Electrical Safety

What is Electrical Safety?

Electricity is a major cause of accidental fires in UK homes. Every year, around 7,000 house fires are started by faulty electrics, appliances, wiring, and overloaded sockets.

As your landlord, we are required by law to make sure your home’s electrical installation and wiring are safe when you move in and throughout your tenancy.

What do we do?

To keep your home as safe as possible, we will:

• Make sure all installations, safety checks and electrical work are carried out by a qualified electrician. We may use contractors to do this work on our behalf
• Keep a record of all safety checks and services

The electrical safety check is called an Electrical Installations Condition Report (EICR).

What is an EICR?

An EICR is a detailed inspection of your home’s electrical systems. A qualified electrician checks that all the wiring, sockets, switches and other electrical parts are working safely and meets current safety standards.

Keep your home safe

The main cause of electrical problems at home is using electrical equipment incorrectly. Make sure you check your appliances every day and don’t use anything that looks damaged.

Here are some tips to keep your home safe:

• Turn off electrical appliances when you’ve finished using them
• Check cables – if anything looks worn or loose, don’t use the item
• Don’t let the leads from your kettle, toaster or other kitchen appliances hang across your cooker
• If your plug sockets feel hot, or you can see burn marks or sparks around them, call us on 0800 131 3348 straight away and don’t use them until we’ve checked them
• Test your smoke alarm regularly
• Never use a bulb with a higher wattage than the light fitting says is safe
• Don’t run the cables from your appliances under carpets or rugs
• Never overload your sockets or extension leads by plugging in too many appliances in one place
• If your fridge or freezer is not frost-free, defrost it at least once a year
• Don’t leave your washing machine or tumble dryer on when you’re out of the house or overnight. Make sure to regularly clean the filters on both appliances
• If you charge your e-bike or e-scooter at home, try to do so when you are awake and alert. Don’t leave batteries to charge while you are asleep or away from home
• Check that your microwaves, fridges and freezers have enough space around them for air to circulate