Call:0800 321 3805/0208 935 5199 Email:info@sorelectrical.com
New requirements for mandatory electrical safety checks. Guide for landlords – What landlords need to be aware of from July 2020
SOR Electrical wanted to inform you of the new government legislation related to mandatory electrical safety checks for landlords, that has come into affect since 1st July 2020.
If you own any rental properties then this directly effects you.
From 1 July 2020, all new private tenancies in England will need to ensure that electrical installations are inspected and tested by a qualified person before the tenancy begins.
The landlord will then need to ensure that the installation is visually inspected annually after initial inspection or at change of tenancy which ever is sooner.
The properties will require to be inspected and tested at least every five years – and more often if the most recent safety report requires it.
Local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for a breach of the regulations. Where there are multiple breaches, the local authority can impose multiple penalties.
Electrical safety reports
Once the electrical installation has been tested, the landlord must:
- Ensure they receive a written report from the person conducting the inspection, which includes the results and the required date for the next inspection
- Supply a copy of this report to each existing tenant living in the property within 28 days of the inspection
- Supply a copy within seven days to the local authority, if they request a copy
- Keep a copy of the report until the next inspection, and give a copy to the person undertaking the next inspection.
For new tenancies, the landlord must:
- Give a copy of the most recent report to a new tenant before the tenant occupies the property
- Give a copy of the most recent report to any prospective new tenant who requests the report in writing, within 28 days of receiving such a request.
SOR Electrical hope you find this information useful. If you require any further advice regarding these new laws and wish to have a chat about it please feel free to give us a call 0800 321 3805 or 0208 935 5199 or send us a quick email: info@sorelectrical.com
SOR Electrical are more than happy to assist.
Business Address: 17a Park Road, Harlesden, North West London, NW10 8TA
HOW TO CLEAN A CHANDELIER
To stop your chandelier from losing its sparkle, I recommend cleaning it at least once a year. There are two ways you can do this:
Cleaning with the crystals attached
First, turn off the power to the room. If that’s not possible, make sure the light fixture is switched off and allow it to cool down. Next lay a blanket or thick cloth on the floor below. This is to cushion the fall if any pieces drop off. Then position the stepladder to allow easy access to the chandelier (you will need to keep repositioning as you clean to avoid twisting the fixture).
Spray a lint-free cotton cloth with glass cleaner or a vinegar and water solution (one part each) and wipe each piece. Use another cloth to dry it straight away to avoid streaks. Avoid spraying directly onto the fixture as this could tarnish any metal parts.
Lastly, wipe the metal fasteners and frame using a dry cloth or a metal cleaning product. Use a dry cloth to wipe down the bulbs.
Cleaning with the crystals taken off
If the chandelier is particularly dirty, you may want to take it apart to give it a deeper clean. This method is also useful if you are worried about parts coming loose and dropping to the floor.
First, take a photo of the chandelier from all angles so you can remember how to put it back together again. Next, spread a cloth beneath the chandelier (as before) and another on a nearby tabletop.
Carefully detach the glass parts from the chandelier – using nose pliers if necessary to loosen the fastenings – and place them gently on the table.
Line a sink with a cloth to prevent damaging the delicate glass pieces and fill it with water and washing detergent. Place each part individually into the water and gently rub it with your fingers. Don’t use a brush or sponge as this could scratch the pieces. When the piece is clean, rinse it and then place it on a soft towel. Dry it immediately using a cotton cloth to avoid water spots.
Once the parts are dry, use the photos you took earlier as a reference to put it back together. If any of the metal fasteners are loose, use the pliers to tighten them up.
Chandelier cleaning services
Please contact us if you would like to use our chandelier cleaning service by calling: 0800 321 3805 / 0208 935 5199 or by Email:info@sorelectrical.com – this is available to those in London & the surrounding counties.
A CUSTOMER IN LONDON, KENSINGTON W8 ASKS: “WHAT ELECTRICAL PRECAUTIONS SHOULD I TAKE WHILE AWAY FROM HOME”?
One of our customers in London, Kensington W8, has asked for advice on electrical safety in their home while they are away. Many people in this affluent suburb of London move between two or three homes during the year, and often live abroad over the winter leaving their property in Kensington W8 unoccupied for long periods of time.
Of course, unoccupied homes where electrical appliances are left unattended can pose an electrical fire risk not to mention an unnecessary wastage of electricity and the costs involved.
I would recommend taking the following precautions to ensure electrical safety and minimise electricity costs in your home while you are away:
A CALL-OUT IN COLINDALE NW9 SHOWS HOW A LEAK CAN DAMAGE YOUR ELECTRICS
One of our SOR Electrical electricians was recently called out to a ground floor flat in Colindale NW9 to repair an extractor fan in their bathroom. Our electrician noticed that there were water stain marks on the ceiling board near the fan, and down the side of the wall. The tenant explained that their upstairs neighbour had a problem with a leaking washing machine and water had started trickling down through the ceiling in their bathroom and their kitchen.
The leak had also damaged wiring above the kitchen
Our electrician immediately had a look in the ceiling spaces and discovered that not only was the water leakage the cause of the problem with the extractor fan, but some of the wiring above the kitchen had also been affected and was showing signs of corrosion. Furthermore, there was still some water that hadn’t drained away and was still sitting around the wires in the ceiling.
25% of all flat insurance claims in the UK are for damage from water leaks
Water damage is a common problem with electrics with water leakage into ceiling spaces affecting wiring and light fittings. A quarter of all insurance claims made on flats in the UK are for damage caused by water leaks.
