wiring

Specifiers and Landlords

Specifiers, landlords and other buyers of contracting services need to be aware of their obligations under the building regulations and related law, as well as how to find an NICEIC-registered contractor and support services.

Download our factsheet for Landlords by clicking here


Why do landlords need to complete an electrical inspection?

There are two main Acts of Parliament that impose a statutory duty on landlords with respect to the safety of electrical equipment:

1. The Consumer Protection Act 1987
2. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The Consumer Protection Act affects all persons who let property in the course of their business because it defines them as "suppliers", i.e. they are supplying goods to the tenant. There are several items of secondary legislation under the umbrella of the Consumer protection Act which are directly relevant to the supply of electrical goods, including:


1. The Low Voltage Electrical Equipment Regulations 1989
2. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
3. The General Product Safety Regulations 1994
4. The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

In essence, these regulations impose a duty on landlords to ensure that all electrical equipment supplied by them is safe for use by the tenant. The Consumer Protection Act provides a defence of 'due diligence', i.e. a landlord can defend a contravention of the Act if he can demonstrate that he took reasonable steps to avoid committing the offence.


When do landlords need to complete an electrical inspection?

Unlike the gas regulations there is not a statutory period for completing electrical safety inspections or maintenance. There are several authoritative documents that suggest suitable intervals including:

1. The Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) - Code of Practice for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
2. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - Maintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment.
3. HSE - Maintaining portable electrical equipment in hotels and tourist accommodation.
4. HSE - Maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices and other low risk environments.
5. IEE - Inspection & Testing Guidance Note 3.