Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, comments on the latest industry updates
Posted by: electime 8th July 2021
Responding to the Private Tenancies Bill (Northern Ireland), Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First commented:
“This new Bill will finally afford tenants in Northern Ireland the same protection from electrical dangers that is already provided to PRS tenants in England and Scotland. The private rental market is now the second largest housing sector in NI and it is right that tenants are adequately protected from dangerous electrics.
The Bill, at present, does not specify the frequency of the proposed electrical safety checks and we would urge the Assembly to ensure these are introduced on a five yearly basis. Electricity is the primary cause of fires in Northern Ireland’s homes and it is right that more is done to tackle this.”
Electrical Safety First – the UK-wide charity committed to reducing the number of deaths, injuries and accidents caused by electricity in the home – recently issued Recharge – a major report on Northern Ireland’s homes. It found private tenants had less protection from electrical risk than in other parts of the UK. It also suggests how annual savings of almost £9million could be made – if electrical hazards in the housing stock were addressed.
To see a copy of the report, click here, or visit:
Commenting on the publication of the Building Safety Bill, Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First said:
“We are extremely disappointed with this Bill, which, as it stands, fails to introduce mandatory electrical safety checks in high-rise buildings. This is a missed opportunity to better protect residents from electrical danger. Less than two months ago a tower block in East London was badly damaged, and residents forced to flee, after a fire originated in a consumer unit.
High-rise living presents unique and often increased risks and the Government’s Bill should reflect this. Many high-rise tower blocks consist of privately rented, social and owner occupied flats and as such, without mandatory electrical safety checks for all of the flats within a block, safety remains a lottery based on tenure.”
