What responsibilities do landlords have?

Your landlord is required by law to ensure:

• that the electrical installation in the property is safe when your tenancy begins
• that the electrical installation is maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy, and
• that any appliance provided is safe and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturer’s claim that it meets all the requirements of European law).

In order to meet the requirements your landlord will need to carry out regular basic safety checks to ensure the electrical installation and appliances remain in good working order.
A good landlord should have an electrical inspection carried out by an electrician before a new tenant moves in. If your landlord has done this, a copy of the inspection report (known as a periodic inspection report) should be made available to you and if the appliances have been checked then each electrical appliance in the property should have a PAT (portable appliance test) sticker on the plug showing the date it was tested. If the electrical installation and appliances in your accommodation have not been tested, you can ask your landlord to get an inspection done, although they are under no obligation to do so unless you live in a house in multiple occupation (see below). If you're really concerned, you can get an inspection carried out yourself.

If you live in a house in multiple occupation then your landlord has to have the electrical installation checked every five years and a periodic inspection report showing the property continues to be electrically safe must be available.