Electrical Safety First’s response to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s white paper on housing

Emma Drackford, of Electrical Safety First, said: “We welcome the government’s commitment to consider mandatory electrical safety checks for rented properties. With a higher proportion of households entering the private rented sector, we strongly argue the need to provide regular electrical safety checks for all tenants throughout England. We know that electrical hazards pose a very real threat to tenants; for example, reports from London Fire Brigade show that electrical fires as a proportion are increasing in the capital.

“We have long called for mandatory electrical safety checks to be conducted within a maximum five year period. This position has been a shared one amongst the stakeholder community, and in line with what has been introduced in Scotland and those now being pursued in Wales. Without regular mandatory checks, we believe that fires caused by electricity in the private rented sector the issue will only get worse, not improve.”