New laws will see 5 yearly checks on electrical installations and appliance testing in Air BnB style lets
Mandatory five yearly electrical safety checks are to be introduced for short term lets in Scotland as well as electrical appliance testing, the Scottish Government has announced.
Owners of short term lets in Scotland, will be required to prove their properties are electrically safe under new laws passed by Holyrood in a first of its kind for the UK.
Under new legislation the electrical installation, including wiring, sockets and fittings within the property will need to be inspected and tested by a competent person at least every five years. On completion an electrical installation condition report (or EICR) must be provided to the owner.
Appliances that are accessible to guests will also be required to be inspected and tested which could include washing machines, tumble dryers and fridges. A report will be required to prove the safety of these appliances called a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Report.
The introduction of these new laws will see Scotland become the first nation within the UK to introduce electrical safety regulations on short term lets.
Current laws and standards in Scotland already require landlords within the private rented sector and social rented sector to undertake five yearly electrical safety checks however owners of short term lets were not covered by these requirements.
The rules come as part of Holyrood’s wider plans to ensure the safety of short term rentals in Scotland as the sector grows. The new laws will require providers to apply for licenses with their local authority.
Commenting on the announcement by the Scottish Government, Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First commented: “We are delighted to see that Scotland continues to lead the way in ensuring properties and their tenants are kept safe from electrical hazards. Holidays and short stays in Scotland will be made all the safer under these laws. We look forward to working closely with the Scottish Government on their implementation and hope that this will be mirrored across the UK to ensure the safety of tenants wherever they choose to stay.”
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Notes to Editor:
- Link to legislation : The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Link to Government announcement https://www.gov.scot/news/licensing-short-term-lets/#:~:text=All%20short%2Dterm%20lets%20in,on%20housing%20in%20some%20areas.
- Electrical Safety First has long campaigned for mandatory electrical safety checks across all housing tenures and property types having been successful in securing their introduction in Scotland in the private rental sector in in 1995 and in the social rented sector in 2021.
- Electrical Safety First is the UKs leading charity dedicated to reducing the number of injuries and deaths caused by electricity in the UK