Electrical safety for residential tenancies
All landlords in England and Wales (including private landlords, community landlords, councils, and housing associations) must ensure that their homes are safe and fit to live in throughout a tenancy.
Landlords must make sure to keep wiring and installations in safe working order.
In England, compliance with safety obligations may be monitored through the national landlord database introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
Tenants must:
-
report any electrical faults as soon as possible
-
allow access to the property for repairs and safety inspections
-
ensure their own appliances are safe to use
Tenants can carry out visual safety checks but should refrain from carrying out their own electrical repairs.
The requirements in England: The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020
Since 1 April 2021, landlords of all specified tenancies in England have had to comply with these Regulations. The specified tenancies to which the Regulations apply are all tenancies where:
-
there is a private (ie non-commercial) tenant, and
-
the tenant has a right to occupy the property as their primary or only residence (eg it’s not a holiday let)
This can include licences as well as leases. Some exceptions apply (eg for lodgers). Read the government's guidance on electrical safety standards for more information on the application of the Regulations.
Under the Regulations, landlords must ensure that a registered electrician inspects and tests all fixed electrical installations. The electrician will produce a report explaining the inspection outcomes and listing any required investigative or remedial work. Inspections check that a property meets the national standards for electrical safety, as set out in the Wiring Regulations (18th Edition).
A copy of the report will be given to the landlord. The tenant(s) should also be given a copy within 28 days of the inspection (or, for a new tenant, before they occupy the property).
When should electrical safety checks be carried out?
In England, the landlord should carry out an inspection before a new tenant moves in and give the new tenant a copy of the report. If the new tenant still needs to receive a copy of the most recent report, they should ask the landlord for a copy. The landlord must provide a copy within 28 days.
Inspections should also be carried out at least once every five years. Properties that have had the same existing tenants since before the legislation came into force (1 April 2021 for existing tenancies) should ensure they’ve had an inspection within the past five years.
If a property has been built or rewired in the past five years, the landlord can give the tenant a copy of the property’s Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) instead, and they will not have to arrange for a safety check for five years.
The requirements in Wales: The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Since 1 December 2022, these Regulations have imposed certain electrical safety obligations on landlords of Welsh residential property let to contract holders under:
-
a fixed-term standard contracts for a term of fewer than seven years
These Regulations require that there is always a valid electrical condition report in place while a contract holder is living in a dwelling. An electrical condition report is created due to a safety inspection carried out by a qualified person (eg a registered electrician). The report should explain the inspection outcomes and list any investigative or remedial work required. Reports are only valid for five years from the day of the inspection or for a shorter period if specified in the report.
The landlord must give a contract holder a copy of the report and written confirmation of any required investigatory or remedial work that has been carried out. This must be provided within seven days of the contract holder’s occupation if an inspection is carried out before the start of their occupation. Alternatively, if an inspection is carried out after their occupation begins, the report must be provided within seven days of the inspection.
If a property has been built in the past five years, the landlord can give the contract holder a copy of the property’s Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) instead, and they will not have to arrange for a safety check for five years.
What is being tested during an inspection?
In both England and Wales, when carrying out a test, the registered electrician will test and inspect the property’s fixed electrical installations (eg plugs, wiring, sockets, and light fittings). They are looking for any safety risks, such as overloaded electrical installations or defective electrical work.
The electrician will only check the safety of movable items (eg TVs, kettles, and toasters) if the landlord has asked the electrician to carry out a portable appliance test (ie a PAT test). PAT testing is not a legal requirement for landlords, but it is recommended in order to keep a property safe. Tenants are responsible for ensuring that any of their own electrical appliances are safe.
The electrician can often repair any immediate hazards before they leave the property.
What report will the electrician give the landlord?
The electrician will provide the landlord with an electrical installation condition report (EICR).
The report will either:
-
confirm that the electrical installation meets the required safety standards, or
-
require additional investigation or repairs
It will also set out when the next electrical safety check should be carried out. For more information, read the government’s guidance on electrical safety standards.
Landlords should check the EICR to see if the electrician has written one of the following codes next to any of the installations:
-
code 1 (C1) - this is a dangerous installation that poses a risk of injury and is unsuitable for continued use (ie, requires repairs). These repairs have to be done within four weeks or sooner if it says so in the report
-
code 2 (C2) - this is a potentially dangerous installation unsuitable for continued use and requires repairs. These repairs must be done within four weeks or sooner if it says so in the report
-
further investigation (FI) - further investigation is required to determine if the installation needs repairs. This has to be done within four weeks or sooner if it says so in the report
-
code 3 (C3) - improvements are recommended but optional. This means that the installation has passed the electrical safety check
What if the landlord doesn’t comply with the relevant regulations?
This applies to England only.
If a local authority has reasonable grounds to believe that a landlord is in breach of the relevant regulations, they will serve a remedial notice on the landlord requiring remedial action.
If the landlord does not comply with a remedial notice, the local authority can arrange for remedial action to be taken (eg they may arrange for the required repairs to be made themselves). The local authority can then recover the costs of remedial action from the landlord. The landlord has the right to appeal against such a demand for costs.
Local authorities may also impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 on landlords who breach their duties under the relevant regulations.
New enforcement under the Renters' Rights Act 2025
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, enforcement is becoming stricter.
Landlords in England will soon be required to register themselves and their properties on a new national Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database. It's expected that landlords will need to upload valid compliance documents, such as their EICR, to this database to demonstrate that the property is safe. Failing to register or providing false information can lead to significant fines and may prevent a landlord from using certain grounds for possession.
Additionally, a new mandatory Landlord Ombudsman scheme will be introduced. Tenants will be able to complain to the Ombudsman about issues such as poor maintenance or electrical safety failures. The Landlord Ombudsman will have the power to compel landlords to take action or pay compensation to the tenant.
This infrastructure supports the first Decent Homes Standard for the private sector. It requires all properties to be in reasonable repair and free of serious hazards, like faulty wiring.
While the PRS Database and Landlord Ombudsman are expected to launch from late 2026, the full Decent Homes Standard will be phased in to give landlords time to bring properties up to the required quality, and isn’t expected to be fully inforce before 2035.
For more information, read the government’s guidance on electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors. Do not hesitate to Ask a lawyer if you have any questions. If you need to manage your properties, you can make a Tenancy agreement.
