Landlords 2025

 EICR Testing in Glasgow: A Comprehensive Guide for Landlords

As a landlord in Glasgow, ensuring the safety and integrity of your rental properties is paramount. One of the most critical aspects of property management is maintaining the electrical safety of your rental units. This responsibility is fulfilled through regular Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR). In this comprehensive guide, we will explore what EICR testing entails, the legal requirements for landlords in Glasgow, the significance of hiring SJIB approved electricians, and how to find these professionals, including the importance of emergency call-out electricians.

Understanding EICR Testing Glasgow

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an extensive inspection that evaluates the condition of electrical installations within a property. The purpose of an EICR is multi-faceted:

• Identify Potential Hazards: Detect any issues that could pose a risk of electric shock or fire.
• Ensure Safety: Confirm that all electrical installations are safe to use.
• Verify Compliance: Ensure that the property meets national electrical safety standards.
• Record Condition: Provide a documented record of the electrical system’s state for future reference and accountability.

The EICR Process

During an EICR inspection, a qualified electrician will:

1. Visual Inspection: Examine all electrical components, including wiring, sockets, and switches, for visible signs of damage or wear.
2. Testing: Conduct tests on circuits to ensure they are functioning correctly and safely. This includes checking for proper earthing and bonding.
3. Reporting: Compile a detailed report that outlines any issues found, the overall condition of the electrical installations, and recommendations for remedial actions.

Legal Requirements for Landlords in Glasgow

In Scotland, landlords are legally required to ensure their rental properties are electrically safe, as per the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and the subsequent amendments in 2020. Key requirements include:

• Regular Inspections: EICR testing must be conducted at least once every five years.
• Change of Tenancy: An EICR should be carried out when there is a change in tenancy to ensure new occupants are safe.
• Record Keeping: Landlords must retain copies of the EICR for at least six years and provide these records to tenants and local authorities upon request.

Failure to comply with these requirements can result in substantial fines, legal consequences, and potentially endanger the lives of tenants.

The Importance of Using SJIB Approved Electricians

The Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) sets the standard for electrical work in Scotland. When it comes to EICR testing, hiring an SJIB approved electrician is essential for several reasons:

1. Guaranteed Competence: SJIB ensures that all registered electricians have the requisite qualifications, experience, and continuous training to perform high-quality electrical work.
2. Safety and Compliance: SJIB approved electricians are well-versed in the latest safety regulations and national standards. This guarantees that the work carried out is both safe and compliant.
3. Professional Standards: Electricians under SJIB are held to strict codes of practice, ensuring they deliver top-notch workmanship and customer service.
4. Accountability and Peace of Mind: Using an SJIB approved electrician provides assurance that the electrical systems in your property are inspected and maintained by a certified professional. This peace of mind is invaluable, knowing that your tenants are safe and your legal obligations are met.

The Role of Emergency Call-Out Electricians

In addition to regular EICR inspections, landlords should also be prepared for electrical emergencies. Electrical issues can arise unexpectedly and require immediate attention to ensure the safety of tenants and prevent damage to the property. This is where emergency call-out electricians come into play:

• 24/7 Availability: Emergency electricians are available around the clock, ensuring that any urgent electrical issues can be addressed promptly, regardless of the time.
• Rapid Response: These electricians are equipped to respond quickly to emergencies, minimizing downtime and potential hazards.
• Expert Troubleshooting: Emergency call-out electricians have the expertise to diagnose and fix urgent issues efficiently, ensuring the safety and functionality of your property’s electrical system.

How to Find SJIB Approved Electricians in Glasgow

Finding a qualified SJIB approved electrician in Glasgow is straightforward and ensures you receive the best service. Here’s how:

• SJIB Website Directory: The SJIB website offers a directory of approved electricians. Simply enter your location to find certified professionals in Glasgow.
• Recommendations: Seek recommendations from other landlords, property managers, or local letting agents who have previously worked with SJIB approved electricians.
• Verification: When contacting electricians, always ask for their SJIB certification and verify their credentials through the SJIB directory.

