Safety, standards and security for private rented housing

We advise on, and enforce, Housing standards in Private Rented accomodation.

As a landlord, your responsibilities include:

• Keeping your rented properties safe and free from health hazards
• Making sure all gas and electrical equipment you supply is safely installed and maintained
• Following Fire Precautions in Dwellings
• Providing an energy performance certificate for the property
• Securing your tenant's deposit in a Deposit Protection Scheme

You can find advice on GOV.UK about your repair responsibilities (opens new window).

The Health and Safety Executive (opens new window) and Gas Safe Register (opens new window) offer advice and information on this.

As a landlord you are responsible for the gas equipment, fittings and flues you supply. You are required to:

• Ensure gas fittings and flues are kept in a safe condition
• Ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue by a Gas Safe engineer
• Keep a record of each safety check for two years
• Issue a copy of the safety check to each tenant within 28 days of the check or to a new tenant before they move in
• Have any installations carried out by a Gas Safe engineer

If an appliance fails the safety check you must make sure the equipment is fixed or replaced by a Gas Safe engineer before it is reconnected to the gas supply and used.

If an appliance is owned by the tenant you are not responsible for maintaining or checking it.

They should be able to show you a current registration certificate or a Gas Safe ID card. This will tell you their registration number and the sort of work they are competent to carry out. You can check the Gas Safe Register (opens new window) to ensure that they are registered or to find an installer.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to

• Ensure that the electrical safety standards are met whenever the property is occupied by a tenant
• Have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least once every 5 years by a qualified electrician

If you fail to comply with your duties under these regulations you may be liable for a financial penalty (currently up to £30,000 but expected to be increased to £40,000 when the Renters Rights Bill becomes law).

Electrical Inspection and Test Reports

Landlords must

• Keep a copy of the electrical test report until the next inspection
• Provide a copy of the report to the person carrying out the next inspection
• Give a copy to every tenant within 28 days of the inspection
• Give a copy to every new tenant
• Give a copy to a prospective tenant if requested in writing

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has the right to request a copy of the report.  If you receive a request in writing from the council for a copy of the report, you must send it within 7 days.

What to do if a report shows faults

Electrical test reports will usually categorize any faults that are identified

• C1 - Danger present and a risk of injury - immediate action required
• C2 - Potentially dangerous - urgent remedial action required
• C3 - Improvement recommended
• F1 - Further investigation required without delay.

If the report indicates C1, C2 and F1 faults you must within 28 days employ a qualified electrician to carry out remedial works or, in the case of F1 faults, to investigate further and carry out any works that may be necessary. 

You must then obtain written confirmation from the electrician showing that the electrical installation is now safe.  You must then provide a copy of that report to your tenants and the council without waiting for a written request.

The following resources are provided as part of an industry-wide initiative to help home owners find a local registered electrician and understand their responsibilities on how to ensure safe electrical work is completed by a competent, registered electrician, or is checked by one:

• To find a registered electrician - Search the register of electricians belonging to various Competent Person Schemes (CPS). These were introduced by the UK Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector. A Competent Person must be registered with a scheme that has been approved by MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government).
• General guidance - For general advice, guidance and information refer to the Electrical Safety First website (opens new window)

Any furniture that you supply in the property needs to comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (FIRE)(Safety) Regulations (opens new window).