I have received an email from one of the property management agents which states that the government plans to introduce mandatory Electrical Installation inspecting for all rental properties starting this year.
I already have the Electrical Equipment Inspection report but it looks it is different to Electrical Installation Inspection as their name suggests.
Anyone having any more information on it as the email says that the government has PLANS that means it is not yet activated. Please see the screenshot of that email below.
Yes it looks almost certain that an EICR will be mandatory from July this year. The Government has said it wants to do it, has a big majority, and the landlord/agent groups that usually oppose any new regulations have said they support the idea – perhaps because it is one more thing they can now sell to landlords! Therefore it is all but a done deal.
I will be writing a guide to this once the new rules have been finalised completely.
Sam, we are in the conveyancing process for another flat and expect to be able to look for tenants to move in in June. Do you happen to know if the new regulations, kicking in in July, will be retrospective or only apply to new tenants w.e.f. July?
Hi Anne, good question. The plans that I have seen indicate that the new rules will apply to all tenancies, including ongoing tenancies, from April 2021.
So new tenancies: July 2020.
All tenancies: April 2021.
The worrying thing is it seems that as currently written all properties will have to match the latest regulations. Your property might be fully compliant with last years regulations but if something has changed it might have to be ripped out and replaced according to the current scheme of things even though it was considered safe last year and is still safe.
Its not clear if this is a mistake and will be rectified or if virtually every rental property in the country will have to be rewired to exactly match the current regulations.
My ‘oldest’ property is the one we are now conveyancing and have not got the keys yet - unlikely to be before April or May. This was built in 2004. Could it be even remotely possible that the government would expect a total rewire for a property built 16 years ago?
I would have thought that is highly unlikely, providing your property complied with I.E.E regulations when it was built, which I’m sure it did. You could ask the seller to provide an electrical installation certificate for your peace of mind.
I completed a flat conversion with a full rewire in 2005, and the regulations at that time already included heights of sockets and switches to satisfy disabled use.
I presume the inspection will require resistance testing to verify all your wiring circuits are functioning and properly grounded, a visual inspection to satisfy heights of outlets (although I doubt these would be required to be changed retrospectively), and the appliances tests to verify they are all still safe.
There will probably be the inclusion of fire / safety protection elements to verify the correct numbers / positioning and functioning of smoke detectors, carbon dioxide detectors, and any required fire alarm systems in multi occupancy units (flats etc).
Thank you Chris - that is helpful. I will contact our conveyancing solicitor to ensure we get an electrical installation certificate. She’s good, so I am sure she would have done so anyway.
Just to be sure I understand the overall subject. It is my understanding that new tenancies, w.e.f. July 2020, will have to comply with the new regulations.
Then, come 2021 - ALL tenancies will need to be retrospectively complying. In other words, next year, all our properties will be subjected to the new regulations, no matter when the AST was signed.
Hi Haiyan, a renewal is the signing of a new tenancy agreement, so it is understood to be a new tenancy, even if it is between the same parties and for the same dwelling.
Hi Anne,
I’ve just received communication from my agent and a copy of a note from our electrician. He states that the new inspections have to comply with the current regulations (18th edition), which he doubts any earlier installations will be able to satisfy and be fully compliant, and therefore reports will be classed “unsatisfactory” because of this. However I imagine as long as the property is reasonably up to date and is safe, you will not be required to make changes.
