Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 will apply to all new tenancies starting on or after 1 July 2020 and existing tenancies starting from 1 April 2021.

Landlords must ensure the electrical installations in their rented property are safe. This includes getting an electrical safety report (an Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR) at least every five years or less if required by the EICR.

Landlords must give the tenant a copy of the report:

  • before the start of a new tenancy
  • within 28 days, for existing tenants

Landlords must also send us a copy of the report within seven days if we ask you to.

If the electrical safety report says that work is needed to make the electrical installations safe, you must:

  • do this work within 28 days, or the timeframe specified in the report, if that's shorter
  • send us evidence that the work has been done, along with the original electrical safety report

The 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations came into effect in 2019, so if a landlord already has a report for a property that was carried out after this date and has complied with all the other requirements of the regulations, they won’t have to have another inspection for five years, provided the report does not state that the next inspection should take place sooner.

A guide for landlords can be found on the GOV.UK website.

To submit an Electrical Installation Condition Report where remedial works have been required or you have been required to submit a copy within seven days email electricalcertificates@torbay.gov.uk

Or post to:

Community Safety
Housing Standards
Town Hall
Castle Circus
Torquay
TQ1 3DR.

Contact Housing

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