landlords.org.uk

New compulsory Electrical checks for Landlords announced this week!

The safety of tenants has been given extra attention as rightly so, with new regulations stating Landlords MUST NOW have electrical installations checked every 5 years.

We previously informed you guys about how The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reported how 2016 saw 154 electrical fatalities. We still await last years figures but as far Able Skills is concerned, that is 154 too many. Unfortunately, this represented a 15% increase in comparison to 2015. With startling figures collected, we can only be happy about the new law announced just this week.

Now those figures are scary

It is one of various regulations brought in by the government to help increase the safety of the public, especially since the tragedy of Grenfell Tower which has sparked the interest to do more when it comes to electrical safety.

It could be argued that the decision to enforce the new law on rental properties has come too late as shown by the figures on the right. A huge 39% of incidents were caused by the misuse of equipment and 29% were caused by faulty appliances. These are areas that can easily be avoided if we all take the time to ensure electrical safety comes first, something that shouldn't only be made aware to those studying electrical courses.

James Brokenshire, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup who is also The Secretary of State for Communities said we can expect a full review of guidelines this autumn which will cover fire safety matters for buildings known as 'Approved Document B'.

Here's what the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government had to say:

“There is nothing more important than ensuring people are safe in their own homes.

“That is why I am announcing a package of measures focused on improving building safety, having listened carefully to the concerns which have been raised.

“Dame Judith’s report sets out the right framework to improve safety, but I will not hesitate to go further than the recommendations where I deem it necessary.

“That is why I am going further than my original commitment to simply clarify the guidelines, by commencing an end-to-end technical review of the fire safety aspects of building regulations in the autumn.”

What can you do?

Some very passionate words given by the Secretary of State for communities and local government, but what what about you? Ok, we're not all qualified Electricians and may not know everything about electrical checks, but we should still make sure we take care when handling electrical appliances back at home.

If you are ever unsure about anything do no risk tampering with your household electrics yourself. We urge you to leave that to the professionals such as local Electricians who have undertaken the correct Electrician Training. Feel free to ask them about the following courses:

Rest assured, feel free to click on the above links and give us a shout if you would like to know more about each course! In the mean time, stay safe and stay in the know!