Rental bounce and mandatory electrical checks

Since June this year, it has been made a legal requirement that an EICR report must be carried out before any new tenancies begin, with electrical installation inspections conducted at least every five years from that point.  

With the surge in demand for rental properties set to increase even more than what we’ve experienced this summer, property certificate providers say landlords need to be prepared to deal with the influx in demand.  

Following the reopening of the property market back in May, there has been a surge in demand from tenants. This growth in activity looks like it is going to continue to develop, as there have been sustained positive reports throughout June, July and August.  

A recent survey from RICS found that tenant demand has recovered to +35% in July, bouncing back from -44% the previous quarter. Meanwhile other research found that the number of tenants registering with letting agencies reached a record high in June! 

Almost three in ten letting agents saw landlords increasing the cost of rent in June as a result from the high demands. 

With landlords processing a higher number of tenancies, this also means more administration work needing to be carried out with new and challenging compliance measures to meet.  

The most recent change affecting new tenancies is the introduction of The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 on July 1st.  

There are a range of other things for landlords to follow, including providing copies of EICR reports to their new tenants.  

We would recommend having access to a large pool of electricians, as this is going to be crucial to meet the high demand. An efficient online management system would also help landlords keep organised and up-to-date with each tenant.  

Mandatory electrical checks have been introduced for a reason and it is to ultimately to protect your tenants and your investments. Managing this process through trusted suppliers and using highly qualified electricians is in the interest of all stakeholders.  

If you’d like to talk to us about your compliance, contact us today here.