Don't get caught out by new electrical checks
Mary-Anne Bowring 20/01/2020
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Later this year, all landlords will be obliged by law to have the electrical installations in their rental homes inspected and tested at the beginning of each new tenancy and at least every five years after that. The plans to introduce electrical checks were announced by the government last week, with detailed regulations now put forward to Parliament for its approval. So what do the draft regulations say? Well, from 1 July 2020, landlords letting homes in England will need to ensure that electrical installations are inspected and tested by a qualified person prior to the start of a new tenancy.
They will then need to follow up this initial inspection every five years or more frequently if the installation throws up any issues that need addressing sooner. Electrical safety tests will need to be carried out by 1 April 2021 on all properties with existing tenancies, with regular tests in accordance with the new regulations from then on. Renters must be able to feel safe in their own homes and owners and landlords should never be tempted to save money by carrying out electrical repairs themselves. Once the regulations kick in, tenants must be given a copy of the electrical report at the start of their tenancy and each time a check is carried out. This should stop amateur electricians from putting residents in danger with DIY fixes and short-cuts.
To ensure your properties are always compliant with the regulations that landlords need to abide by, why not download our PlanetRent app today. Our lettings software means that when the law changes, so do your processes. So get the app free today and never get caught out by new legislation again.
info@planetrent.co.uk
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Under Offer: This term applies to a property where the landlord is considering an offer but remains on the market. It implies that further offers may still be considered until the landlord formally accepts or declines the current offer.
Let Agreed: This term indicates that a landlord has provisionally agreed to enter into a rental agreement with a prospective tenant, pending additional checks and referencing. It doesn't require the prospective tenant to have paid a holding deposit.
Let: This term signifies an established binding rental agreement between the landlord and tenant.
For both lettings and sales, the guidance addresses additional terms:
New On The Market: This term is used for a property not advertised since its last sale or rental. It should only be used for a brief period.
New Instruction: It applies to a property assigned to an agent for marketing recently, even if it was previously listed with another agent without being sold or rented.
New and Exclusive: This term refers to a property that is either new on the market or a new instruction, exclusively available through a specific agent or portal.
New Method of Sale/Let: This term is used when a property is being marketed for sale or rent using an alternative approach to the original advertisement, such as transitioning to an auction or sealed bid.
Reduced: This term indicates that a property's price has recently been reduced. The reduction should be genuine and comply with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute's guidelines on pricing practices.