With new laws/Regulations coming into affect for The rental market!!

[Rossi2828]

hi new to the forum this may have been asked already not too sure would just like to get some opinions on the following, with new rental laws coming into to play from 1st of July this year, (2020) stating that a property needs to be up to current 18th edition standards. Now this I understand is near on impossible in certain situations, but my main question to you is all combustible consumer Units that either have RCDs in place RCBOs, what are people going to be marking on there certs I previously before this new law comes into play have been putting it down as a C3 are people just going to change now and put it as C1 or C2 ??

 

[James]

Can you post a link to this new law?
It would be unusual for a law to point at a version of a British standard that could become out of date at any time, I.e when 19th edition is released.
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Also, marking of defects and codes c3 etc. Will not change.
Electricity has not changed, the risks have not changed and the wiring regs have not changed.

 

[Baddegg]

I’m not aware all domestic installs need to be to 18th standards mate, that would be ridiculous as @James says it’s at risk of being out of date soon.....rental properties will require an EICR which ultimately will be satisfactory or unsatisfactory, but because some ones consumer unit doesn’t have surge protection or affd for example doesn’t mean it’s unsatisfactory, regs aren’t retrospective....

 

[davesparks]

With new rental laws coming into to play from 1st of July this year, (2020) stating that a property needs to be up to current 18th edition standards.

Which law? Please do reference the specific piece of legislation.

There is a new rule requiring EICRs to be carried out, but no law requiring the remedial work to be carried out.

 

[UNG]

This has been done to death on here already for those that are not up to speed the statutory instrument can be found at

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

These Regulations impose duties on private landlords of residential premises in England in respect of electrical safety standards. The duties do not apply to landlords of social housing. The Regulations require local housing authorities to enforce the duties, and include a power to arrange...

www.legislation.gov.uk

In the document it clearly states

“electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2018

So it looks like compliance with the 18th edition in mandated

 

[plugsandsparks]

Agree, thats how i read it as the standards are defined in the definitions. (18th Edition)

Not a bad thing but going to be a shock to some landlords who may need a substantial re-wire with a sitting tenant.

 

[pc1966]

It seems incorrectly worded to specify a specific edition, and not the more general "current edition" language I would imagine being used.

Will be interesting to see how it is interpreted when it comes out. I suspect the intention was to ensure properties have an EICR without C1/C2, which is not the same as full compliance with 18th edition (e.g. replacing red/black wires for no other reason)!
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From:
“electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2018(5);

3.—(1) A private landlord(7) who grants or intends to grant a specified tenancy must—
(a)ensure that the electrical safety standards are met during any period when the residential premises(8) are occupied under a specified tenancy;

 

[Wilko]

but my main question to you is all combustible consumer Units that either have RCDs in place RCBOs, what are people going to be marking on their certs?

Hi - my take is they’ve made it compulsory to have an inspection and 18th edition is the standard. Fine. But there’s no regulation (that I’m aware of) in BS7671 stating that an existing plastic CU is unsafe or must be changed out. So I plan to continue to with my site by site assessment of the suitability of an existing plastic CU for continued service.

 

[Andy78]

As Wilko says, the requirements are to test using the 18th as the standard to which to inspect. No change to normal.

The installation does not have to comply with every current regulation.

I agree the legislation is badly worded, but nothing out of the ordinary there.

 

[richy3333]

The position to adopt with plastic CU's is defined in the BP guide. I'm sure there are millions in use that haven't caught fire...yet

 

[UNG]

The position to adopt with plastic CU's is defined in the BP guide. I'm sure there are millions in use that haven't caught fire...yet

The highest risk plastic CU's are those installed in the LFB area they generally spontaneously combust more readily than anywhere else in the country and the fire stats back this up

 

[davesparks]

This has been done to death on here already for those that are not up to speed the statutory instrument can be found at

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

These Regulations impose duties on private landlords of residential premises in England in respect of electrical safety standards. The duties do not apply to landlords of social housing. The Regulations require local housing authorities to enforce the duties, and include a power to arrange...

www.legislation.gov.uk

In the document it clearly states

“electrical safety standards” means the standards for electrical installations in the eighteenth edition of the Wiring Regulations, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the British Standards Institution as BS 7671: 2018

So it looks like compliance with the 18th edition in mandated

Sorry, its the first mention of the requirement to meet the 18th edition that I have seen 9n here.

I think they have messed up with that bit of legislation as it appears to require that the electrical installation in a rented property must comply with the 18th edition.

The problem that immediately springs to mind is that items which do not comply with the 18th edition don't always have any effect on safety and would be a waste of time and money to change. The biggest one I can think of is the fact that red and black conductors do not comply with the 18th edition. They dont get mentioned on an EICR as an EICR isn't assessing absolute compliance with the 18th edition, but that bit of legislation appears to require absolute compliance.

 

[snowhead]

Guide for landlords: electrical safety standards in the private rented sector

www.gov.uk

Half way down the page, C.1 and C.2 and Further investigation must be done, C.3 / Improvements do not have to.

 

[chris murphy]

Hello All,

I am not trying to irritate Members by posting on this [as I am not an Electrician] and I was only looking at this thread because I thought that the New Regulations would affect one of my relatives who rents out a Flat.

When I read the Guide for Landlords Section 8 - This Subsection:

QUOTE:

If an inspection took place and a satisfactory report was issued before the 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations came into force, but less than 5 years ago, will a landlord always need to have the property inspected again as soon as the Electrical Safety Regulations come into force?

I came across this paragraph:

QUOTE:

Existing installations that have been installed in accordance with earlier editions of the Wiring Regulations may not comply with the 18th edition in every respect. This does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe for continued use or require upgrading.

END OF QUOTE

Doe that confirm that existing Electrical Installations in rented properties do not have to be upgraded to comply with the 18th Edition Regulations ?

Chris
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Hello again,

Sorry I should have included a link to the Electrical Installations in Private Rented Properties Guide for Landlords that I quoted the paragraph from - here it is:

Guide for landlords: electrical safety standards in the private rented sector

www.gov.uk

Chris
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Hello again,

Sorry I should have included a link to the Electrical Installations in Private Rented Properties Guide for Landlords that I quoted the paragraph from - although it has been posted a couple of times in previous messages here it is:

Guide for landlords: electrical safety standards in the private rented sector

www.gov.uk

Chris
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[Markyd]

c 3 there is nothing to say that they have to be brought up to 18th regs