Commenting on the Government’s response to the review of conditions in the private rented sector (PRS), Phil Buckle, Director General of Electrical Safety First said:
“We are extremely disappointed that our call for regular, mandatory electrical checks throughout the PRS has failed, particularly since almost 80% of respondents to the review of the sector supported it. However, we understand that the Government will keep the situation under consideration.
“Currently, registered houses in multiple occupation are already required to have a five year review of the electrical installation. But a blanket requirement for such testing in all PRS homes would reduce confusion around best practice and provide a degree of parity with gas safety, which landlords must have checked every year. The cost for this essential precaution would be a small price to pay for the protection of people and property. Particularly since fires from an electrical cause are estimated to produce £1 Billion worth of damage to homes in the last year.”
ENDS
Editor’s Notes:
- Electrical Safety First wants the introduction of mandatory, five-yearly safety checks, by a competent person, of electrical installations in all PRS properties – along with any electrical appliance supplied with them.
- The Charity has successfully fought to have this protection provided to private tenants in Scotland and is currently lobbying to have it introduced through the Renting Homes (Wales) Bill
- The figure of £1 Billion is derived from data provided by the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). See: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/399299/Fire_Statistics_Great_Britain_2013-14.pdf and http://www.cfoa.org.uk/11426.
For more information please contact:
Angela Murphy e: angela.murphy@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk t: 020 3463 5127
Ben Stokes e: ben.stokes@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk t: 020 3463 5129