For new tenancies starting on or after September 1st, 2024, and for existing tenancies by December 1st, 2024, landlords must now ensure that electrical installations (electrical wiring, sockets, consumer units (fuse box) and other fixed electrical parts) have been inspected and tested by a qualified person within 5 years of these dates with subsequent inspections at least every five years thereafter; or more often than this if the qualified person undertaking the inspection thinks that is necessary.
Throughout the time a tenant is living at the property, electrical safety standards must be met. In other words, the landlord has an ongoing duty to ensure that the property meets the electrical safety standard. If a landlord is notified of an electrical fault at any time within the 5-year interval for inspection the landlord must ensure that the fault is dealt with.
The landlord must give the tenant a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) detailing the condition of the property’s electrical installations. The purpose of an EICR is to determine, as far as is reasonably practicable, whether the installation is in a satisfactory condition for continued service or whether certain works are required to bring the installation up to standard. If the inspection discovers faults in the system, it will rank them according to their severity and indicate how quickly they need to be rectified.
If requested this report (s) must also be provided to the Councils Health and Housing Team.
Further Guidance on the Electrical Safety Standards for Private Regulations Northern Ireland 2024 can be obtained by clicking on the following link:
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/electrical-safety-standards-private-tenancies-regulations-northern-ireland-2024