Social housing landlords have plenty of things to manage at any one time, including fulfilling their obligations, but currently, there are no legal requirements to complete electrical safety inspections.
However, this is set to change along with other measures being introduced to heighten safety standards. From November 2025, social housing landlords, both local and privately registered, will be required to complete electrical safety inspections on their properties.
There are things you can put into practice now before the law is introduced later this year. Putting this into practice early gives you the perfect opportunity to be compliant.
What can I do ahead of the new laws?
Now is the time to begin putting measures into practice to be compliant. You should hire a qualified, certified person to inspect and test your electrical installations. They will then provide you with a report detailing the tests completed and, if there are any further requirements needed, such as repairs or further investigations.
Once you’ve obtained this report, you can keep a copy for yourself and share a copy with your tenant, so they understand what has been tested. This is a great way to meet the standards for social housing landlords as it ensures you are meeting compliance obligations.
This standard of practice will then become law, so if you’re already doing it ahead of time, it means you’re already meeting the required standards.
What will the requirements be for landlords to be compliant?
Like the electrical safety standards for private landlords, you will be required to hire a qualified, competent person every five years to inspect and test all electrical installations within your property.
Through the new laws coming into place, you must obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) from that person once they have completed the inspection and share this with your tenant. As part of the tenancy agreement, you would need to include mandatory testing of electrical installations.
The law will apply immediately for new tenants in November 2025 but will eventually need to be applied to existing tenants from May 2026.
Although only legally obligated to conduct checks every five years, you should consider doing an annual electrical safety inspection. This would make the process more than just a compliance-focused dotting of I’s and crossing of T’s and instead would be a meaningful step towards a safer environment.
This is especially important given the upcoming implementation of Awaab’s Law and the need to respond to emergencies within 24 hours. The more safety checks you conduct, the lower the chance you will have of dealing with an unforeseen emergency under the new strict time limit.
How can I prepare for the changes to come?
With the law not coming into force until November, there is time for social housing landlords to assess what is coming into play and put it into practice early. That ensures you are following the future law and have a procedure in place that works. However, you may also want to review your current compliance procedures to ensure they align.
You must also take into account the costs. You will need to budget and plan for this, especially if there are issues in the report that need addressing.
It’s also good to have open lines of communication with your tenant so they understand the situation, as they will need a copy of the report once the inspection has been completed. Educating them on what is to come will benefit both you and your tenant.
Can I access support to ensure my procedures are compliant?
If you are concerned about your current procedures and are keen to ensure all your measures are compliant, the best approach is to seek legal advice and speak with property experts.
We are on hand to provide you with all the support, advice and information you need to review your processes, implement change and prepare for the law changes coming this year.
Don’t let electrical safety slip through the cracks. Get in touch today for expert advice and support.
Key Contacts
The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at July 2025.