Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 62
62
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 187
We agree that electrical safety should be an integral part of the building safety system...
Recommendation
We agree that electrical safety should be an integral part of the building safety system and that the Bill is an opportunity to require regular electrical safety checks in higher-risk buildings. We are clear, however, that no further specific duties should be placed on the accountable person with regard to electrical appliances, as their existing duties are already extremely onerous, although they should be required through the engagement strategy provisions to inform residents of their duties under clause 86 and to provide guidance to facilitate their compliance with those duties.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government welcomes the recommendation on electrical safety, noting existing private landlord legislation and a planned social housing consultation. It will publish general guidance on Accountable Person duties to mitigate risks, but does not specifically address the recommendation to avoid further appliance duties on APs or require them to inform residents under clause 86.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
187
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
We welcome the Committee’s recommendation and agree that the safety of all residents is paramount. In June 2020, Government bought forward legislation to require private landlords to require electrical installations to be inspected by a competent person every five years. This legislation was based on a recommendation of the Electrical Standards Working Group, established by MHCLG to review electrical safety standards in the private rented sector. The remit of the group did not extend to the social rented sector where standards were higher. The Social Housing White Paper published in November 2020, committed Government to undertake a consultation on keeping social housing residents safe from electrical harm. This will consider the issue of extending safety measures in private rented sector to social housing. We will engage with other key stakeholders in an official led working group to inform the content of our consultation. Government will publish guidance clarifying that the Accountable Person must take all reasonable steps to mitigate or control the building safety risks, the spread of fire and structural failure, regardless of the cause.
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