Compliance checks are vital for every type of property, including build-to-rent. Keeping a property free from health hazards is the first step to keeping tenants safe and staying within legal guidelines, especially within build-to-rent properties, which are often built on previously-developed land and require a lot of vigilance.
Here are the main compliance checks to keep track of.
Gas safety
Cutting corners on gas safety can lead to massive repercussions, so it pays to know how to keep on top of it. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 is a resource landlords can use to outline their duties within this area. If left unchecked, gas appliances pose a lethal threat to occupiers with the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or fires.
The landlord's gas equipment must be safely installed and maintained by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register. The engineer should check each appliance, fitting, chimney, and flue annually and give an occupier a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate before they move in or within 28 days of the check.
The cost can vary depending on who carries out the gas safety check, and they can be arranged 10 to 12 months after the last check.
Arthur allows companies to keep reports for an entire block or individual flat, which means they can promptly retrieve all of the information on each unit's gas safety when needed.
Electrical safety
Landlords should ensure the electrical system is safe, which involves checking fuse boxes, wiring, sockets, and light fittings. They should also ensure that all appliances, such as kettles and cooking appliances, are working properly and aren't overloaded. These are required every five years or when there is a change of tenancy. Following the inspection, an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is issued.
There are multiple ways to check the safety of portable appliances. The EIC is a legal requirement for new installations, but PAT testing is not. It is, however, encouraged as best practice.
Electrical safety checks should be arranged before a new tenant moves in or every five years. An inspection must be completed within five years of the EIC issue date.
Want to keep on top of compliance actions? Find out what Arthur has to offer.
Energy performance certificates (EPCs)
Energy performance certificates, or EPCs, indicate how energy-efficient a building is. They are a legal requirement.
The building is rated from A, which is very efficient, to G, which is inefficient, and landlords can be fined up to £5,000 for not meeting the minimum rating. The rating will communicate:
- how costly it is to light and heat the property,
- the environmental impact of its carbon dioxide emissions,
- compare the property's energy efficiency to others.
Typical recommendations for properties to upgrade their EPCs include installing double or triple glazing, replacing light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, or fitting a new boiler.
To encourage development, an EPC will also include what the energy efficiency rating could be if improved. The EPC, which is valid for 10 years from the time of the issue, should be displayed so that people can easily see it.
Though it is a legal requirement, implementing an EPC for a new property has other benefits. These include:
- Tenants are likelier to rent a property if it has a high EPC rating, with the number of vacancies decreasing as a result.
- The property itself could see an increase in value because buyers and renters want their properties to be environmentally friendly.
- Carbon output is reduced with every upgrade and contributes to sustainability.
When your buildings need new EPCs, using Arthur makes communication with tenants even easier. Arthur allows you to send a message to all your tenants in one go via one system, saving time over copying and pasting each name into the send list.