Conclusion

EICR testing is a critical responsibility for landlords in Glasgow, ensuring the safety and compliance of rental properties. By engaging SJIB approved electricians, you guarantee the highest standards of electrical inspection and maintenance. Regular EICR testing not only fulfills legal requirements but also protects your tenants and investment from potential electrical hazards.

In addition, having access to reliable emergency call-out electricians ensures that any unexpected electrical issues can be swiftly and safely addressed. This comprehensive approach to electrical safety will ensure your rental properties remain safe, legally compliant, and attractive to prospective tenants.

Remember, electrical safety is not an area to compromise. Prioritize competence, professionalism, and compliance by hiring SJIB approved electricians for your EICR testing needs and maintaining a reliable emergency response plan. This diligence will ensure your rental properties remain safe, legally compliant, and attractive to prospective tenants.

New Smoke and heat alarm legislation in Scotland

The new Smoke and heat alarms that used to be law in Scotland for landlord has now been extended to homeowners, as of February 2022 all homes in Scotland would need to be fitted with interlinked smoke and heat alarm detection systems. Below is a video from the Scottish Government regarding the new law

To request a visit from our leading installers contact WES Electrical below

WES Electrical - 01418405236 are fully qualified to install the new smoke and heat alarms

Two types of alarms

You can use either sealed battery alarms or mains-wired alarms.

Both types of alarm are interlinked by radio frequency and do not need WiFi.

What the alarms must have

If you use battery alarms, they must be sealed tamper-proof units and have long-life lithium batteries, which can be up to 10 years. You may be able to fit these types of alarms yourself and they do not need an electrician.

Mains-wired alarms are cheaper but if you use them, they must be fitted by a qualified electrician and must be replaced every 10 years. You may also need to redecorate after fitting them.

If you also need a carbon monoxide alarm and it is battery-operated, it must have a sealed battery for the duration of its lifespan.

Where and what to buy

There is no list of approved suppliers or fitters. You can buy both types of alarms online or in store from a number of retailers, and any qualified electrician can fit the mains-wired type. 

You need to check that each alarm complies with the following standards:

• smoke alarms                       BS EN14604:2005
• heat alarms                           BS 5446-2:2003
• carbon monoxide detector British Kitemark EN 50291-1

More information on the standard, including the types of alarms, is in the Tolerable Standard Guidance Chapters 16 and 17.

Please note that the Nest Protect System will not meet the standard. This is because they do not meet the requirements for a heat alarm under the relevant British Standard. British Standard (BS 5839-6:2019) states that only heat alarms should be installed in kitchens.

Frequently asked questions

The more detailed information below may help to answer some other common questions about the new standard.

Cost of alarms and financial help

Homeowners and landlords

Any costs will be the responsibility of home owners and landlords, and will depend on what you currently have in place and the alarms you choose to install. We estimate that the cost for an average three bedroom house which requires three smoke alarms, one heat alarm and one carbon monoxide detector will be around £290. This is based on using the type of alarms that you can install by yourself without the need for an electrician.

The Scottish Government has, over the period 2018-20, provided the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) with £1m funding to install these alarms in the homes of people assessed to be at high risk from fire as part of a home fire safety visit.

As a general principle, home owners must pay for any ongoing work needed on their own property. As with other housing standards, the homeowner must meet the new fire and carbon monoxide alarm standard. Local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide advice and help to home owners with work needed to look after their homes.

Help with the costs for pensioners and disabled people

We are providing funding through Care and Repair Scotland to help elderly and disabled people meet the new standard.

To be eligible for support from Care and Repair Scotland you must own and live in your home that  has a council tax banding of A-C and:

• be of state pension page and receiving guaranteed Pension Credit, or
• have a disability and be in a support group for Employment and Support Allowance

Tenants of local authority or housing associations

Social landlords (local authority and housing association landlords) are aware of the new standard and have been working to ensure that the new alarms are in place, where needed. The Scottish Government has made over £15m of loan funding available for social landlords ensuring that social tenants are safe in their homes. The standard will be monitored by the Scottish Housing Regulator, which may intervene as they deem appropriate for any non-compliance.

