There are around 30 deaths and 4,000 accidents yearly in the UK involving electrics. As a Landlord, it is imperative to ensure that any electrical appliances and fittings within the home you rent out are not dangerous.
However, unlike Gas Safe regulations, there is no law that demands you must have a electrical safety certificate. Then again, should any electrical fittings or appliances within your rental property cause actual harm to the tenant, you could be held accountable.
To ensure that you don’t electrocute your tenants, and if you do you are not held liable there are 2 things you should do.
1.Make sure that tenants are given copies of operating and safety instructions for ALL equipment in the premises or at least make them accessible within the property.
2.Have a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) carried out.
A Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) - What is it?
This is a thorough test on the condition of the electrical installation, wiring and accessories (switches and sockets) in a property.
The electrical system is tested against current safety standards and a report is produced. The report lists any electrical faults, possible concerns, and areas of the system that require further investigation.
The report also provides a time frame of urgency on which remedial action should be taken. The test does not include any repair to the electrical system. Once you have the report you can plan for remedial work or added investigation. These reports can also be useful for determining the condition of an electrical system before purchasing a property.
Depending on the property, the age of the electrical system and it’s use, a PIR may be suggested every 1, 3, 5 or 10 years. For landlords, a 5 year inspection is deemed adequate. Although, there is no official legislation at this time.
Most electrical systems will fail a PIR.
Most electrical systems are pretty old. So, it will not be a surprise that most premises are likely to fall short of modern safety standards. The real cost of a PIR is the remedial work to your electrical system. This can be costly.
This is where a number of electrical companies will offer a ‘Free’ PIR. They are confident that they will then win the electrical repair work that inevitably follows. Beware of this tactic. You are not likely to get an truthful assessment. Always pay for an independent report that will allow you to tender your repair project to several electrical firms. Bear in mind as a landlord it is very important that you have these checks carried out on a regular basis, it will protect you as well as the tennant.
How much will a PIR cost?
The cost of a PIR will rely on several factors.
1.The size of premises and number of rooms
2.The number of circuits
3.The correct labelling of circuits on the fuse board
4.Simplicity of access for the engineers to inspect and test
For an average 3 bedroom dwelling in the London area, the normal cost of a PIR is around £250. This can change depending on the company and the location.
Author Resource:
If you are a Landlord like myself, you need to get a PIR carried out on your property on a regular basis. I do this every 5 years to cover myself and reasure my tennents . I think it is a must to have all electrical installations tested.
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