As always, any time I see changes in legislation being passed around I make sure to update you. Any buy-to-let Landlords should take note:
- Electrical equipment provided by Landlord’s must have a safety kite mark such as the CE logo which shows that a product meets EU standards.
- Landlords must also only use a registered electrician
- Landlords in England and Wales are required to provide electrical installation certificates to show new equipment is safe.
- Landlords must respond to any requests for repairs. Any claim could be brought under the Consumer Protection Act if a property is found to be unsafe.
- A tenant who reports concerns about electrical equipment to the local council would lead to an enforcement officer visiting the property and making an order for changes. Failure to make the changes could result in fines or bans and will make it harder to evict a tenant.
- Landlords in Scotland Landlords must now have a compulsory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) conducted every five years as a result of changes to The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.
- Any tenant moving in from 1st December 2015 must be provided with Electrical Installation Certificates for any new fixtures or fittings that are installed. These can be obtained from a fully registered electrician. They must also provide a Portable Appliance Test for movable objects such as microwaves.
- Existing tenants must receive a copy of the EICR by 1st December 2016.
The source of my knowledge in this case is Property 118 – this is a great website for Landlords and Tenants.
NC
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