Shared ownership (housing association)

For shared ownership properties, as with other condition standards, responsibilities are set out in the occupancy agreement. However, in general, it is your responsibility as the proportion owner, rather than the registered social landlord, to meet the new fire and smoke alarm standard.

Private rented property 

The new standards for fire and smoke alarms extend those which currently apply in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) to housing of all tenures, your landlord should already be complying. 

Specialist alarms

If specialist alarms are needed – such as for deaf people or Telecare systems – these must be fitted in addition to any smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.

Interlinked smoke and heat alarms are required to be installed in addition to any Telecare smoke/heat alarms to help keep you safe. If you have fitted or are planning to fit interlinked smoke and heat alarms, please do not remove your telecare smoke, heat or carbon monoxide alarms.  

Tenements and blocks of flats

Different homes in a shared property like a tenement or block of flats do not need to be linked to each other, and there is no need for alarms to be fitted in communal areas such as entry halls and stairways.

Asbestos in ceilings and how it affects installation

It is not necessary to disturb asbestos to install fire alarms. You may wish to seek specialist advice but it is possible to install interlinked, tamper proof long-life lithium battery alarms to ceilings with asbestos using a firm adhesive. It is unlikely that attaching an alarm with an adhesive pad would constitute disturbance of asbestos as it does not require cutting or drilling or similar intrusion to release fine particles.

If for any reason, it is inappropriate or you do not want to use an adhesive pad, battery-operated alarms that meet the manufactures requirement and can be wall mounted may be used, - to be compliant with the legislation, an alarm on the wall should be within 30 cm of the ceiling.

Replaceable batteries

Replaceable batteries cannot be used because the sensors in the alarm degrade over time and so will not be able to detect heat or smoke. This is why the alarm has a limited lifetime.  There have been several tragedies over the years where alarms failed because their batteries expired or people have removed them. Any alarm you buy will have information on how long it lasts, which can be up to 10 years.  

Sealed, tamper-proof battery units must be used because they are safer than those which allow the user to change the batteries.

Disposing of your old alarms

Some but not all types of alarms can be recycled at recycling centres. Look on the alarm for information, or check with the manufacturer.

Compliance with the new standard 

Compliance checks

Most home owners want to make their homes as safe as possible and compliance will in time form part of any Home Report when they come to sell their home.

As this will be a minimum standard for safe houses, local authorities will be able to use their statutory powers to require owners to carry out work on substandard housing. However, as is the case for other elements of the Tolerable Standard, any intervention must be proportionate, rational and reasonable and where owners are unable to meet the standard, it is not a criminal offence.

Information and advice  

Free Home Fire Safety visits from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)

To protect the most vulnerable, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) will only fit interlinked alarms into owner-occupied homes where the individual/household is assessed as “high risk” through our Home Fire Safety Visit assessment process.

If the individual / household does not meet these criteria, SFRS staff will provide safety advice, information and details of the revised legislation during the visit. Interim detection can also be supplied if the property has no detectors at present.

Household insurance

Different home insurance policies will have different terms and conditions which a homeowner must comply with in order for their home insurance to be valid.  If you are not sure how the new fire and smoke alarm requirements affect your policy, get in touch with your insurer to find out.

Building regulations requirements

New home extensions and building regulation requirements

While building regulations recommend mains operated devices with battery back-up for building work in certain circumstances, tamper proof long-life lithium battery operated devices may be the preferred option for home owners. 

The building standards system gives the local authority verifier a degree of flexibility when applying the building regulations to alterations, extensions and conversions. They can consider that a sealed long-life battery operated system that is interlinked via radio frequency can provide an equal or in some cases, higher level of protection than is required through Building Regulations.

