Renters' guide
Tenant electrical safety
If you rent from a private landlord in England, the law gives you specific electrical safety protections. Here is what your landlord must do, what you can ask for, and what to do if something looks unsafe.
If something is dangerous right now
Smoke, burning smell, sparks, an electric shock from an appliance, or water reaching an electrical fitting — turn off the main switch on the consumer unit if it is safe to reach, then call your landlord or letting agent. If there is fire or someone has been shocked, call 999 first.
What your landlord must provide
A valid EICR before you move in
Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, your landlord must give you a copy of a satisfactory EICR before your tenancy starts — and a new one at least every 5 years. Ask for it. If they can't produce one, that is a legal breach and the council can fine them up to £30,000.
Working smoke and CO alarms
At least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers). The landlord must make sure they work on the first day of your tenancy — you then keep them tested.
Repairs done in a reasonable time
Any C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) code on the EICR must be fixed within 28 days — or sooner if the report says so. Written confirmation of the remedial work must be given to you. If your landlord ignores it, contact your local council's Private Sector Housing team.
Five things to ask before you sign
- 1.Can I see the current EICR and the date of the next one?
- 2.Where is the consumer unit and how do I reset a tripped breaker?
- 3.Are the smoke and CO alarms tested and dated?
- 4.Is there an RCD (or RCBOs) protecting the sockets?
- 5.Who do I call for an out-of-hours electrical emergency?
Red flags in a rented property
- !Old rewireable fuse box with pull-out fuse carriers — should have been replaced.
- !No RCD protection anywhere in the consumer unit.
- !Round-pin sockets, brown Bakelite switches or cloth-covered flex on light pendants.
- !Scorch marks or brown staining around sockets or switches.
- !Warm plugs, buzzing accessories or a persistent smell of hot plastic.
- !Bathroom pull-cord that no longer works, or a shaver socket that sparks.
If your landlord won't act
First, put your request in writing (email or text — keep a copy). If the landlord ignores a dangerous electrical fault or refuses to provide the EICR, contact your local council's Private Sector Housing team. They can serve a remedial notice and, if ignored, arrange the work and recover the cost from the landlord — plus a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per breach.
Need an independent EICR or a second opinion?
Paul carries out EICRs to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 across Brighton, Hove, Sussex, Kent and London — and will explain any codes in plain English so you know exactly what the landlord needs to fix.