The Importance of Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rental Sector

With homeownership now a distant dream for many adults, the private rental sector in the UK is thriving. Renting from the private sector can be a mixed bag. Fortunately, there is legislation in place that compels private landlords to maintain certain standards. Few of these are more important than electrical safety standards.

What Responsibilities Do Landlords Have?

Landlords are legally required to obtain an electrical safety certificate. The electrical certificate for landlords certifies that the electric installation in a rented property has passed a safety inspection. You can apply for a Landlord Electrical Certificate online for as little as £99. The website electricalsafetycertificate.co.uk has all the information that you need about applying for a certificate. They are fully accredited, as per UK law, to conduct safety checks on electrical installations in rented properties.

You should always make renters aware of the certificate and its purpose. Offer to show them your safety certificate instead of waiting to be asked. Legally, you are required to produce the document on the tenant’s request.

Why Do These Standards Matter?

We are lucky to live in a country that enforces strict safety standards for the electrics in our home. The consequences of unsafe electronics can be catastrophic. A faulty appliance caused the tragedy that unfolded at Grenfell Tower. Failings in safety standards exacerbated it. The new regulations are there to help.

Some people make a point of switching their appliances off at the mains socket every night. This behaviour is good practice, but it is still the exception and not the rule. Most of us leave some of our devices plugged into the mains, whether on standby or to charge their battery. Most modern tech businesses build their electronics to a high standard. If whoever built your property wired it up correctly, there will be safety mechanisms in place to protect you and your property in the event of a power surge.

How Can Landlords Keep Their Properties Safe?

Faulty electronics and bad wiring can pose a serious threat to both people and property. While it is clearly in the interests of landlords to ensure that their properties are safe, many felt that wasn’t happening. Hence, the new regulations, which came into force in June 2020.

In addition to ensuring that the property is safe and obtaining the required documentation, landlords can also protect themselves and their properties by encouraging good habits from their tenants. If you are willing to invest in a smart plug or a mains adapter that tenants can control remotely, you will make it easy for tenants to switch off entirely at night. If you also explain to them that there are financial benefits to them doing so, their bills will be lower. It shouldn’t be a tough sell.

It is the landlord’s responsibility to adhere to all of the relevant safety regulations. Landlords shouldn’t wait for their tenants to request information. It is much more prudent to go through safety documentation with them and advise them on how they can ensure that they and the property remain safe.

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Ten years on: More first-time buyers moving to cities while the coast stands still

New ten-year analysis of the property market shows that more first-time buyers are looking to move to cities, while the coast has seen no growth in new buyers First-time buyer demand to move to Great Britain’s 50 largest cities (excluding London) is up by 16% on average over the last ten years, with Dundee topping…
Read More
Breaking News

Homeowners in England and Wales overvalue their properties by an average of 16%

Homeowners in England and Wales are overestimating the value of their property by an average of 16%, according to new figures. Data from Quick Move Now compares homeowner estimates with formal estate agent valuations and is broken down by both region and property type. Overall, homeowners overvalue in every single category.   Regional breakdown Region…
Read More
Visual blemishes on Roads due to service upgrades
Estate Agent Talk

Emergency Sidewalk Repairs: When to Act and Who to Call

Sidewalks are the unsung heroes of city infrastructure—quietly assisting tens of millions of footsteps every day. But when they crack, disintegrate, or shift all of sudden, they might quickly turn out to be volatile liabilities. In a town like New York, in which pedestrian site visitors are constant and belongings proprietors are legally chargeable for…
Read More
Breaking News

Reapit report reveals agents’ long-term market confidence amid legislative challenges

Despite the significant challenges posed by a shifting economic landscape and the largest wave of housing legislation in decades, estate and letting agents remain steadfast in their confidence about their long-term future in the industry. According to the first Reapit Property Outlook Report 2025, covering the full breadth of sales and lettings agency opinion countrywide,…
Read More
Breaking News

Owner-Occupiers Drive Resilient Commercial Property Market

Buying Becomes 37% Cheaper Than Renting The latest Commercial Property Demand Index from specialist property finance expert, Rangewell, reveals that while investor appetite across the sector held steady in Q2, strong levels of owner-occupied commercial mortgage activity are helping drive market performance, as business owners increasingly move from renting to buying their long-term premises for…
Read More
Breaking News

One year of Labour: Property market performance review

Investors left waiting for planning reform and incentives but majority plan to increase real estate allocation   Biggest failures: Lack of incentives for developers and investors, and ineffective planning reform Top priorities: Planning reform, tax incentives, and attracting international capital Where opportunities lie: Data centres, warehousing & logistics, and later-life housing Real estate debt is…
Read More