Accidental landlords are putting their tenant’s lives at risk because they are not aware that they have to make their buy to let homes safe from electrical hazards according to the Electrical Safety Council (ESC).

The ESC says: ‘As the number of people becoming landlords soars, research from the Electrical Safety Council has found that misunderstandings between landlords and tenants over responsibilities for safety are exposing many people to life-threatening electrical dangers.

‘The ESC is concerned that the rise in inexperienced landlords - many of whom are finding it easier to rent out their property than sell it - will further compromise safety.

‘The consequences for not understanding obligations can be serious. If a landlord is found to be negligent over electrical safety it can lead to fines or even imprisonment.’

To help address electrical safety in rented properties, the Electrical Safety Council has produced guidelines to outline what landlords must do. The charity has also produced a free smartphone app for carrying out checks, including:

Safe electrical installation and RCD protection
Landlords must make sure that the electrical installation is safe before the tenancy starts. A visual inspection to check for damaged cables, sockets and switches should be carried out. The electrics must be kept in a safe condition throughout the tenancy and adequate RCD protection must also be in place to protect against electric shock and electrical fires.

Regular inspections and maintenance
For HMOs, inspections must be carried out by law every five years. For non-HMO properties there is no legal obligation but regular inspections are recommended. The checks must be done by a registered electrician and an Electrical Installation Condition Report should be produced at the end. This highlights any potential problems that need to be addressed while all electrical checks and work in the property must be carried out by a registered electrician.

PAT assessments
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) should be done on all electrical appliances that are included as part of the rental agreement. This means everything from electric fires and dishwashers to kettles and lamps. The tests should be done before each new tenancy and repeated before they run out. Stickers will be placed on each item tested that show when the PAT is due for renewal.