Keeping you safe
Electrical safety
What we are doing to keep you safe?
It is a legal requirement to have an electrical test every five years in a rented home. This is called an Electrical Installation Condition Report or ‘EICR’ for short.
What is involved in the EICR electrical safety test?
During an EICR inspection, a qualified electrician or electrical engineer will inspect the electrical installations in your home. The engineer will carry out a visual inspection, checking for cracks, breaks and signs of overheating. Electrical testing will then be carried out where voltages and currents are used to check the safety of the different circuits. If issues are found, they will be recorded and detailed in the report.
We will let you know when yours is due, usually by sending you a letter.
Why is electrical safety so important?
If your body receives an electric shock, it can cause serious injury and potential on-going health issues such as burns, heart problems and breathing complications.
This electrical test is a legal requirement and we’re on hand to help you with any electrical questions or concerns you may have, but we also need your help to keep you and your loved ones safe.
For any electrical work always seek the help of a qualified electrician. To enquire about an electrical safety check, you can use our enquiry form:
Don’t do it yourself
DIY wiring can lead to electrical parts overheating, causing fires, shocks and potential serious injury.
Don't overload sockets
Plugging too many devices into one socket, and over-using extension leads, can lead to overheating and fires.
Do buy trusted electrical goods
Cheaper, 'unofficial' electrical products such as phone chargers may not meet safety regulations which can increase the risk of fire.
Do allow electrical inspections to take place
Regular checks are the best way to be sure that electrical installations are safe, and to spot potential problems before its too late.
Power outages
There may be a rare instance where your power goes out. You can follow these steps to keep yourself as safe as possible:
Check your fuse box
It could be located either inside or outside your home. All the switches should be at the ‘on’ position, if one or more are off, switch them back on. If all of your switches are already in the ‘on’ position, turn the main breaker switch off and then back on again.
Check with your neighbours
Check with neighbours to see if they are experiencing the same issue, there may have been a power outage in your neighbourhood.
Call your energy company
If there has been a power outage in your area, call your energy company and let them know your home is not receiving any power. You will need a charged mobile phone for this. They may already know but will be able to give you an update on when the power will come back on.
Unplug appliances
Unplug most appliances, excluding your fridge. When your power does come back on, there may be a power surge that could damage some of your major appliances if they stay plugged in.
Electrical safety with children and pets
- children and pets aren’t always aware of the dangers of electricity, but there are ways that you can protect them against electrical accidents in the home
- cover all outlets with plug socket guards; these can be purchased cheaply from DIY stores
- keep appliance cords out of the reach of children or pets, especially those connected to hot items such as kettles and irons
- don’t leave things like mobile phones charging in reach of children or pets in case they bite or chew them
- keep liquids away from any electrical appliances
