A landlord was fined £214,000 for putting his tenants’ lives at risk across various properties in London.

One of his properties was found to have an exposed live electrical cable on the electric cooker hob, posing a risk of electrocution.

Another property had inadequate safety measures. In terms of fire safety, there was no safe exit route in the event of a fire and the landlord was unable to supply gas and electrical certificates.

What are the landlord's obligations?

Your landlord health and safety requirements essentially mean that you keep your properties safe and free from health hazards. This includes making sure that gas equipment is safely installed, maintained, and checked by a registered engineer. If someone is injured or dies as a result of a property being unsafe, the fines are unlimited and you could receive a jail term.

When it comes to electrical safety, you must ensure that the electrical system and appliances (for example fridges and cookers) are safe. PAT (portable appliance testing) testing for landlords isn’t a legal requirement, however the Electrical Safety Council recommends PAT testing to ensure you meet the requirement that any appliances you provide tenants are safe. PAT testing needs to be carried out by someone qualified to do so.

Landlord fire safety checks involve making sure your tenants have access to escape routes at all times, supplying a smoke alarm on each storey (and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance), making sure furniture and furnishings are fire safe, and providing fire alarms and fire extinguishers if the property is a large house in multiple occupation (HMO). Read more about carbon monoxide and smoke alarm regulations for landlords and landlord fire safety regulations.

NEW Key Dates

If you do not get an EICR done by;

• July 2020 for new tenants
• and April 2021 for existing tenants

The government can impose large fines and possible prison sentences.

If you want some advice on your current situation, there are several places you can look for advice.