Electrical safety in rented homes

Your landlord must make sure your home is safe to live in during your tenancy.

They must keep wiring and electrics like plug sockets in safe working order.

As a tenant, you must:

• report electrical faults as soon as you spot a problem

• let people into your home to do repairs and safety checks

• make sure your own appliances are safe, for example, kettles and hairdryers

The Electrical Safety First website has information how to do a simple visual safety check.

Do not try to do your own electrical repairs.

Electrical safety checks

Your landlord must carry out an electrical safety check at least once every 5 years.

If your home was built or rewired in the last 5 years, your landlord can give you an electrical installation certificate (EIC) instead.

Your landlord does not have to carry out electrical safety checks if you are a lodger.

If you rent from a private landlord

Your landlord had until 1 April 2021 to carry out the first check.

If you rent from a housing association or council

Your landlord must carry out the first check by:

• 1 December 2025 - if your tenancy starts on or after this date

• 1 November 2026 - if your tenancy started before 1 December 2025

What happens during the check?

The check must be done by a registered electrician.

Find a registered electrician on the Electrical Safety First website.

The electrician writes a report for the landlord. You should get a copy.

The electrician should check things like:

• wiring

• plug sockets

• light fittings

• fuse boxes

• electric showers

• extractor fans

They can make anything dangerous safe before they leave your home.

The electrical safety report (EICR)

The electrician gives your landlord an electrical installation condition report (EICR).

Your landlord must give you a copy of the report:

• within 4 weeks if you live in the property

• before you move in if you are a new tenant

The report tells you:

• if more work is needed to make your home safe

• when the next electrical safety check should be done

When more work is needed

Check the EICR to see if the electrician has written a code next to any of the things checked, like plug sockets or light fittings.

Codes C1, C2 or FI mean that the repairs or checks must be done in 4 weeks or sooner.

Your landlord must write to you and the council within 4 weeks to say the work has been done.

Code C3 means the installation passes the safety check but the electrician recommends your landlord should do some improvements.

Testing other electrical appliances

Private landlords do not have to check the safety of items that can be moved around. But they can ask the electrician to do a portable appliance (PAT) test.

Items that can be moved around include TVs, fridges, washing machines, kettles or toasters.

If you rent from a housing association or council

Councils and housing associations must include any electrical appliances they provide in the electrical safety checks. This could be things like cookers, fridges and heaters.

If anything is unsafe, your council or housing association should replace it straight away.

They do not have to check or replace anything that you own.

Disruption during repair work

Some electrical safety work can affect your daily life. You have the right to stay in your home while the work takes place.

You could ask your landlord to reduce the rent while the work takes place. Keep emails or messages to show what you agree.

Your landlord does not usually have to give you anywhere else to stay.

Find out about moving out temporarily during repairs.

If your landlord does not fix a safety problem

Contact your council's private renting team if your landlord does not arrange safety checks or carry out work after a check.

They could send you to the environmental health team who must take action if there's a safety problem.

Unfortunately, you do not have the right to stop paying your rent even if your landlord has broken the law.

You could think about taking legal action if problems cannot be sorted out, or if you cannot stay in your home because it is unsafe.

If you rent from a housing association or council

Complain to your landlord if they do not get back to you or take too long to deal with the problem.

You can complain to the Housing Ombudsman if you are not happy about how your landlord deals with your complaint.