{"id":5023,"date":"2022-02-03T12:04:04","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T12:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.schofields.ltd.uk\/blog\/?p=5023"},"modified":"2022-02-03T13:04:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:04:27","slug":"holiday-let-electrical-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schofields.ltd.uk\/blog\/5023\/holiday-let-electrical-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Electrical Safety Advice for Holiday Let Owners"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 9<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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As a holiday let landlord you must keep your property and guests safe, ensuring that all electrical appliances, circuits and fixed installations within the property are safe. Faulty electrics can result in serious injury, death or fire. If you fail to maintain electrical installations and appliances you could be held responsible.<\/p>\n

According to leading electrical safety experts, \u00a0 53.4% of all accidental domestic fires in the home (in England alone) were caused by electricity, with 58% of electrical fires beginning in the kitchen, and 71% of electrical fires, in general, originating from a faulty appliance.<\/p>\n

The constant influx of guests using appliances in your holiday homes will increase \u2018wear and tear\u2019. Guests may even misuse appliances and operate with less care than if it was their property.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s therefore essential that you take reasonable steps to check your holiday property\u2019s electrics regularly and inform guests about how to safely use electrical appliances. This allows you to act and put preventative measures in place before any appliances become a danger to your home and, most importantly, your guests.<\/p>\n

We teamed up with Electrical Safety First \u2014 a leading UK charity that aims to educate people on the importance of electrical safety \u2014 and asked them what every holiday cottage owner needs to know about electrical safety.<\/p>\n

We spoke to Technical Director at Electrical Safety First, Martyn Allen\u00a0, who shares some helpful advice on how to keep your holiday let and guests safe.<\/p>\n

I have updated any stats that were in the article from Electrical Safety First with the latest data from their website.<\/p>\n

I have checked all the links here, and also that Martyn Allen is still in post etc.<\/p>\n

Ask the expert – electrical safety faq’s<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Q1. What are the main risks that homes face when it comes to electrical appliances?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2018-19, over half of all accidental domestic fires in England were caused by electricity, with 14,186 incidents \u2014 of which 6,594 were down to misuse of an electrical item.<\/p>\n

Nearly three-quarters of these (10,111) were caused by electrical appliances.<\/p>\n

Q2. How often should electrical appliances be checked?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At the very least electrical appliances should be inspected and tested at the same time as having the fixed electrical installation checked \u2014 so at least every five years for a formal test, and every six months (or annually) for a visual check.<\/p>\n

Our Best Practice Guide, Number 6:<\/strong> Portable and stationary appliance testing in private rented accommodation<\/a> offers more advice.<\/p>\n

Q3. Which appliances pose a particular risk?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Domestic electrical white goods, such as dishwashers, tumble dryers, and fridge-freezers are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in England.<\/p>\n

In 2018-19, 2,334 fires were caused by white goods.<\/p>\n

Our microsite, www.whitegoodsafety.com<\/a>, offers some simple advice to help you keep the white goods in your holiday home safe.<\/p>\n

Q4. What appliances do homeowners often neglect?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve just mentioned above, white goods are one of the leading causes of electrical fires, but the reality is that, if not used carefully, any electrical item can put you or your guests at risk. For example:<\/p>\n