Showing posts with label 24 hour emergency electrician. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 24 hour emergency electrician. Show all posts

Sunday 20 August 2023

Ensuring Electrical Safety: A Comprehensive Guide for Landlords


Introduction

Electrical safety is paramount when it comes to being a responsible landlord. As the person responsible for the maintenance and well-being of your rental property, ensuring that the electrical systems are safe is not just a legal requirement but also a moral obligation. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the importance of electrical safety for landlords, the legal obligations, and practical steps to take to ensure the safety of your tenants.

The Importance of Electrical Safety

Electrical safety is not just about compliance; it's about protecting lives and property. Faulty electrical systems can lead to devastating consequences, including electrical fires, electrocutions, and property damage. As a landlord, you play a crucial role in providing a safe living environment for your tenants. By prioritizing electrical safety, you can prevent accidents, ensure tenant satisfaction, and uphold your reputation as a responsible property owner.

Legal Obligations

1. The Landlord and Tenant Act: In the UK, landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that the electrical installation in their properties is safe when tenants move in and throughout their tenancy. This obligation is outlined in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

2. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020: In England, since July 1, 2020, landlords are required to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a qualified professional at least every five years. This applies to new tenancies from that date and existing tenancies from April 1, 2021.

3. The Repairing Standard in Scotland: In Scotland, the Repairing Standard requires landlords to ensure that their properties meet a minimum physical standard, which includes having a safe and adequate electrical system.

Practical Steps for Electrical Safety

1. Periodic Electrical Inspections: EICR Hire a registered and qualified electrician to conduct periodic electrical inspections and tests. This will identify any potential hazards, wiring issues, or faulty appliances that need attention.

2. PAT Testing: Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is crucial for assessing the safety of electrical appliances in the property. All appliances provided by the landlord, such as toasters, kettles, and microwaves, should be PAT tested regularly.

3. Installation and Maintenance: Ensure that all electrical installations and appliances are installed by a qualified electrician and are properly maintained. This includes regular checks for wear and tear, damaged cords, and exposed wires.

4. RCDs and Circuit Breakers: Install residual current devices (RCDs) and circuit breakers to provide additional protection against electric shocks and overloads. These devices can prevent potentially dangerous situations.

5. Adequate Wiring and Sockets: Ensure that the property has an adequate number of sockets to avoid overloading circuits. Outdated wiring should be replaced to meet modern safety standards.

6. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms: While not directly related to electrical safety, having functional smoke and carbon monoxide alarms is essential for overall tenant safety. Test alarms regularly and replace batteries as needed.

7. Keeping Records: Maintain a record of all electrical inspections, tests, and any remedial work carried out in the property. This documentation demonstrates your commitment to safety and compliance.

Tenant Education

Apart from adhering to legal obligations and implementing safety measures, educating your tenants about electrical safety is essential. Provide them with information on how to use appliances safely, what to do in case of power outages, and whom to contact in case of electrical issues.

Conclusion

As a responsible landlord, prioritizing electrical safety is not just a legal requirement; it's a moral duty. By ensuring that your rental property's electrical systems are safe and well-maintained, you create a secure living environment for your tenants and protect your investment. Regular inspections, proper maintenance, and tenant education are key components of a comprehensive electrical safety strategy. Remember, a commitment to safety is a commitment to the well-being of both your tenants and your property.

Sunday 13 February 2022

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. 


Tuesday 8 December 2015

NICEIC UPDATES 2015


  Regulations in 2015/2016


After I attended a briefing and update session today by the NICEIC I can report on some of the main points of interest to property owners:-
  • Between January and July 2015 electrical installations work undertaken can comply with either the old or the new regulations. From July 2015 the new regulations will apply except in one regard in respect of replacement or new Consumer Units. Any electrical contractor engaged should by January be conversant with the new regulations.
  • Not unexpectedly the changes to regulations are there mainly to improve safety to persons and property. A few of the changes are to better align our regulations alongside common European regulations.
  • For home owners, from January 2016 at the latest, the main change will be a slightly different construction for Consumer Units (aka Fuse Box). Consumer Units will need to be of a fire resistance construction, in other words steel. They may not be quite so pretty and the method for the cables entering the Consumer Unit may not be so flexible or pretty either.  We shall have to wait and see what the manufacturing industry comes up with over time as they accommodate this new requirements.  I would forecast that prices for these new steel Consumer Units will be more expensive to manufacture and will take a little longer to install.  It also means that from mid 2014 there could be a flood of 3rd Amendment Regulation non compliant Consumer Units available at knock down prices.
  • For commercial businesses, schools, colleges and government buildings there will be stricter requirements for additional protection against electric shock on socket outlet circuits by increasing the use of safety devices called RCDs.  It will be a useful change in increasing safety but it does mean perhaps increased costs and in some cases a different approach to design circuits for computer equipment in offices and education establishments.
  • The will be more focus of design, inspection and testing of control circuits such as those used for central heating systems. This could present some challenges for Gas/Oil heating system engineers who may in the future have to call in an electrician whereas previously they could have completed the wiring to control valves, controllers and thermostats themselves.  This too will have cost implications on home owners.
  • The regulations for formal Inspection are changing a little as well. Enough require all new stationary and reference material for electrical contractors. Also new  methods and adjustments to learn how to use for recording results.
  • Interestingly there is a new regulation that when Periodic Inspections and Tests (EICR)are being undertaken in Homes and Business Premises then inspection to some degree or another in accessible loft spaces is now required unless recorded as a reasonable non compliance. Previously the inspection of wiring in loft spaces was a reasonably accepted omission. This is certainly a safety improvement as I personally have found a fair number of safety issues with wiring in lofts.
  • Another change is the need to ensure cables that run above or across safe exit routes but be secured with supports that will resist heat/fire. This is to avoid fire fighters and escapees being tangled up in drooping wire when try to get out of fire damaged building. Apparently the Fire Fighters requested this changes because there had been several deaths because of this problem.  To installing electricians this is a fairly  easy requirement to meet by using metal type buckle clips or purpose designed cable retainers for use inside trunking.
  • In the new Regulations there will now be approximately 1500 individual regulations, and increase of several hundred compared to the current issue.