A building warrant is sometimes required for the installation of fire and CO alarms

If you are only installing battery operated alarms a building warrant is not required. 

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT (GLASGOW)

Electrical Condition Reports 

Faulty and old wiring is one of the main causes or electrical fires in the home in Glasgow. You can reduce the risk of a fire, and other electrical hazards such as electric shock by direct contact by checking the condition of your electrical wiring, switches, sockets, main consumer unit know as a fuse board and other accessories regularly.

How old is my electrical installation?

Signs that can help you tell the age of your electrical installation in your home include:

• Fixed cables coated in usually black vulcanised rubber (stopped being used in the 1960s).
• Fixed cables coated in lead or fabric sheath (used before the 1960s).
• A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or a mixture of fuse boxes (used before the 1960s).
• Older round pin sockets (or light switches), braided flex hanging from ceiling roses, brown (or black) switches, or sockets mounted in or no skirting boards (used before the 1960s).
• Light switches on the walls or in bathrooms (used before the 1960s).

However old your electrical installation is, it may get damaged and will suffer from wear and tear. So you should get an electrician to check its condition at least every 10 years or or every 3 years if your a landlord and now the new regulations states overtime you have a change of tenancy.

westend glasgow electrician

What is the aim of a condition report?

The five main aims of a Eicr condition report are:

1. Record the results of the inspection and testing to make sure the electrical installation is safe to be used until the next inspection (following any work needed to make it safe)
2. Find any damage and wear and tear that might affect safety, and report it
3. Find any parts of the electrical installation that do not meet the IEE Wiring Regulations
4. Help find anything that may cause electric shocks and high temperatures
5. Provide and important record of the installation at the time of the inspection, and for inspection testing in the future.

 Types of condition report

 In general, there are two types of domestic electrical installation condition report:

• Visual condition report - this does not include testing and is only suitable if the installation has been testing recently.
• Periodic inspection reports - this is what we would normally recommend, as it tests the installation and would find any hidden damage.

Glasgow

MAIN BOARD - CONSUMER UNIT REPLACEMENT GLASGOW

Electrical main boards Glasgow

Contact us - www.weselectrical.co.uk - 01418405236


When it comes time to upgrade your consumer unit / older fusebox in your home, you need to take into account several things that will effect how much you are going to spend.

Firstly you should always consult a qualified electrician before any electrical work is undertaken on you consumer unit.

secondly you would need to know how many circuits you have in your home, for example you will have one circuit for your lighting downstairs and one circuit for your upstairs lighting. also you will have a socket circuit in the form of a ring circuit , you would have a shower circuit and cooker circuit also.

The more circuits you have the bigger the main board you will need to power you home.


you will also need to take into consideration if you would choose to install a board with rcd protection.

Most new boards come with an rcd protected circuit board but you can buy ones that don't.
The issue can arise that if the is earthing issues on you circuits or you have some other wiring faults your rcd will trip and not go back up until this is fixed. you would then need to take on testing of your electrical installation through the means of a EIC test to find out where the fault lies.

If in doubt contact a qualified electrician west end Glasgow about your Fuseboard.


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ELECTRICIANS IN WESTEND GLASGOW

2014 has been a busy year so far, as we approach the end of august i have seen many more clients coming to us for our expertise in electrical rewiring commercial and domestic both are equally as busy at the moment and long may it continue. Some of out larger customers include businesses with Glasgow airport and larger shopping centres in and around Glasgow.



Another massive change to the electrical industry this year in the installation of commercial LED lighting in buildings and shopping centres, not only does it reduce the cost of the electricity bills for the client but the lamps last up to 10 x as long as regular lamps that have previously been installed.



also on the rise for our business is the installation of custom tv installation around the home, from simply putting the tv on the wall to a complete wall make over with various points av ports and speaker installations, we are a professional installation company for audio visual equipment and are the best in Glasgow at what we do feel free to get in touch if you have a query or if you require a quotation.

EICR Glasgow

Consumer unit / fuse board changing Glasgow 01418405236

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