News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the August / September 2003 issue RPI news archive

Avoiding unnecessary electrical shocks - August / September 2003

Landlords who do not have the electrical appliances in their properties tested annually are putting themselves at serious risk of incurring penalties.

The warning comes from John Davidson, managing director of Gas-Elec Safety Systems which offers a combined gas and electricity appliance inspection service to landlords.

Gas inspections are required annually but the law on electrical appliances is less specific. It does however require that they 'shall be safe'.

'Gas-Elec inspectors often find potentially lethal irons and kettles, even plugs wired by tenants the wrong way round, trip switches that don't trip and showers that are so dangerous they should be condemned', said Davidson.

Every year thousands of people are killed or injured by faulty electrical appliances or fires caused by faulty electrical appliances. 'We are constantly finding faults and it's crazy for a landlord to take risks when preventative action is so easy'.
 

other artilces from the August / September 2003 issue

• Accreditation the way forward
• Licensing should be 'unfettered'
• Avoiding unnecessary electrical shocks
• Renting is 'more acceptable' choice
• Opposition to HB penalty plan
• House prices continue to climb
• Landlord faces retrial over killing
• In brief
• Tenant wins right to set off
• Work / live development rules too rigid
• Urgent improvement needed to National Asylum Support Service