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Or you could be exposed to a large financial risk from fines, this could also affect your insurance where insurance could be invalidated should there be a serious accident of fire in your property.
Did you know dangerous electrics can contribute to serious risk of fire, also extreme cold and insufficient lighting.
From the Summer of 2020 it should be properly safe when the tenants moving and should afterwards be maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy. This became law in the Summer of 2020, the electrical should be tested (very much like an MOT on your Car. It should be inspected, and any faults rectified prior to occupants moving in. Also after the tenants have moved in it should afterwards be maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy.
Any domestic electrical system and especially so tenanted properties should be inspected and tested by a registered competent person. This is in accordance with the procedures in the British standard BS7671. This ensures that the design along with the installation of the electrical system in the property is safe to use.
The new law refers to an Electrical Installation Condition Report or abbreviated to EICR. These are also known as a landlord safety test, periodic inspection report, or a homebuyers test.
It is interesting to note that when a building surveyor visits a property where people are purchasing the property, they are not carrying out the electrical homebuyer’s test. The surveyors are only commenting on what they say at the time of their inspection.
We are often assured by incoming tenants or property owners – that their electrics are satisfactory because the building surveyor or mortgage surveyor has visited the property and seen the electrics, the more professional and accredited surveyors, recommend that the electrical system is tested out by a professional qualified and experienced electrician in accordance to the regulations.
We are often called by surveyors to verify certain situations they have found and they need to confirm should they firmly instruct new homeowners, or landlords to get an inspection carried out.
The new law says that the EICR must be carried out once every five years. It has to be carried out once every five years in a Houses of Multiple Occupation as well – this is a property occupied by three or more people who are from more than two households for example this could be: a student house, or professional house share, or similar.
Should you choose not to have your property inspected every five years and you cannot provide a copy of the EICR on request then you can be liable for a civil fine of up to £30,000.
The Electrical Installation Condition Report begins with an assessment around the property with a visual check, looking for any visible signs of damage or deterioration, or unsafe use of the electrical system such as plug sockets which have multi adapter plug sockets, or numerous extension leads in them.
The second part of the test continues where the electrician carried out a series of tests to check that everything is working correctly and safely, they could be switching lights on and off and appliances at socket outlets.
Following this the electrics for your whole property are switched off at the mains. The cover of the Fuse board is removed, and the electrician then continues to carry out more in-depth electrical testing.
The electrician will open up the fuse board/consumer unit and will carry out electrical test connected to the circuits entering & exiting the consumer unit.
They will be checking to see if the property is insulated properly they will be checking that the earthing is adequate (Safety Circuit).
The system is then checked continuity of power going around the circuits they find that some sockets have been disconnected or cables have fallen out which could be leading to more dangerous things.
The electrician will then carry out another series of tests testing out whether the basic installation (the plastic / rubber around the each cable is satisfactory this is carried out by a series of tests sending an electrical voltage down the cables to see if cables talk to each other or not. In these cases we could find that the cables that have degraded, or there are loose cables in sockets and junction boxes. The electrician is looking for faults, many of the faults found cannot be simply seen by looking around and can only be picked up during the testing procedures.
From all of this you can ascertain that this is not a simple DIY job. You need to have this electrical installation condition report carried out by a skilled and competent registered electrician with experience to know what they are looking for.
At Bright Spark Electrical services we carry out these tests on a weekly basis, we deal with landlords directly, and also deal with letting agents.
Although not part of the testing we also identify if the smoke alarms are working or out of date where we advise the landlord or letting agent to this effect, replacement smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are often replaced after our visits either by Bright Spark when they return to carry out repairs or by the landlord themselves.
Some letting agents also ask Bright Spark to check the lighting installation in bathrooms, although it is notifiable on an electrical test certificate, it can be overlooked by property owners, under the regulations we have to identify if light fittings have an exposed lightbulb in the bathroom. Because there could be situations where a lightbulb explodes and falls to the floor while someone is taking a bath or a shower, and stepping around bare footed accidents could occur or worst still live electrical terminations too close could lead to electrocution –and here advise again, we often return back to replace the open lightbulbs for new bathroom safety light fittings.
Landlords! Call us today to arrange your testing and put your mind at rest.
For further Information, please do not hesitate to contact us,
Or fill out our enquiry form for a call Back
Telephone: 01892 531728
Email: karen@brightsparkelectrician.co.uk
Thank you very much, and please pass on my thanks to Philip who completed the job. I appreciate it was an awkward space for him to work on, but everything was done so well and so quickly - I am very happy with the outcome! Will be returning to you for more jobs soon I’m sure!
Thank you for attending my “Emergency Call out” there was smoke coming out of my socket. I telephoned at least 15 electricians after 7:15pm (in the evening) when we discovered the smoke coming out of the Socket. Their phones not even being answered. The next on my list was Bright Sparks, who were the only ones to answer the call - literally within a couple of rings, and was answered by a lovely lady who reassured me that help would be on the way. The Call was sent to your emergency electrician who called back within 15 minutes, and was able to attend within the hour, and fix the problem. Thank you. Excellent Service
Karen and her team provide a very efficient, friendly and pro-active service with a smile! We would not hesitate in recommending Bright Spark and fully intend to use them in the future for our electrical requirements."
Phil, from Bright Sparks arrived promptly, was really polite, cracked on with his job and gave us a really good brief on what he'd done and why it was needed which was then followed up with a thorough report. Bright Sparks have been absolutely superb and not only are they saved in my phone but also I'd recommend them to friends and family. Thanks guys. P.s. you were up front and transparent about costs too.
I've used Electricians from Bright Spark 3 times to date , inc. a for a test certificate prior to buying my property. At all times the Electricians have provided a first class service with easy to understand advice and the work completed to a high standard. Many thanks to Karen and the Team.SC
