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New Electrical Safety law for properties in Scotland

Under sections 13(4A) and 19B(4) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, private landlords in Scotland will be required by law to ensure that their properties are electrically safe. This will cover:

  • Any installations in the property for the supply of electricity
  • Electrical fixtures and fittings
  • Any appliances provided by the landlord under the tenancy.
  • Landlords must be able to prove that all of the above are in a reasonable state of repair and in proper working order.

From December all Scottish landlords will be required to ensure that regular (five yearly) electrical safety inspections are carried out by a competent person, and that anything that fails to pass the inspection is replaced or repaired immediately.

The inspection must always be carried out before a tenancy starts, and also during long-term tenancies, no more than five years from the date of the previous inspection.

A copy of the most recent and a current electrical safety inspection report must be provided to new and log-term tenants.

The competent person carrying out the inspection must be employed by a firm that is a member of an accredited registration scheme operated by a body recognised by the Scottish Government – this will usually mean that they are registered with NICEIC or a member firm of the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland (SELECT).

Both the NICEIC and the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland (SELECT) provide online tools for finding local members.

www.niceic.com

www.select.org.uk/index.php

Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety in Scotland here

Article courtesy of LandlordZONE