It is a legal requirement that furniture and appliances provided by the landlord in a let property comply with the following safety regulations:

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 (Amended 1996)

All gas appliances and installations in tenanted premises must be checked and certified as safe at intervals of not more than 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. A valid safety certificate must be issued, a copy of which should be displayed in the property. Records must be kept of the dates of inspections, defects identified, and of any remedial action taken.

Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

All electrical installations and equipment in tenanted premises must be safe. Electrical installation condition reports (EICRs) are now a key part of electrical safety. Landlords have the responsibility to ensure that a tenanted property has an electrical installation that is safe to use by its tenants. The law around the EICR has now changed and came into effect in July 2020; there is a legal onus on all landlords to have an electrical installation condition report in place. They will have to be able to provide this to the tenant, managing agent or local authority within 30 days should they ask. The government has also laid down the law that all existing tenancies will require a EICR report by April 2021.

Electrical equipment should be kept safe, this includes all portable appliances. also known as non-white goods. The best thing for this is a portable appliance test. Most electricians can carry this out.

The Fire & Furnishings (Safety) Regulations 1988 (Amended 1989 & 1993)

Specified items supplied in the course of letting property must meet minimum fire resistant standards. The regulations apply to all upholstered furniture and furnishings including beds, headboards and mattresses, sofa-beds, pillows etc…

They do not apply to antique furniture or furniture made before 1950, bed clothes, loose covers for mattresses, pillowcases, curtains, carpets or sleeping bags.

Most items which comply will have a suitable permanent label attached, however if you are in any doubt please check with the manufacturer.

The Energy Performance of Building Regulations 2008

In order to comply with this legislation, any residential property will require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in place at the point of the first letting of the property after the 4th January 2009. This must be made available to prospective tenants from the date the property is marketed for letting. From 1 April 2018, all rented property (both domestic and non-domestic) which is to have a new tenancy must have an EPC rating of at least “E”. This requirement also applies to all renewal tenancies to the same tenant for the same property on or after 1 April 2018. The duty is also triggered by any periodic tenancy arising on or after 1 April 2018 after the expiry of any fixed term because the duty is not only triggered by a renewal but also “an extension”.

From 1 April 2020, all domestic lettings (including existing) must achieve an “E” rating or better.

Smoke Alarms

Properties built after June 1992 must have mains operated smoke detectors fitted on each floor.

Properties built before June 1992 are now legally required to have either mains operated or battery operated smoke detectors on each floor.

We are happy to inspect the property for you and arrange for the necessary safety checks to be carried out to ensure your property is safety compliant and in a condition to let.

Houses Of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs)

There is legislation relating to properties occupied by three or more unrelated persons which requires that the property have an HMO License granted by the local authority before it may be let.

In order for the property to be granted an HMO License it will have to meet further safety requirements to those detailed above.

We will provide advice on the implications of these regulations for your property, if it is your intention to let it on such a basis.

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