By Carla Jones

Solicitor and Director

Most landlords will already be aware of the hoops they have to jump through when letting a property to tenants.

From 1^st April this year there will be one more.

In fact, for new leases the extra hoop has been in play since July 2020, but from 1^st April 2021 the new rules will apply across the board; to old and new tenancies alike.

The new regulations, with the catchy title; The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, impose additional duties on Landlords.

From 1^st April this year, all private landlords will be required to:

1. Ensure that the electrical safety standards are met at all times that a tenant is in occupation of the property.
2. Ensure that all electrical installations in the property are inspected and tested at regular intervals (every 5 years) by a qualified person.
3. Ensure the first inspection and testing is carried out before a new tenancy starts.

For Landlords, these new rules don’t only result in extra admin and expense at the outset of a new lease, but they also introduce a new potential stumbling block when having to serve notice on tenants or when trying to evict.

Those unlucky enough to have to pursue possession proceedings through the Court will know that they will need to prove to the Court that they have done everything that a good landlord should. The new mandatory Electrical Safety Inspection rules will add one more item to that ever-growing list.