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Why you should get a regular electrical safety check for your rental property

Owning or managing a rental property comes with a wide range of responsibilities. One responsibility relates to tenant safety. A key component of this safety is regular electrical safety checks and inspections.

In this blog, we’ll go through:

  • why it’s important for you to get a regular safety check for your rental property or properties
  • checks that tenants can do, so that they can report any potential electrical hazards (when necessary)
  • how often landlords and property managers should arrange electrical inspections

Reasons why regular electrical safety checks are important

To. minimise fire hazards

In New South Wales, electrical faults and appliances cause 40% of house fires every year. What can help reduce this is having more properties inspected by a licensed electrician.

Inspections allow landlords and property managers to address issues like:

  • outdated wiring
  • any switchboard issues
  • faulty appliances
  • overloaded circuits
  • faulty smoke alarms

before they escalate into something more dangerous.

Legal obligations

Maintaining a safe and compliant electrical system in rental properties isn’t only a moral obligation. It’s also a legal one.

Not complying with your State’s safety regulations can result in serious consequences. It can also lead to costly repairs if something goes wrong.

And that’s without the stress of dealing with an insurance claim, if it came to that.

Electrical safety checks for tenants

Tenants should also check for potential electrical hazards in their rental properties. Issues tenants can watch out for include:

  • damaged switches and outlets
  • tingles from shower taps
  • flickering lights
  • malfunctioning fire alarm
  • frequently-tripped circuit breakers, or
  • malfunctioning appliances

Effective communication between tenants and landlords or property managers is crucial for maintaining electrical safety. Tenants should report any electrical issues or concerns as soon as they arise.

If you, as a tenant, notice any of these signs, then get in touch with your landlord or property manager immediately. This allows for issues to get addressed quickly.

If something appears:

  • damaged
  • isn’t working correctly, or
  • feels off

avoid using it and have it checked by a qualified electrician.

Recommended inspection intervals

The frequency of electrical safety checks may vary, based on factors such as the:

  • property’s age
  • its usage, and
  • State regulations

The Residential Tenancies Regulation 2021 requires landlords or property managers to have an electrical safety check done on all:

  • electrical installations
  • appliances, and
  • fittings

provided in the rental property. A licensed electrician needs to do these every two years.

We recommend more frequent inspections for older properties or those in high-risk environments. We’re happy for you to get in touch with us for an assessment on your property’s specific needs.

Electrical safety checks offer many advantages to landlords or property managers and tenants. They’re instrumental in identifying and resolving potential hazards before they turn dangerous. And both you and your tenants can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your rental property is safe.

Are you a landlord or property manager needing electrical safety checks?

We’re a family-owned and operated business with over 25 years experience in the industry. We’re able to help you with all your electrical safety checks and other electrical and data needs.

contact us

Services provided by Lexicon Electrical & Data

We help property managers with the following: