It has been reported today that a substantial number of landlords in the London area are not taking the electrical safety of their properties seriously enough, which has led to many housing bodies voicing their concerns. Ensuring all electric fittings are safe is a legal requirement for all landlords, but according to a study conducted by the Electrical Safety Council nearly a quarter of tenants in private rented accommodation in London are at risk of being harmed due to faulty electrical wiring.
The study went on to show that out of the whole country landlords in the capital are the worst at keeping the electrics in their properties to a safe standard and that one in four tenants are currently waiting for problems to be fixed. Furthermore, a third of those questioned said that they worried about the electrics in their properties and even more have said that they feel their landlords ignore them when told about a problem or act upon it too slowly.
Discussing these shocking figures, director general of the Electrical Safety Council Phil Buckle said: “We’d like to see tighter guidelines for landlords on electrical safety but with the number of non-professional landlords increasing every day, we also need to address this now. We need all landlords to understand that they are not only putting people’s lives at risk, but they could also face serious financial loss through fines.”
Meanwhile, Laura Trevelyan, campaigns manager at the housing charity Shelter, said: “Shelter believes that the majority of landlords are well intentioned and that many of those who break the law or operate at a low standard do so out of ignorance rather than intent. As the rental sector expands, it’s more important than ever that landlords take their responsibility for electrical safety seriously.”
Nearly 350,000 injuries are caused by dangerous electrical wiring in the UK per year, as well as nearly half of all accidental house fires. This is why landlords can be fined up to twenty thousand pounds if they fail to keep the electrics in all their properties at a safe standard. Furthermore, if damages are caused by unmaintained electrics not only could your landlord insurance provider refuse to pay out, but your tenants could also sue for endangering their lives or any damages caused.