WINTER’S HERE!! SO CHECK THOSE ELECTRIC HEATERS AS THIS CALL-OUT IN BAYSWATER W2 SHOWED
With the arrival of winter, people start using their electric heaters again. And of course most of these heaters have been sitting around unused all summer.
SOR Electrical recently had an electrical call-out to a flat in Bayswater, London W2 by the tenant where their electricity had tripped. Our electrician traced the fault pretty quickly to an electric ‘fire’ heater in their living room with a damaged cable. There are a number of simple checks I advise you should carry out on your electric heaters especially if they have not been used in a while.
Some simple checks to carry out on electric heaters
- Is the casing or body cracked or damaged in any way?
- Are all the necessary covers and guards in place to stop fingers or hands, big or small, getting inside and being burned or getting a shock?
- Does the heater show signs of overheating or melting anywhere? This can include discolouration or a change in shape
- Is the cable in any way damaged or loose?
- Can you see the colours of the wires inside the cables? (you should not be able to)
- Is the plug in good condition, cable firmly attached and showing no signs of overheating?
A HENDON NW4 CALL-OUT SHOWS THE NEED TO ALWAYS USE A CERTIFIED ELECTRICIAN
SOR Electrical was recently called out by a landlord to a terraced house occupied by three professional sharers in the Hendon NW4 area after they reported repeated tripping on their fuse board. One of our electricians traced the problem to an electrical socket in their bathroom that appeared not to have been correctly installed and did not meet the required BS 7671 standards.
In bathrooms because of the high levels of humidity and damp, and the danger that water poses to potential electric shocks, it is critical that electrical sockets are professionally installed by a certified and registered electrician.
Electrical installations in bathrooms must meet Part P regulations and are ‘notifiable’
In this case the socket was installed in the area surrounding the shower which means that under current legislation there are standards it must comply with and that the installation is ‘notifiable’. These standards are called Part P of the Building Regulations, which means you must employ an electrician who is Part P registered; or you have to tell or ‘notify’ your local-authority building-control about the installation and pay them to inspect the work.
A CALLOUT TO A CELEBRITY HOME IN HIGHGATE N6 SHOWS THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE LIGHTING.
As London N6 falls within our coverage area, and has some of the most expensive real estate in London, we often get called out by the celebrity residents to deal with their electrical problems. And because they know all our Highgate electricians are fully certified, qualified and registered they can rest assured that our work will be done to the highest standards and complies with the latest edition of BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations).
We were called in after a burglary to the property
In this case it would be inappropriate for me to mention the name of this well-known Highgate resident, but they called us out to their multi-million pound detached property after a recent burglary had damaged some of their electrical installations, including sockets and cabling. Luckily they were away at the time of the burglary, and the thieves had ripped out their computers, and audio/ visual equipment causing much of the damage.
AN ELECTRICAL CASE STUDY: A CALLOUT TO A STUDENT LET IN MUSWELL HILL SHOWS THE NEED FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING (PAT).
One of our electricians recently responded to a callout by a private landlord to his student let house in Muswell Hill that apparently had no power. On entering the Edwardian house, our electrician was greeted by a group of excitable students and the smell of burning rubber. The students had been using an old fan heater supplied with the house that had shorted, melting an internal part causing the smell, and tripped the switch on the main fuse board.
The law says that landlords need to maintain high standards of electrical safety in their properties.
This is not the first time that SOR Electrical has had this problem with faulty or worn electrical appliances in let properties, and in this instance it really illustrates the need for landlords to have periodic Portable Appliance Testing (PAT). To ensure the safety of tenants, the law says that landlords should supply electrical appliances that meet essential safety requirements, are in good condition and comply with the latest British standards. It’s therefore advisable to have all electrical appliances checked on a regular basis by a qualified electrician, and obtain documentation to confirm that this has been done.
AN ELECTRICAL CASE STUDY: RE-WIRING AN ARTIST’S NOTTING HILL W11 RENOVATION
A well-known artist recently decided to renovate his period property in Notting Hill, and SOR Electrical were called in to do the re-wiring. Of course, being an artist, his renovation was very creative and so was his lighting spec. This was not a problem for us as SOR Electrical offers a complete electrical service from lighting design plans right through to installations, electrical maintenance and electrical fault finding.
We developed a creative lighting design plan for the client.
At our initial consultation, we discussed with him what he was looking for which included the installation of custom designed chandeliers, very creative additional built-in lighting, and substantially more strategically positioned sockets. This was not a problem for us as we specialise in chandeliers, and have installed many in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, not to mention unique built in lighting that has been designed by the client themselves. Our design team was then able to give our professional input into developing an overall lighting plan for the client.
CONVERTING YOUR LOFT? DON’T FORGET THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF YOUR ELECTRICS & LIGHTING.
I am still constantly surprised at how many clients who have embarked on loft conversions spend all their time focusing on the physical layout and leave the lighting to last. When most people start the process of designing their new loft, they either mentally or with the help of an architect, envisage this perfect practical space, but don’t realise that if they don’t get their lighting right there will be no magical transformation!
Lighting can be critical to the overall success of your loft conversion, especially as loft spaces are often unusually shaped and natural daylight can be limited. If the loft is going to double up as a spare bedroom and work space then task (reading, working) and accent (to add atmosphere) lighting needs to be carefully considered. And if daylight is a problem, then ambient (substituting for daylight) lighting is important to keep the space usable during the day.
I also find that a lot of our clients don’t know that SOR Electrical are not just electrical contractors, but have extensive experience in lighting design as well. We specialise in offering an all-inclusive holistic lighting service including the design, supply, and full installation by our qualified electricians.