Landlords Will Be Required By Law To Have An Inspection Of Their Electrical Wiring

Fixed electrical testing is known by a number of different names but is technically an EICR which stands for Electrical Installation Condition Report. It is also known as fixed wire testing, periodic inspection and testing, and hard wire testing, among others. 

It is the duty of all employers and landlords to ensure that the wiring in their buildings is safe. This is in addition to the requirement on employers and landlords to ensure that portable equipment is safe, which comes under the heading of PAT testing. Fixed electrical testing inspects and checks the condition of the wiring in the building together with any non-portable appliances such as a heated towel rail, wired-in electric cooker, hard-wired smoke alarms, and more. 

Perhaps somewhat strangely, there is no requirement on an employer to undertake fixed electrical testing per se, but simply to ensure that the wiring is safe. However, without having it tested by a qualified engineer who will produce what is known as an EICR – Electrical Installation Condition Report – there is no real way of knowing whether it is safe or not. 

The fact is that electrical wiring does deteriorate over time, depending on the amount of use and other factors, and eventually it will need replacement. 

Furthermore, there is a new onus on landlords to ensure that the electrical wiring in their properties is safe. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 places a continuous duty on landlords in England to maintain their property to the electrical safety standards and to have evidence of this. In turn, that means that any new tenancy created or renewed after July 1st this year requires an EICR provided by a qualified expert. If a landlord has a pre-existing tenancy, an EICR will need to be provided before April 1st next year (2021). However, if you rent a property on a long lease of seven years or more, or you have a lodger, you are not required to have an EICR.

In addition, if the local authority requires a copy of an EICR, it must be provided within seven days, failing which the landlord could suffer penalties.