Commenting on the Building Safety Bill (Report Stage) and amendments tabled by Andy Slaughter MP to introduce five-yearly electrical safety checks for social tenants and leaseholders in High Rise Residential Buildings (HRRB), Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First said:
“Those living in high rise buildings face unique risks and it is essential this Bill addresses them adequately. We have become all too familiar with how devastating electrical fires in tower blocks can be and it is a matter of urgency that all homes within a block are subject to the same protections, regardless of tenure type. We urge MPs to support mandatory electrical safety checks as part of this Bill so that people and their properties can be kept safe and secure from the devastation that electrical fires in high rise buildings can cause.”
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Notes to Editor:
- Andy Slaughter MP has tabled amendments to the Bill that would see mandatory five yearly electrical safety checks introduced for both the social rented units and leaseholder units within a high rise residential building
- The amendments can be found in full here on page 37 & 38 building_rm_rep_0118.fm (parliament.uk)
- The amendments have the full support of Electrical Safety First which championed the introduction of mandatory electrical safety checks in the private rental sector which the Government implemented in 2020. It is now a legal requirement in England for private landlords of rented homes to have the electrical installations checked at least every five years
- Grenfell Tower, Shepherds Court Tower, Lakanal House and the recent fire in New Providence Wharf in East London, were all thought to have been caused by electricity
- Electrical Safety First is the UKs leading charity dedicated to reducing the number of injuries and deaths caused by electricity in the UK