From industrial and commercial properties, to residential and student accommodation settings, we provide a range of electrical installations, maintenance, testing and repair, here at Walker Electrical. We are Preston’s leading electrical professionals. As a result, we know a lot about multiple occupancy housing and electricals. Including the electrical obligations that Landlords of a multiple occupancy must legally adhere to. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about the legal electrical requirements for multiple occupancy housing.
What are the legal electrical requirements for multiple occupancy housing
Landlords need to meet a variety of legal requirements which will differ slightly for the field or area they are in. For example, a commercial landlord will have different regulations governing electrical practices when compared to a domestic, standard landlord. For houses with multiple occupancy, there are a number of obligations, some general and some specific.
General Landlord Electrical Obligations include:
- Safe, secure and tested electrical installations in place before the tenants move in.
- Regular electrical testing and maintenance to ensure the tenants safety long term.
- Making sure that each appliance in the property is safe and fit for use. This can be as little as ensuring the appliance has the CE mark, showing it meets European Laws. However, a full PAT test would be much more appropriate and would also support any potential insurance claims.
Specific HMO Landlord obligations include:
- Periodically inspecting the property, using a registered and qualified electrician, every 5 years, or between tenants, whichever occurs first.
To meet these obligations we recommend:
- Every time a tenant moves out, you should hire a registered, qualified, and professional electrician to visually inspect the property.
- That suitable RCD protection is in place
- Landlords should only ever use a qualified, professional and registered electrician to implement electrical work, otherwise they could be breaking the law and risking the lives of the tenants
For more information or advice get in touch with the professionals today, here at Walker Electrical.