Property Legislation Part 2 - Electrical Safety Standards

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

This piece of legislation has now been published in draft form and must now be approved by each House of Parliament. If approved in the current form, the regulations will commence 1 June 2020 for new tenancies granted on or after that date and from 1 April 2021 for all existing tenancies. The regulations apply to England only.

Landlords must ensure every fixed electrical installation is inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person. The Regulations also state that a landlord is required to obtain a report of the results of the inspection and test, supply it to each tenant within 28 days and retain a copy until the next inspection is due.

The Regulations require local housing authorities to enforce the rules and they have the power to arrange remedial action. Proven breaches of the Regulations can result in the local housing authority imposing a financial penalty of up to £30,000.

To read the rest of the legislation coming into effect this year and beyond, we have created a FREE guide, click here to download