Electrical Safety Checks
From December this year, all landlords will be required to have an electrical safety inspection, carried out by a competent person, in their rented property.
Under the new requirement, landlords will have to have fixed wiring (Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR) checks carried out at least every five years. This will apply from 1 December 2015 for any new tenancies entered into on or after this date (this includes current tenants signing a new lease), and from 1 December 2016 for existing tenancies.
The EICR report must include an appliance check report (a Portable Appliance Test or PAT). PAT checks are required on appliances provided by the landlord, but not those belonging to the tenant.
Anything that is not permanently connected to the electrical installation should be on the PAT report. Everything in the property which uses the electrical supply must be on either the EICR or the PAT report, unless it belongs to tenant. It is advisable to have the checks carried out more frequently than five yearly if recommended by an electrician.