Be Prepared as the Legislation for Landlords is Changing in July 2020
If you’re a landlord, you might be wondering about the recent changes to government legislation coming into effect in 2020 and 2021 and how they’ll affect you.
The “Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020” detail the new requirements for electrical safety checks in rental properties and the expected timescales for their implementation. All rental properties from the dates specified will require an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). In order to avoid the potential £30,000 fine for breaching these conditions it is imperative to effectively prepare for the changes.
When are the regulations effective from?
The timeline for the changes are:
1st of July 2020 for new private tenancies
1st April 2021 for existing tenancies
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards Required from 1st of April 2020
It’s a tight timeline for landlords and electricians to ensure that rental properties are up to the newest standards, combined with the introduction of the 18th Edition changes (link to previous blog), Landlords need to be sure that their properties are in line with the newest regulations and have been inspected by a qualified electrician.
Which rental properties are excluded?
There are a handful of properties that are currently excluded from the regulations, however we would still advise following the guidelines for the safety of your tenants and your property.
- Private register providers of social housing
- Lodgers
- Tenant sharing accommodation with landlord’s family,
- Long leases
- Student halls of residence
- Hostels and refuges
- Cares homes
- Hospitals and hospices, and other NHS provided accommodation.
How to prepare
For new tenancies, the deadline is much sooner, plan in inspections according to the dates specified above to avoid any last-minute rushes or delays. However, it will also be worth booking in the inspections before the deadline on existing tenancies to stay ahead of the game.
Hire an approved electrician to carry out an inspection on the property to ensure the electrical systems are compliant with the 18th Edition IET wiring regulations.
Ensure the electrician supplies a report detailing the results of the inspection and the date of the next inspection, which will be every 5 years providing there are no outstanding issues.
Prepare for remedial work. In the new guidelines all remedial work needs to be carried out in a 28-day period from the inspection. As a landlord, you will need to obtain written confirmation of completion of the remedial work and this will need to be provided to both the tenant and local authority.
With any electrical work, be sure that your electrician is certified, Part P registered, familiar with the newest regulations to ensure that the work carried out is in line with the requirements and avoid costly mistakes and a potential penalty.