The much awaited new Renting Homes Act 2016 (WALES), will now come into force on the 1st December 2022, It introduces several new requirements that landlords in Wales need to be aware of and comply with.
One of these requirements is for an electrical safety certificate to be produced for every property every 5 years, this is called an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report).
What is involved to carry out an electrical safety certificate?
An EICR is an assessment of the condition of the Electrical Installation within the property. Such as Consumer Unit, Sockets, Light switches, light fittings & Wiring. The Report will also note an non compliances to previous regulations which may require remedial action.
How often do i need an EICR?
The new act requires landlords to have their electrical installation tested every five years, unless the previous electrician has indicated that a shorter timeframe is required.
Who Requires the report?
Tenants – or contract-holders, as they’re known in the new Act – must be provided with a copy of the certificate within seven days of their tenancy starting. They must also be provided with written confirmation of any work that may have been carried out following recommendations made on the certificate.
Similarly, when a new report/certificate is produced, tenants must be issued a copy within seven days. Again, if work is carried out as a result of recommendations made, they must be told in writing.
Landlords will have until December 2023 to have a Satisfactory EICR Certificate in place.
Where there’s already a tenancy in place when the Act comes in on 1st December 2022, landlords will have a 1 Year to comply with the new electrical safety certificate and smoke alarm requirements, unless a new contract starts within that year (in which case the requirement kicks in on the new tenancy start date) or a contract goes from fixed-term to periodic within that year (the requirement will kick in on the periodic date).
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