Electrical Safety Inspections in Harpenden
The Law
There are two main acts of parliament that impose a statutory duty on landlords with respect to the safety of electrical equipment:
- The Consumer Protection Act 1987 landlords electrical testing obligations
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
The Consumer Protection Act affects all persons who let property in the course of their business because it defines them as "suppliers", i.e. they are supplying goods to the tenant. There are several items of secondary legislation under the umbrella of the Consumer protection Act which are directly relevant to the supply of electrical goods, including:
- The Low Voltage Electrical Equipment Regulations 1989
- The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994
- The General Product Safety Regulations 1994
- The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
If you let property, you must ensure that the electrical system and all appliances supplied are safe – failure to comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and the The Consumer Protection Act 1987 is a criminal offence and may result in:
- A fine of £5,000 per item not complying
- Six month’s imprisonment
- Possible manslaughter charges in the event of deaths
- The Tenant may also sue you for civil damages
- Your property insurance may be invalidated
- These regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.
We provide landlords certificates and electrical safety inspections in Harpenden. Approximately 20% of UK housing is rented and with this in mind landlords need to make sure any let property is checked to ensure that the property is safe for it's customers.
Most conveyancing solicitors and all end of lease (commercial) are requiring an electrical test certificate now! Better not to wait until the last minute.
Whats checked:
- Visual inspection of the installation
- Continuity of (CPC) and Earth conductors
- Continuity of the ring circuits
- Polarity
- Insulation resistance of conductors
- Earth loop impedance test to determine the quality of your earthing
- Testing of RCDs to check that they do trip at the correct time and current rating
- Functional switching and Isolation, to insure the switches actually switch the live conductor and not the Neutral
What we do:
Before connection of the supply
- Continuity of protective conductors
- Main and supplementary bonding continuity
- Continuity of ring final circuit conductors
- Insulation resistance
- Site applied insulation
- Protection by separation
- Protection by barriers and enclosures
- Insulation of non-conducting floors and walls
- Polarity
- Earth electrode resistance if an earth electrode is used
After supply connected
- Earth electrode resistance if an earth-fault loop tester or the ammeter and voltmeter method are used
- Confirm correct polarity
- Earth-fault loop impedance
- Correct operation of residual current devices
- Correct operation of switches and isolators
Domestic electrical testing for landlords saves lives and property, don't delay get tested today !!!
We will provide you with a full electrical checkup and certification on your properties wiring and electrical appliances to ensure you comply with the current laws.
If you require an electrical check or a landlords certificate in Harpenden, give us a call today to find out how we can assist: 01582 529 184