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Electrical Safety First And Shelter Release Joint Report Highlighting Safety Failures In The Private Rented Sector

Both Shelter and Electrical Safety First feel an increasing urgency to tackle the
issue of poor electrical safety in private rented homes. Our combined frontline
experience has shown that this problem is getting worse.


England – WEBWIRE –
The proportion of homes that fail the Decent Homes Standard
The proportion of homes that fail the Decent Homes Standard
 

Electrical Safety First and Shelter have released a joint report examining current electrical conditions in the Private Rented Sector (PRS).

The PRS now houses more than 9 million people and 1.3 million families in England. Yet standards have not kept up with this rapid growth and electrical safety is a real problem, and sixteen percent of renters have experienced problems with electrical hazards in the last year alone.

At the moment, there is no legal requirement for landlords to ensure that electrics are safe before renting out a property or to check the wiring and any electrical appliances they have provided on a regular basis.

The report calls for:

  1. Mandatory five yearly checks of electrical installations and electrical appliances supplied with private rented sector properties by a competent person
  2. All properties that are rented privately to have Residual Current Device (RCD) protection
  3. An end to the practice of retaliatory eviction by landlords, giving renters the confidence to report poor electrical safety
  4. More freedom and support for local authorities to take tough enforcement action against landlords that wilfully flout their responsibilities 


Jane’s Story
Jane Andain knows too well the consequences of a lack of regulation – her daughter, Thirza Whittall, was electrocuted six years ago as the result of poor electrics in the house she was renting. Jane has shared her story in our short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscI4CCXHiw

Download the full report here:

http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/mediafile/100174804/Home-Improvement-Tackling-poor-electrical-safety-in-the-PRS.pdf

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