Electrical safety certification

All electrical installations deteriorate with age and use. Faulty and old wiring is one of the main causes of electrical fires. Domestic and Commercial properties should therefore be inspected and tested at regular intervals to check whether they are in a satisfactory condition for continued use.

From 1st December 2015, under sections 13(4A) and 19B(4) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, private landlords in Scotland are required to ensure that their properties are electrically safe. Insurance companies are also increasingly insisting on regular inspection and testing of electrical installations in letted premises.

This covers:

• Any installations in the property for the supply of electricity
• Electrical fixtures and fittings
• Any appliances provided by the landlord under the tenancy

So what do landlords need to do?

Landlords are required to ensure that electrical safety inspections are carried out regularly by a NICEIC registered electrician, and that the property is in a satisfactory condition.

To ensure the safety of your tenants, electrical installations should be inspected and tested:

• ‍Before a tenancy starts
• During the tenancy, at intervals of no more than five years from the date of the previous inspection

A copy of the most recent electrical safety inspection reports must be provided to both new and retained tenants.

What happens during an electrical safety inspection?

An inspection has two parts:

• ‍An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), formerly known as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR), is carried out
• A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) on any appliances that the landlord provides as part of the tenancy

An EICR will:

• ‍Record the results of the inspection and testing to make sure the electrical installation is safe
• Report any damage or wear and tear that might affect safety
• Find any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the current regulations
• Help find anything that may cause electric shocks and high temperatures
• Provide a record of the installation at the time of the inspection

Once your electrical installation has been inspected and tested, Daniel Gardner Electrical Contractor will provide you with a condition report detailing items requiring attention and recommendations using different classification codes:

• ‍C1 (Danger present) - Immediate remedial action required
• C2 (Potentially dangerous) - Urgent remedial action required
• C3 (Improvement recommended)
• FI (Further investigation required)

If an EICR contains a C1, C2 or F1 code, it will be deemed unsatisfactory. If a C1 is discovered, we will take action to make safe the dangerous installation using temporary measures. Then, as with a C2, it will be the owner’s responsibility to organise remedial works.

We will discuss and clearly explain the outcome of the report, providing a satisfactory electrical certificate if the installation meets the required standard or at the customer’s request, provide a quotation for any remedial work that is required.

Portable Appliance Test (PAT)

A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) will be undertaken on all electrical equipment that the landlord has provided as part of the tenancy (refrigerators, toasters, TVs etc.).  This test must be carried out by either a registered electrician or PAT Tester.

Anything that fails to pass the PAT test must be replaced or repaired immediately.

House in multiple occupancy (HMO) certification

As well as an EICR and PAT test, the additional electrical inspection and testing requirements for a landlord to attain HMO certification include:

• ‍Emergency lighting test
• Fire/Smoke alarm test

Daniel Gardner Electrical Contractor specialise in electrical inspection and testing

At Daniel Gardner Electrical Contractor, we specialise in electrical inspection and testing to ensure a landlord or letting agents electrical installation is safe, fit for use and meets the legal requirements.

The inspection and testing services we carry out for clients throughout Fife, Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh including leading letting agents include:

• ‍Electrical installation condition report (EICR)
• Portable appliance testing (PAT)
• Emergency lighting
• Fire/Smoke alarm
• Security alarm

We are a NICEIC accredited contractor and are also registered with Trust Mark giving you confidence that all inspection and testing will be carried out to BS 7671, the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations.

If you need electrical inspection or testing, give us a call on 01334 656 378 to discuss how we can help.