Owning and maintaining a property comes with all sorts of legal responsibilities. It’s absolutely vital that property professionals stay on top of their game, as falling out of compliance can lead to major fines and, in extreme cases, prison time.
To help you stay safe and compliant, here’s our rundown of the biggest compliance pitfalls and top tips for avoiding them.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) confirms that the electrical installation in your property is safe to use. It is a legal requirement for all rented properties in England as it helps keep properties safe from electrical fires and other accidents.
An EICR certificate does the following:
For individual landlords, the fine for an invalid or out-of-date EICR certificate is £3,000. If you are part of a larger organisation, this fine can be much higher. In these instances, the fine has no set limit and is determined based on the specifics of the property.
Your EICR certificate must be updated every five years. If you undertake any significant changes to your electrical installation, then you should update your certificate sooner than this.
EICR certifications have been a legal requirement in England and Wales since 2020 when the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force.
To ensure your EICR certificate is valid, ensure it meets the following requirements:
Beware of the EICR bottleneck!
The UK is currently facing a severe contractor shortage, making it much more difficult to find a qualified electrician when the EICR renewal period rolls around. To avoid falling out of compliance, why not schedule your EICR check early?
A tenancy deposit protection scheme is a government-backed program that protects tenants’ deposits when they rent a property in the UK. It is a legal requirement for all landlords.
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 makes it a legal requirement for all landlords in England and Wales to protect their tenants’ deposits in a government-approved scheme. The act came into force on 1 June 2019. Failing to comply with this requirement leaves you vulnerable to:
When a new tenant moves in, ensure their deposit is stored in one of the three Government-approved deposit protection schemes. You can find information on all of your options here:
A Fire Safety Assessment (FSA) is legally required in all HMO’s and building common areas in the UK as part of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The FSA must be carried out by a competent person, such as a fire safety engineer or a qualified electrician. The assessor will visit the property and identify any fire risks, such as:
If a responsible person fails to carry out a fire safety assessment, you could face a number of penalties, including:
The requirements for a valid fire safety assessment (FSA) in the UK vary depending on the size and type of property. However, there are some general requirements that all FSAs must meet.
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSR 1998) requires landlords and property owners to have all gas appliances in their property assessed by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months.
If a landlord or property owner fails to comply with gas safety regulations, they could face the following penalties:
A valid gas safety check must cover the following:
👋 Arthur can help you manage compliance and protect your property. Book a demo now.