Sunday 22 December 2013

WES Electrical Westend Glasgow


Westend Glasgow Electricians employ three full-time electricians.

Between them they have over 50 years experience in all aspects of electrical works including Domestic Housing, Commercial and Industrial.


Each of our electricians are:



Fully qualified to 17th edition Regulations

Fully qualified to City and Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing and Certification


 At Westend Glasgow Electricians we have a well deserved reputation for being dependable, professional, reliable, and for carrying out all works to a high standard of quality at a very reasonable price.

DOMESTIC HOUSING

In order to give a top quality service we make sure to carry a stock of the most commonly requested items on our vans. This ensures that if the work we are asked to carry out is one of the most common things, for example changing a light fitting, or a light switch or socket, or adding additional sockets, we do not have to spend time going away to an electrical supplier to collect these items. This keeps the cost of the work down and enables us to provide an excellent service at a very reasonable price.For smaller works we are usually able to attend your home at a time of your choosing and advise on the best way of carrying out the work in the most cost effective manner. We will be able to give you a price there and then, and if you are happy with the price we can carry out the work straight away. This saves having to make a second visit and helps to keep the cost to a minimum.

Our electricians always make sure to keep disruption to a minimum while carrying out the works, and on completion carry out a thorough clean-up.



Westend Glasgow Electricians carry out all aspects of electrical works to Domestic Housing ranging from a Full Rewire to changing Plug Sockets and Lights.

  

At Wes electrical all quotes are given free of charge and at no obligation.

Monday 9 December 2013

DIY DANGERS

There are so many programmes and articles on how to D.I.Y and sometimes, it is easier to watch a YouTube video and have a go yourself. Some jobs however are better left to the professionals. Especially with electrics where you can be seriously harmed if something goes wrong.
One of the biggest dangers of doing DIY electrical work is the electricity itself. We are so used to pressing buttons or flipping a switch we forget how powerful it can be. The slightest mistake like using the wrong tools, brushing a wire against another or forgetting to turn of the power, can lead to anything from electric burns to death. While you may be fine Googling how to change a fuse, it is always better to contact reliable and cost effective professionals like Westend Glasgow Electricians, to ensure no avoidable accidents occur.
Professionals at Westend Glasgow Electricians know exactly how to test circuits and find out where problems are coming from. This can be more difficult in older houses with dodgy wiring and the labelling on the fuse box has faded. Not only are you creating hazards when you carry out electric work yourself, you may not be meeting regulations. This could lead to a lot more problems like invalidating any home insurance if the problem was caused by work not following standards. By using a qualified and registered electrician, you can rest assured they are covered by their insurance and will carry out the job professionally and can be held accountable.
If you’re in doubt, it is always better to use a professional so call west end glasgow Electricians today to get free advice.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

24/7 Emergency call out electricians

Electrical ~ Tips for Staying Safe


Wes Electrical services 24/7 emergency call out electricians westend glasgow.
Benjamin Franklin studied electricity, and is quite famous even today for his kite and key experiment with lightning. We must always remember that Ben could have been seriously injured during that experiment. It is never a good idea to be careless with something as powerful as electrical energy!
Electricity has the power to light lamps that help us see at night and fuel heaters that keep us warm in winter, but it is important not to get in electricity's way because it can harm you. Here are a few electrical safety tips to remember:

  • Never play with electrical cords, wires, switches, or plugs.
  • Stay away from fallen power lines. Tell an adult if you see a fallen line.
  • Never use a hairdryer or play an electrical radio or television near a bathtub or sink.
  • Before you climb a tree, look up. If a power line is nearby or touching, stay away from the tree.
  • Never touch anything that runs on electricity when your hands are wet.
  • Fly kites and model airplanes in a wide open field or park—never near overhead electrical wires.
  • Never climb utility poles or electrical towers.
  • always isolate power before work
  • Stay away from substations and transformers
  • if in doubt contact a qualified electrician

Ensuring Safe Homes: The Imperative of Electrical Testing, Qualified Electricians, and EICRs for Landlords in Glasgow

https://g.co/kgs/Fsif6i Introduction Renting out a property comes with significant responsibilities, particularly when it comes to the safet...