nicknack Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 I have been given conflicting information on Electical safety certificates on rented property .A managing agency tells me I need a new certificate for each tenancy , an Electrical Company says the certificate lasts several years . Can you please tell me where I stand on this ? Any info welcome . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 You do not require an electrical safety check for each new tenancy for the buildings electrics however you have to produce a certificate to the LA to say this check has been carried out. The LA will keep a copy of this certification. Portable appliances need to be checked and a register held of all portable appliances ( 'fridges, fires, irons, lamps etc.) in the property on an annual basis. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alancp Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 I have been given conflicting information on Electical safety certificates on rented property .A managing agency tells me I need a new certificate for each tenancy , an Electrical Company says the certificate lasts several years . Can you please tell me where I stand on this ? Any info welcome . Electrical Regs- A periodic inspection report is required when a property is being prepared to be let out, new tenant, or change of ownership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Letting agent is WRONG - tell him to go and learn his trade. There are no regulations similar to that for gas appliances which do need a yearly certificate. Is letting agent offering to get a certificate for you for £££s! Mortitia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Letting agent is WRONG - tell him to go and learn his trade. There are no regulations similar to that for gas appliances which do need a yearly certificate. Is letting agent offering to get a certificate for you for £££s! Mortitia This topic goes back to a start of 2009 At the moment it is not a mandatory requirement for electrical certificates for rental properties (other than portable appliances) however most LA's are insisting on having the full check carried out. The certificate is valid for 10 years not 1 year so indeed this LA is wrong in his assumption and should learn the rules and regs of being an LA. Now I would agree a modern property should be OK but I would suggest that some properties are very doubtful regarding their wiring condition. I can give you an example......I bought a modern 25year old property last June that had been rented out for the last 5 years to various tenants. I was refurbishing this house to sell-on which I did. The wiring of this house was a mess with more add-ons than was really safe or indeed correct. The worse being the electrical cooker which was bodged-in and definitely not safe to use really in the true sense of correct cooker installation. I called an electrician (registered) friend of mine in and he replaced the consumer unit and changed and checked everything through out the property and issued the certificates etc. At least I knew I could sell this property on safe in the knowledge that the electrical system was safe to use. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDTWIN Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 If the property is a HMO it is a legal requirement to have elecy cert. I also thought they only last for 5 years not 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 If the property is a HMO it is a legal requirement to have elecy cert. I also thought they only last for 5 years not 10. Oh! yes HMO's different set of rules all round......forgot that ruling probably because I don't do HMO's myself. Only a recommendation Speedtwin of 5 years and not enforcable in law to have a certificate BUT if you say it should be mandatory then I would agree with anybody but as yet it's not and it must be all of 5 years ago now when it was announced that Electrical Safety Test For Rental Property was going to be mandatory and it just hasn't happened.......yet. I think the argument comes down to what the LA will charge the Landlord to have this work done and a certificate issued. There have been some quite appalling prices charged by some LA organisations. Dearest one I know of so far is £125 + vat which is a rip-off......AND they will want the same money again on tenancy change over which could be 6 months down the line. Ridiculous! I can get it done for £55 plus vat for an electrical visual safety and circuit testing check and certificate issued which is all any tenant or landlord should require. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDTWIN Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 I steer clear of HMO as well but I think there are a lot of landlords out there with 3 or more (unrelated) sharers not realising the property is now a hmo and a whole new set of rules come into play, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alancp Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 You do not require an electrical safety check for each new tenancy for the buildings electrics however you have to produce a certificate to the LA to say this check has been carried out. The LA will keep a copy of this certification. Portable appliances need to be checked and a register held of all portable appliances ( 'fridges, fires, irons, lamps etc.) in the property on an annual basis. Mel. Who would be responsible if the new tenant received a shock as a result of foulplay by the previous tenant?, hence, electrical regs, pir required upon new tenant. I can get it done for £55 plus vat for an electrical visual safety and circuit testing check and certificate issued I would broadly agree with that figure for a visual condition report, but to include circuit testing (does this include inspection as well??) seems way too cheap to carry out a full inspection and test, it is the electrician who is putting his name on the paperwork and to do this properly and thouroughly takes time, this is not an excuse to rip people off (short term business ethics) but time = money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEEDTWIN Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Ultimately if a tenant gets injured due to faulty electrics the landlord would be at fault because because he would have a duty of care to the tenant who he has a contract with. Some of that blame I guess could then be passed down the line if the agent didnt do something he was contracted to do or was in his T&C's or a tradesman did something incorrectly. If you had a situation where faulty electrics was installed and the tenant was hurt due to the electrican not been qualfied (but claimed he was ) I would still see it the landlords fault due to him not checking his credentials. That the way I see it but others or a court may not. We all know that if anything goes to court itis not allways black or white a lotof the time it can be who has the best solicitor and presents their case the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Who would be responsible if the new tenant received a shock as a result of foulplay by the previous tenant?, hence, electrical regs, pir required upon new tenant. I can get it done for £55 plus vat for an electrical visual safety and circuit testing check and certificate issued I would broadly agree with that figure for a visual condition report, but to include circuit testing (does this include inspection as well??) seems way too cheap to carry out a full inspection and test, it is the electrician who is putting his name on the paperwork and to do this properly and thouroughly takes time, this is not an excuse to rip people off (short term business ethics) but time = money. So where would you draw the line then alancp? There has to be a limit on what is actually done on an inspection otherwise where does it it all end? A Gas safety certificate involves an inspection of all gas appliances in the property but it is visual inspection of the boiler with no casing removed and with a computer print out of boiler carbon monoxide levels and a gas pressure/leakage safety check of pipe work all of which takes around 45 minutes and cost around £60-£70 depending where you live and probably a bit more in London. So if £55 plus vat is not a figure you would agree with for an inspection what are your charges to Landlords then? It is also,as I have mentioned previously, not a mandatory inspection by law and therefore I suspect many private landlords don't even bother with the most basic of inspections. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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