TENANTS – How Does Your Landlord Keep You Safe? 🛡️
When living in a rented property, your landlord has some responsibilities to keep you safe 🔥 ⚡ 🛠️. What are they?
When living in a rented property, your landlord has some responsibilities to keep you safe. What are they?
FIRE SAFETY 🔥
Since 2015, it has been a legal requirement for at least one smoke alarm to be installed on each storey of the property where a room is used as living accommodation.
Carbon monoxide alarms must be installed and in working order in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).
Every alarm must be in working order on the first day of a new tenancy, and any alarms must be repaired or replaced if they are faulty. (Remember to test your alarms frequently, change batteries where needed, and inform your landlord or their agent immediately should your alarm not be working!)
ELECTRICAL SAFETY ⚡
The electrical safety standards for the private rented sector in England came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all new tenancies from 1 July 2020 and all existing tenancies from 1 April 2021. The regulation sets out rules for landlords to ensure all fixed electrical installations are safe and maintained correctly.
It is a legal requirement for your landlord to have a landlord electrical safety certificate (also known as an EICR certificate) for your property.
This electrical safety certificate must be renewed every five years. Your landlord or their agent will organise this and ensure any works are carried out safely.
A landlord electrical safety certificate is when an electrician, engineer, or other ‘competent person’ tests the electrical installation in a rental property to make sure it is working as it should. The electrical installation includes things like light fittings, wiring, fuse boxes, and plug sockets (these can deteriorate and break over time, making them more susceptible to electric shocks and causing fires). If you are not happy with any electrical installations in your property, inform your landlord or their agent immediately!
GAS SAFETY 🛠️
Landlords must arrange an annual safety check on all gas appliances and flues with a Gas Safe registered engineer. Your landlord can arrange a gas safety check two months before your current certificate's expiry date whilst retaining that expiry date (like a car's MOT).
A record of the annual safety check will be issued by the Gas Safe registered engineer. You will be given a copy as the tenant for your records.
Should you need any help or advice in relation to your tenancy, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We are here and ready to help.
📞 01474 321957
✉️ lettings@mandmprop.co.uk
🌐 www.mandmprop.co.uk
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