Safety certificate
Question
I rent a flat where the heating is provided by electric storage heaters. I was just wondering if these should have a safety certificate and, if so, how often should the certificate be issued?
Answer
Landlords have a responsibility to ensure that any electrical appliances supplied in a property they rent out are safe. This includes kettles, cookers, heaters and any other electrical goods.
Trading Standards deals with situations where tenants feel the electrical equipment may be unsafe and local trading standards departments (usually run by the council) have a duty to enforce the legislation surrounding electrical safety. Their guidance recommends that a qualified electrician check all electrical equipment before the start of each let. It's suggested that good practise would be to have equipment checked at regular intervals after this. The guidance also states that a copy of the electrician's report be kept after each test.
If you want to take action, it's important you get further advice before you decide what to do. Most people who rent privately have very limited rights, and landlords will often take action to evict tenants they feel are causing them trouble rather than fixing the problem.
Updated: 26/09/2008
Question answered by Shelter
