Electrical Safety Standard - Clarity on 5 year rule

[jamesbo 0]

Hi all,

for those familiar with this new legislation can you confirm in the below example whether another test would be due:

New tenant arrives in Sep 2021, electrical certificate done.

tenant leaves 3 months later in Nov 2021 and new tenant arrives in Dec 2021.

My understanding looking at the rules is a new test would need to be carried out even though one was done 4 months earlier.

Has anyone had the test done yet, and if so, what was the cost? I am getting quotes between £200-£300 for a standard 3 bedroom house, albeit it is in the South East.

thanks

James

[Craig WM 16]

I’m in Scotland where we’ve had this rule for several years and you only need a test done every five years. 
Prices seem ok to me. 

[julia urquhart 173]

It is once every 5 years (England) not each new tenant. Your next test is due before the 5 year anniversary of the first one, whether or not you have a change of tenant at that time.

[jamesbo 0]

Thanks both, that is reassuring and also sensible!

James

[nicholas_b 51]

Just to add to this. Them prices are fair - I'm in the North and getting quotes of 250.

[Chaz_ 3]

I'm paying £120 per test in Yorkshire, so far 3 properties AOK, one property required some RCBO's which cost ~£100, the other needs a lighting circuit rewire just after we refurbed, still have a few to do, crossing fingers

As per other comments needs doing once every 5 years, all properties regardless of whether its  a new tenancy need doing by 1st April 2021, some busy electricians about!

[julia urquhart 173]

Beware of electricians offering very cheap tests then finding very expensive work to do. Try to find someone you trust.

Oh...and don't forget to do your own home - how many of us live in houses with substandard electrics?

[kn 0]

It should be every 5 years and shouldn't need to redo for new tenant. But be careful, you need to check what your actual certificate says... some electricians are putting on their certificates 5 years or with change of tanancy, which means you would need a new one for change of tenancy. In which case you would need a new one. Advice is to change electrician.