Almost one in five of residential tenants admit they are more concerned about the tidiness of their rental home than their electrics functioning safely – a recent poll has revealed.
When asked what they prioritised when it comes to keeping their homes safe from hazards, only 15 per cent cited checking their electrics as top of their list of safety measures at their property.
Gas safety came out highest on the agenda, with 42 per cent of those asked believing that having the gas checked was the number one safety priority.
The poll also showed up that those living in rented accommodation did not fully understand their rights and the responsibilities of landlords to maintain safe standards when it came to their electrics.
44 per cent of respondents did not know that landlords have a duty of care to check electrics in their properties every five years.
The poll, commissioned by Hexo Services, gauged consumer attitudes on keeping their home electrics healthy and safe.
When it came to homeowners who were also private landlords over half (53%) were very concerned about checking electricity within the properties. 90% of the landlords questioned said they have the electrics checked within their properties. 37% of landlords had the electrics checked in line with the new requirements for five year checks.
But just over one in five (21%) cited the electrics as the most important thing to check in a rental home. Gas came out top with 28% of landlords citing that it’s the most important check. One in five still placed the tidiness of the property as the most important.
Regulations that came into force in June 2020 require private landlords to carry out electrical safety checks before renting out their homes or what is called an EICR test. This needs to be carried out by a certified qualified professional at least every five years. If landlords cannot provide up to date EICR certification they can now be fined up to £30,000.
The issue is that many tenants are still not aware of this requirement and Hexo Services are calling on the rental market to raise awareness of its importance and to highlight any landlords that are trying to avoid what is now a legal responsibility.
“This poll shines a worrying spotlight on the public’s knowledge of electrical hazards in the home”, a spokesperson from Hexo commented. “We want to make sure that tenants are aware of a landlord’s responsibility to having regular checks on a property’s electrics to prevent potential injury from shocks and fire hazards.
“A check every five years to ensure that your electrical systems are healthy and in full working order will ensure that any issues are picked up before they cause a problem in the home and risk the safety of tenants.
“A five-year check is a legal requirement so if a tenant’s home is due one, they need get in touch with their landlord as soon as possible.”
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