Private Rented Housing: Electrical Safety

(asked on 27th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation his Department has undertaken with local government on enforcement powers for new regulations for mandatory electrical safety checks in the private rented sector.


Answered by
Heather Wheeler Portrait
Heather Wheeler
This question was answered on 2nd April 2019

We are working to bring into force regulations on mandatory electrical safety checks in the private rented sector as soon as possible, subject to parliamentary approval and timetable. As outlined in the Government response to the consultation on Electrical Safety in the Private Rented Sector, published on 29 January 2019, we will work with industry to produce guidance for landlords setting out the skills and qualifications relevant to determining competence of those carrying out electrical inspections. We intend to work with local authorities in England as we develop the range of sanctions available to them for non-compliance.

We regularly consult with stakeholder groups including tenants, and in July 2018, we updated our ‘How to’ guides, a series of checklists for renting in England which must be provided to tenants at the outset of all new tenancies. Further consultation with tenant groups will take place when the Electrical Safety Regulations come into force to raise tenant awareness about the changes and the ‘How to’ guides will be updated accordingly.

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