England
If you let property in England on assured shorthold or assured tenancy agreements, you must get and give to tenants an Electrical Installation Condition Report (unless you have a licenced house in multiple occupation). This is a requirement of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. It applies to new tenancies made on or after 1 July and will apply to existing tenancies from 1 April 2021.
The following is a summary of the government guidance on what you should do to comply with the regulations:
- The property's fixed electrical parts must be tested at least every 5 years. This includes its wiring, fuse box, plug sockets and light fittings and other permanently connected electrical equipment. It doesn't include removable electric items like white goods and televisions, which require portable appliance testing (PAT testing).
- The electrical parts must comply with building regulations British Standard 7671 (which came into effect on 1 January 2019).
- The person doing the testing must be qualified and competent to do it. You should check if they're a member of one of the electrical safety industry's 'competent person schemes'. You should ensure that they give you written confirmation that they have a British Standard 7671 qualification, adequate insurance and are suitably competent to perform the test.
- The Electrical Installation Condition Report will set the date of the next inspection and you must keep a copy of it to give to the next person conducting an inspection.
- You must give each tenant a copy of the report within 28 days of the inspection.
- Prospective tenants must receive a copy of the current report before they move in.
- The property's local authority should be given a copy of the report within 7 days of any request for it.
- If the report shows that remedial or further investigative work is necessary, this must be completed within 28 days or any shorter period as specified in the report.
- Written confirmation of the completion of the remedial work must be given to the tenant and the local authority within 28 days of the completion date.
Local authorities enforce the new regulations and can impose civil penalties up to £30,000.
Scotland
Landlords in Scotland must carry out electrical safety checks of all installations, fixtures and fittings and provide a copy of the report to the tenants before their tenancy starts. The report will last for 5 years before another safety check must be performed.