Electrical Safety Policy
4. Regulatory standards, legislation and approved codes of practice
4.1 Regulatory standards for landlords (opens new window) - We must ensure we comply with the Regulator of Social Housing's regulatory framework and consumer standards for social housing in England. The new consumer standards were introduced on 01 April 2024 and detail the four consumer standards which landlords are required to comply with, including:
The Safety and Quality Standard (opens new window)- which requires landlords to provide safe and good quality homes and landlord services to tenants. This includes stock quality; decency; health and safety; repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements; and adaptations.
The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard (opens new window) - which requires landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect so that tenants can access services, raise complaints when necessary, influence decision making and hold their landlord to account. This standard incorporates Tenant Satisfaction Measure requirements.
The Neighbourhood and Community Standard (opens new window) - which requires landlords to engage with other relevant parties so that tenants can live in safe and well-maintained neighbourhoods and feel safe in their homes.
The Tenancy Standard (opens new window) - which sets requirements for the fair allocation and letting of homes and for how those tenancies are managed and ended by landlords.
The Social Housing Regulations Act 2023 (opens new window) will change the way social housing is regulated and may result in future changes to this policy.
4.2 Legislation - The principal legislation applicable to this policy is:
The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window)
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (opens new window)
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (opens new window)
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (opens new window)
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (opens new window)
Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (opens new window)
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (amendment) Regulations 2022 (opens new window)
Additional Legislation - this policy also operates within the context of additional legislation (see Appendix 1).
4.3 Guidance - The principal guidance applicable to this policy is:
- NDG236 - Maintaining portable electrical equipment in low-risk environments (as amended 2013)
- The current edition of the IET Wiring Regulations British Standard 7671:2018 (18th edition)
- Code of Practice for the Management of Electrotechnical Care in Social Housing (Electrical Safety Roundtable) January 2019
- The current edition of the Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (IET) 2020 (5th edition)
4.4 Sanctions - the Council acknowledges and accepts its responsibilities in accordance with the regulatory standards, legislation and approved codes of practice and that failure to discharge these responsibilities properly could lead to a range of sanctions including prosecution by the Health & Safety Executive under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (opens new window), prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (opens new window) prosecution under any of the principal legislation listed in Section 4.1, and via a regulatory notice from the Regulator of Social Housing.
4.5 Tenants and leaseholders - the Council will use the legal remedies available within the terms of the tenancy agreement, lease or licence should any tenant refuse access to carry out essential electrical safety checks, maintenance and safety related repair works.