Miss_Samantha

Nanny state at it's worst!- TERRIBLE IDEA

Annual PAT tests are simply useless.

This will just create a nice little industry of PAT testers, like what happened with EPCs.

scottishblondie

agrinnall wrote: »

The link doesn't work but the guidance can be seen here.

http://www.landlords.org.uk/sites/default/files/SCOTTISH%20GOVERNMENT%20GUIDANCE%20ON%20ELECTRICAL%20INSTALLATIONS%20AND%20APPLIANCES%20IN%20PRIVATE%20RENTED%20PROPERTY%20-%2019%20Feb%2015%20-%20Copy.pdf

It's basically PAT plus an Electrical Installation Condition Report. When I last rented in Scotland (April 2014 - September 2015) the LL/LA was already doing the PAT part of it every year when they did the gas safety certification.

It has to be done before a tenancy starts and at intervals of no more than 5 years during a tenancy. For a LL that has tenancies that are generally shorter than that it probably will add to costs and may be overkill, perhaps a straightforward annual PAT and 5 yearly EICR would have been better.

The full electrical condition report only has to be carried out every 5 years, not every time you get a new tenant. You just have to make sure that the tenant gets a copy of the most recent report when the tenancy begins. The PAT is more frequent, I believe yearly? Fortunately, I have no portable appliances and so do not require the PAT!

agrinnall

scottishblondie wrote: »

The full electrical condition report only has to be carried out every 5 years, not every time you get a new tenant. You just have to make sure that the tenant gets a copy of the most recent report when the tenancy begins. The PAT is more frequent, I believe yearly? Fortunately, I have no portable appliances and so do not require the PAT!

You're right about the EICR frequency, it was in the next paragraph on a new page and I didn't look that far.

martindow

A five-yearly electrical check seems an excellent idea. Scotland seems far ahead of England in trying to improve the standards of rental properties.

Miss_Samantha

Nanny state at it's worst!- TERRIBLE IDEA

martindow wrote: »

A five-yearly electrical check seems an excellent idea.

Do you do that at home?

Pixie5740

Good idea (as long as it is fairly enforced)

The 5-yearly EICR seems a good idea, not sure about the annual PAT though. However, I think that instead of introducing new legislation the government (whether that's local or national) should try enforcing the legislation they already have i.e. actually doing something about the landlords out there who are still letting properties without being registered with the local council. I've yet to hear about a single rogue landlord being prosecuted and fined for it.

bap98189

Pixie5740 wrote: »

The 5-yearly EICR seems a good idea, not sure about the annual PAT though.

Every business in the country is required to have a 5 yearly wiring check. This is just bringing rental houses into the same category.

PAT testing is only going to apply if the landlord is supplying electrical items. If the house is let unfurnished it will be irrelevant.