Electrical safety in your home

Handyman fixing wires As your landlord, we’re required to undertake electrical safety inspections in your home every 5 years – this helps to ensure you and your neighbours stay safe.

Electrical safety inspections

Electrics deteriorate with age and use, so we carry out Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) in your home every 5 years. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘periodic inspection’.

An EICR provides information on the condition of an electrical installation. It helps identify any faults, outdated wiring, or other issues that could pose a risk of an electric shock or fire. Its main purpose is to ensure electrical installations in your home are safe.

An EICR also highlights any areas of concern or recommended improvements in a home’s electrical system. It helps us plan for future maintenance, repairs, or upgrades to ensure the ongoing safety and efficiency of the electrical installations.

An EICR will:

Reveal if any electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded
Find any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards
Identify any defective electrical work
Highlight any lack of earthing or bonding.

If we find any issues, we’ll be in touch about repairs.

How to reduce the risk of fire or injury caused by an electrical fault

Never try to make any alterations to the wiring, sockets or light fittings in your home – if you want to make any changes, you should speak to us first.
Switch off appliances when not in use.
Always switch off and disconnect TVs from their power source at night.
Make sure all plugs are wired correctly.
Check flexes regularly, never use damaged ones and don’t run them under carpets or rugs.
Never touch switches with wet or damp hands.
Never wire more than one electrical appliance into one plug, and don’t use adaptors.
Don’t run any appliances from a light fitting.

There’s a burning smell / smoke marks from an electrical socket / fuse board – what should I do?

If there’s a burning smell or smoke marks from a socket or fuse board, you should turn off the power at the main switch on the fuse board then contact us by phone to report the problem.

There’s been a leak and water is coming through a light fitting – what should I do?

If water is coming through a light fitting, don’t attempt to touch it or switch the light on – contact us by phone immediately for assistance.

Electrical appliance safety

If you think one of your electrical appliances is faulty, please check your model and serial number or look for the model data label.

You can check if your appliance has been recalled using a tool on the Electrical Safety First website.

Electrical safety in your home

Search the Habinteg Housing Association website