SNC Facilities offer a full Landlord Electrical Certification Service.
If you are a landlord renting out a property, it is your responsibility to make sure the electrical installation is safe and properly maintained.
Landlord electrical certificates are an important part of ensuring the safety of your tenants and being able to prove that you have taken reasonable steps to do so.
The purpose of the landlord certification is to reveal whether any electrical equipment in a property might be unsafe and if existing circuits are overloaded or faulty .
The inspection also determines if there are any potential electric shock risks and other hazards which could leave any tenants at risk.
By having an electrical inspection at the property, you can be sure that you are abiding by necessary laws and that your tenants are safe.
What is Landlord Certification and why is it needed?
All landlords are legally required to have an up to date electrical safety certificate and Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) on rental properties.
The Landlord electrical certificate ensures that the necessary work and tests are in place to secure the safety of your tenants and prove that you have taken the necessary steps to do so.
Many local councils, housing associations and estate agents will only accept Electrical Certificates that have been signed off by a fully qualified and registered electrician.
For landlords this means that you must test your property every five years. Landlords without an electrical safety certificate could find that some insurance companies may not cover claims for electrical damage, electrical shock or fire.
What does Landlord Electrical Certification entail?
The electrical certification must be inspected and tested by a qualified and competent electrician.
During the inspection, the electrician will lookout for the following issues:
- Identify defective or shoddy electrical work
- Detect potential electric shock risks or fire hazards
- Recognise overloading of circuits or electrical equipment
- Spot poor earthing or bonding
It is recommended that you should have a full electrical inspection carried out every three to five years dependent on previous inspection advice.
Does the Landlord Certificate cover electrical appliances such as cookers, fridges, televisions?
The certificate does not cover electrical appliances, only the fixed electrical installations.
Tenants are responsible for making sure that any of their own electrical appliances are safe.
Landlords should carry out regular Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on any electrical appliance that they provide and then supply tenants with a record of any electrical inspections carried out as good practice.