Swansea East Assembly Member Mike Hedges has today called on the Welsh Government to consider bring in electrical safety legislation to protected tenants living in private rented sector properties in Wales.
During Plenary questions to the Housing Minister Huw Lewis, the Swansea AM asked the Minister what consideration has the Welsh Government given towards legislating the compulsory fitting of residual current devices (RSD) in private rented sector properties to help protect tenants against fatal electric shocks and reduce the risk of electrical fires.
Residual current devices, commonly known as trip switches, are designed to monitor the electric current flowing along a circuit and almost instantaneously switches off the circuit if it detects electrical faults such as a person touching a live part of a wire.
Under current UK legislation, private sector landlords are legally required to ensure that all electrical equipment is safe however there is no legal obligation to carry out annual electrical safety checks.
Swansea East’s Mike Hedges, a former Materials Engineer at British Steel, said:
“Research has shown us that tenants in the private rented sector are more likely to be at risk from electrical accidents due to a number of reasons, including poorly maintained electrical installations and a lack of knowledge among some landlords of their responsibility towards electrical safety.
“Although landlords are legally obliged to carry out annual gas safety checks, they are not legally obliged to carry out annual electrical safety checks, which I believe needs addressing.
“Residual current devices are one of the most effective ways to protect people against electric shocks and electric fires. Although the use of RCDs is now required by UK building standards on all new build homes, there are still a number of properties, particularly in the private rented sector, that don’t have adequate protection or no protection at all.
“Wales is already leading the way when it comes to housing standards and safety measures and I believe that introducing the mandatory fitting of RSDs in all rented properties would be the next logical step to ensure the safety of people’s homes and their families.”
Director General of the Electrical Safety Council, Phil Buckle, said:
“Whilst all landlords should be aware they are responsible for electrical safety in properties they let, sadly a minority do not, making the threat of electrical accidents real and serious for many in the Welsh private rented sector.
“With recent announcements on sprinklers, the Welsh Government has made itself a UK leader on home safety measures. Now the Electrical Safety Council is calling for it to reduce risks further still, by using new legislation to make RCDs mandatory in the Welsh private rented sector.
“We are grateful to Mike for raising this matter in The Assembly and hope it will lead to firm action from Ministers.”
