Anyone who lets residential accommodation (such as houses, flats and bedsits, holiday homes, caravans and boats) as a business activity, is required by law to ensure the equipment they supply as part of the tenancy is safe. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires that all mains electrical equipment (cookers, washing machines, kettles, etc), new or second-hand, supplied with the accommodation must be safe. Landlords therefore need to regularly maintain the electrical equipment they supply to ensure it is safe.  It is, therefore, essential that a property is checked prior to the tenancy to ensure that all appliances supplied are in a safe condition. We can arrange for all appliances provided in your properties, to be inspected and tested. A report, which will serve as an inventory of your appliances, can be provided to detail the description and results of the tests carried out. A certificate signed by our qualified engineer will also be provided. These documents should then be kept on your file to ensure your appliances meet the necessary regulations prior to each let. We will also contact you at the appropriate time to ensure your appliances are retested at the appropriate frequency. WHAT THE LAW SAYS….. Although the legislation isn't as explicit as the Gas Safety (installations and Use) regulations 1998 which place unambiguous requirements on landlords to ensure the safe operation of gas appliances under their control, there are a number of laws which cover the area of electrical appliances. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, mandatory since 1 January 1997, which state that all electrical appliances supplied with let accommodation must be safe. The Consumer Protection Act 1987 affects all persons who let property in the course of their business, defining them as "suppliers", supplying goods to the tenant. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which now also covers "self employed persons" and "all persons affected by their operations". This has implications for landlords who appear to fall within the definition of a self employed person as being "an individual who works for gain or reward otherwise than under a contract of employment." These mean that under the law, a landlord has duties both as a 'supplier of goods' and as the 'person responsible' for an electrical installation. As the supplier of goods, the landlord has to ensure all goods are checked before the tenant takes them over and as a 'person responsible' needs to ensure an adequate system of maintenance. Don't be a Shocking Landlord or Letting Agent ! Adlitil Ltd PAT Testing Services in Sussex