Electrical Safety
So- you've found the perfect pad. You've seen the gas safety certificate and the smoke alarms, you've bought the crisps for the first party. All is well. Or is it?
Did you know that:
- Your landlord has to make sure the electrical installation in the house is safe
- Any electrical appliances supplied by your landlord have to be safe to use
- There should be user guides in the house for each appliance
What your property should have
- Electrical test certificate issued by an NICEIC (or similarly approved) qualified engineer. They're valid for 5 years.
- Sockets, switches and light fittings with no cracks
- Flexes that are not worn
- Appliances that work
- PAT test stickers on appliances, giving a 12 months' safety notice
Dos and Don'ts
Do:
- Let your landlord have access to your house to test the electrical installation (with 24 hours written notice)
- Report any appliances that don't work straight away to your landlord, in writing
- Use appliances according to the user instructions
Don't:
- Plug too many appliances into one socket
- Ignore worn flexes on appliances
- Do your own DIY repairs on appliances or sockets
Links
You can find further information at www.direct.gov.uk. Follow the link for 'home and community', then 'private renting and letting'.
