All You Need to Know About Electrical Safety Certificates
After inspecting the electrical connections and appliances of a house, a certified electrician issues an Electrical Safety Certificate which assures that all the tools and electrical connections in the house are safe for use. This certificate ensures the landlord as well his tenants that the house is safe to live and potential dangers like a fire caused by faulty electrical wiring or appliances are minimized or reduced.
The electrical safety of the house is a worry that occupies the mind of every house-owner and tenant. Everyone knows about the potential risks that faulty or outdated electrical wiring can cause. Wiring that is very old and damaged is one of the major causes of most fires in a house. Many people die or get injured as a result of house fires caused by electrical faults. The physical damages, along with financial losses, are irreversible and can significantly disrupt the healthy, peaceful lives of anyone.
So it is a good practice for landlords to check their electrical installations every 5 to 10 years for potential dangers as a part of Electrical Energy Certificate. This ensures the safety of the house in the minds of the tenant and the landlord. Such an inspection of electrical installations will help to unearth any hidden dangers and reveal issues like damaged wires or faulty appliances. It will help to find out whether there is any improper wiring and also reveal if any circuits are taking on too much voltage load. It will show whether safety measures like earthing or bonding have been employed. The inspection will also highlight the effects of wear and tear on the appliances or the electric wiring. It will show whether any servicing can be done to maintain the electrical connections or if new wiring is required.
Legal Requirements for Obtaining the Electrical Certificate for Landlords
An electrical safety certificate for landlords is not legally required presently in the UK. Still, in Scotland from 2015, once in every five years, landlords are compulsorily required to obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report. The UK will soon be following the footsteps of Scotland. Currently, the government is facing pressure from many organizations as there is an increasing number of accidents caused by electrical faults. This Electrical Installation condition report is also generally referred to as the Electrical safety certificate. Presently landlords in the UK are also required compulsorily under the Landlords and Tenant Act to take prompt action if requested by tenants for repairs as otherwise, they may have to face fines or bans.
Another reason to obtain an Electrical safety certificate is that in the event of any fire, many insurance companies do not pay compensation if there are no electrical safety certificates with the landlord. The landlord also has to test the electrical wiring every time a new tenant is moving to his house. Although, new tenant shifts within 5 to 6 months to ensure that the electrical circuits are in proper condition and that the old tenant has not changed anything. The certificate is also required whenever any landlord wishes to sell his house. The document also has to be issued only by the electrician or company that has done the complete electrical work.
Benefits of the Report
The electrical installation condition report gives an assurance to the landlord and tenant that the electrical installations in the house like cables, switches, and sockets are safe and are not at risk to catch fire. It also provides information on any installation not complying with regulations and is posing a risk for electric shocks or high temperature.
The Process of Obtaining a Certificate
For issuing an electrical installation condition reports the electrician tests sockets, switches, fittings for light, and other electrical installations. He also inspects the fuse board for faults and tests protective devices to see if they are working correctly. The inspection generally takes around two to four hours to complete.
The Electrical Safety Certificate Cost
The cost of obtaining the electrical installation conditioning report depends on the size of the house and the number of rooms it contains. Generally, the cost of getting such a report is around 100 pounds for a one-bedroom flat, and it increases if there are more rooms.
Thus it is evident that getting an Electrical Safety certificate is beneficial both for the landlord as well as the tenant. The safe electrical circuits in the house will significantly reduce the chance of financial losses due to damage to property by fires, and it will also safeguard the well being of the landlord and his family along with his tenants.
