On another forum

[johno12345]

Browsing the internet, i came across this current discussion

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1103533

what do we think?

 

[Taylortwocities]

All the answers to the question - on this other forum - are given on the other forum.

What's the point of dragging it over here too? There's nothing to add.

 

[johno12345]

i was wondering who was right!

 

[EFLImpudence]

There is no legal requirement for landlords to check electrics except in HMOs.

There's nothing wrong with old fuse boards or a requirement/need to replace- better in some ways.

MCBs and RCDs do fail - as does everything else.


Anything else?

 

[johno12345]

no, jut thought the gymrat guy was being an arse and sounded like the sort that likes to invent regs

 

[EFLImpudence]

no, jut thought the gymrat guy was being an a**e and sounded like the sort that likes to invent regs

He seemed genuinely wrong.

 

[johno12345]

slightly worrying since he is an electrician!

incidentally, what is the going rate for a board change, id have thought about £500

 

[EFLImpudence]

Around that - depends on location and specifications.

 

[viewer]

Lots of confusion here between requirements for electrical installations, health & safety and housing legislation. Whilst a "certificate" is only required for HMOs/flats etc (and there's a whole minefield of definitions there), for a house to be "fit" for habitation then the electrical installation must be safe. If an environmental health officer was inspecting a house for fitness and was not 100% certain that the electrical installation was safe - in other words, most times - then s/he would require the owner or agent to provide a report by a registered electrician. A tenant with concerns can report them to the landlord and/or local authority. There is nothing to stop a tenant getting an independent report at their own cost. Note also that the H&S legislation is called The Health and Safety at Work, ETC, Act. The Etc is important as it covers the safety of people carrying out works to the house or visiting for any reason as well as the occupiers.[/img]

 

[EFLImpudence]

That is undoubtedly true as it would be for any other faulty and potentially hazardous item in a rented property - for example a broken window.

Unless the H&S inspector found actually broken electrical items it is doubtful that he would be able to tell if a circuit was electrically unsafe.
Should a tenant suspect that a circuit or appliance is faulty, either because it malfunctions or has caused a shock then obviously it should and would be rectified just as you would in your own home.

However, the fact remains that - regarding the original question - there is no legal requirement in a rented flat or house (except HMOs) for a proper EICR to be carried out either at specific intervals or at change of tenancy nor is there a requirement or need for consumer units to be changed merely because they contain fuses and have no RCD protection.