Beating Brexit: How landlords can get ahead of new laws on electrical checks
It's an interesting time to be in the business of being a landlord or landlady, that's for sure! As is the case with much of the country, uncertainty over the months ahead has left many industries floundering and unsure of how to act.
The rental industry, despite other challenges imposed by the pandemic, has a fresh set of laws that property renters will need to stay abreast of – and they differ slightly for new and existing tenancies.
Here's what you need to know about the new regulations which come into effect from April 1 next year.
New and existing
It's vital you stay mindful of the different deadlines for these two categories of tenant. From the first of July, these regulations will officially have been applied to any new tenancies which have been verified to have been granted on or before June 1, 2020.
There are some exceptions to the rule, however; whether or not you are exempt will depend on what kind of property you have. If you are letting out hospitals, hospices, long leases, hostels, care homes, holiday lets, halls for students or for your family, the new regulations won't apply.
And what does that mean? Simple, if you have a property you are letting that is of any other kind, you're required to abide by the new regulations. It's then simple to remember that if you have a tenancy that was granted to someone before June 1, it falls under the category of 'existing tenancy'.
Will Brexit affect these laws?
There has been understandable uncertainty around how Brexit will affect legal compliance on electrical testing, but we now have a clearer picture thanks to announcements by British Standards. It is now known that the development of any new standards in this area of law won't change, with BSI remaining involved through its membership of CENELEC. It is, in essence, business as usual regardless of the final outcome of Brexit.
Getting ahead
Knowing this, it's now advised for landlords to get ahead of their legal compliance requirements by arranging a schedule for fixed wire inspections that suits their business needs best. Property owners can work with a testing company to create a schedule of electrical testing that is staggered to minimise impact on the business, such as a schedule that does partial testing throughout the year outside of core hours.
By doing this, it's simple to take care of legal compliance and health and safety concerns on the subject. The required and recommended frequency of testing may vary depending on the type of building that is owned, making it important to liaise with a testing provider directly to confirm what frequency is required to stay legally compliant. With testing also involving a requirement for when a property is exchanged to a new tenant, landlords are advised to stay abreast of this area of law so as to avoid any unexpected costs that may disrupt the letting of their properties.