Advice for NI landlords on new electrical safety regulations

Landlords in Northern Ireland face new regulations for the electrical safety of their rental properties.

The Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 was approved by the Northern Ireland Assembly in November.

The law introduces mandatory electrical safety checks for all private tenancies.

Now, Propertymark has published a new fact sheet to help landlords and agents understand their legal requirements under the regulations.

Electrical safety inspection

Propertymark warns landlords and agents that if a tenancy does not change between 1 April and 1 December 2025, then an electrical safety inspection must be completed before 1 December 2025.

After that date, it will be illegal to start a new private tenancy without gaining a report from a qualified professional.

The professional must test and inspect every fixed electrical cable or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter.

Checks must be carried out

Sections one to six of the Act came into force on 1 April 2023, while sections seven to 12 were introduced once additional regulations were created.

Some of these have now been introduced and the checks must be carried out at frequent intervals after the first inspection.

Local councils will have the capacity to issue notices to landlords if they suspect the property does not have a legitimate inspection report.

Electrical safety standards in private rented homes

Propertymark’s policy and campaigns officer, Henry Griffith, said: “Propertymark welcomes progress taken by the Department for Communities to establish electrical safety standards in private rented homes in Northern Ireland.”

Local councils will have the power to issue notices to landlords if they suspect a property lacks a valid electrical safety inspection report.

The new legislation aims to improve the safety and well-being of tenants in the private rented sector by ensuring that all rental properties meet basic electrical safety standards.

The fact sheet can be downloaded from the Propertymark website.