Electrical safety responsibilities

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

Landlords, tenants and owner-occupiers all have legal responsibilities when it comes to electrical safety.

What are my responsibilities if I own my home?

If you own your home, it is recommended that you:

arrange for an electrical inspection (known as a periodic inspection report) to be carried out every ten years.
don’t create possible dangers by overloading sockets, and never ignore warning signs like burning smells, sounds of arcing (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing or circuit-breakers tripping.
make sure all electrical equipment in your home is maintained and used properly (in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions).

You should also ensure all repair and installation work is safe and meets the building regulations. Always use an electrician registered with one of the Government-approved schemes. Registered electricians will work to the UK national standard BS 7671 (requirements for electrical installations), and will issue you with a safety certificate to confirm that their work has been designed, built, inspected and tested in line with that standard. They will also arrange for you to receive a certificate that confirms the work meets the building regulations. The five Government-approved schemes are:

A searchable list of registered electricians can be found by visiting the Competent Persons Register.

What responsibilities do I have if I rent my home?

If you rent your home, you should:

watch out for danger signs when using appliances:

frayed, cut or damaged leads.
Cracked or damaged cases on plugs or appliances.
Burn marks on plugs, leads or appliances.
Blowing fuses.
Loose cord grips in plugs or appliances.

ensure all electrical appliances are used responsibly and in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
do not attempt to extend, repair or replace damaged or worn-out parts of the electrical installation yourself.
report any problems with the electrical installation or appliances to your landlord straight away.
allow access to the property if your landlord and/or an electrician need to visit to carry out an inspection of the electrical installation or fix any reported problem. Your landlord should give you 24 hours notice before coming round.

The safety of appliances you bring into your accommodation is your responsibility. If you are in any doubt as to the safety of an appliance, get it tested or replaced.

More information can be found on the Electrical Safety Council website.

What responsibilities do landlords have?

Your landlord is required by law to ensure:

that the electrical installation in the property is safe when your tenancy begins
that the electrical installation is maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy, and
that any appliance provided is safe and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturer’s claim that it meets all the requirements of European law).

In order to meet the requirements your landlord will need to carry out regular basic safety checks to ensure the electrical installation and appliances remain in good working order.

A good landlord should have an electrical inspection carried out by an electrician before a new tenant moves in. If your landlord has done this, a copy of the inspection report (known as a periodic inspection report) should be made available to you and if the appliances have been checked then each electrical appliance in the property should have a PAT (portable appliance test) sticker on the plug showing the date it was tested. If the electrical installation and appliances in your accommodation have not been tested, you can ask your landlord to get an inspection done, although they are under no obligation to do so unless you live in a house in multiple occupation (see below). If you're really concerned, you can get an inspection carried out yourself.

If you live in a house in multiple occupation then your landlord has to have the electrical installation checked every five years and a periodic inspection report showing the property continues to be electrically safe must be available.

If you have reported a problem to your landlord and they have refused to put the situation right or ignored your request, you should contact your local council or an advice centre for help – use our directory to find one. The council can ensure a landlord is meeting their legal obligations and take enforcement action against them if they are found not to be.

Where can I find out more?

The Electrical Safety Council is an independent charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries through electrical accidents at home and work. Their website has lots of information on electrical safety as well guidance on how to find and hire an electrician.