Maintenance access home working tenants

[Morleyman]

Wondered if anyone can clarify where I stand needing to have electrical maintenance carried out on a rental property where tenants work from home due to COVID. The electrician I am using only works weekdays but my tenants have said this work cannot take place during the week as they can’t have the power off while trying to work. I am always willing to work with them where possible but surely my responsibility as a landlord is to maintain the property and have the relevant safety checks carried out. Ultimately It is the tenants responsibility to make alternate work arrangements if required with their employer and not shouldn’t be of my concern. Would this be correct providing I am giving reasonable notice of the work?

[theartfullodger]

Wondered if anyone can clarify where I stand needing to have electrical maintenance carried out on a rental property where tenants work from home due to COVID. ....

So is it that YOU need to have it done, or do the tenants need to have it done, please??

Is this EICR?

What does the tenancy state about such works please?

Other electricians are available with different working hours, I'm sure.

[boletus]

"Tenant like manner"
In short, he must do the little jobs around the place which a reasonable tenant would do.
-Lord Denning.

Would a reasonable tenant in good health do the little job of allowing access during normal working hours for a non essential EICR during a covid lockdown?

Maybe.

Personally, I'm not asking my tenants or electrician to risk it, even though I'm sure they would if I asked.

[Neelix]

I would find another spark ..... I occasionally work on Saturdays for key customers, then take a day off during the week

being self employed sometimes means being flexible

[cymro123]

If it is not an emergency, urgent or a safety issue I would not attempt to enter a tenant's home until the COVID restrictions are suitably eased to allow people from one household to enter another household (step 3?). Aside from the risk of infection between occupiers and employee/contractor is it right people cannot invite their own family into their home but a contractor can enter when it suits them?

[ash5050]

Agree with the above really.
If the issue for the tenant is working hours then find someone who will do the work evening or weekend.
If the issue is covid concerns then leave it unless it is a proper safety issue.

[jpkeates]

The problem is that the EICR is a safety issue.
And there is the potential of a large fine if one isn't carried out by the end of this month.

I have had one check done while the tenant was working from home.
They had to take half a day off work to allow it to be completed, and we arranged the inspection on a day and time when taking a day off suited them.

However, the documented refusal of a tenant to co-operate is a defence to the fine, and an EICR is a very intrusive process during a lockdown.

[boletus]

The problem is that the EICR is a safety issue.

I disagree, the properties I've had checked are no safer than the day before they were checked.

It is overzealous government interference cheered on by a vested interest industry.

The safe thing would be for government to delay implementation until the end of the year.

[jpkeates]

I disagree, the properties I've had checked are no safer than the day before they were checked.

One landlord I know had the check done last summer.
The flat she was letting had no "earth" - and none of the other flats in the block did either.

It is overzealous government interference cheered on by a vested interest industry.

Because the government declines to do actual cost/benefit reviews, we'll never know.

I recall one journallist who was incensed when it was revealed that the laws relating to child seats in cars were being introduced when there was no evidence that they would save lives and that deaths that related to child seats at all were almost unknown. A certain Boris Johnson.

The safe thing would be for government to delay implementation until the end of the year.

Totally agree with this.

[Berlingogirl]

It certainly is a safety issue. One of my Ts has replaced all the ordinary pendants with metal light fittings and most of the light switches with metal ones. The bathroom now has a metal spotlight. There's now an earthing issue probably linked to the metal fittings. One of the plastic light switches is smashed. The cover is missing off the consumer unit and the electrics to the shed! good grief! a disaster waiting to happen.

[pebblepebble]

I can't do mine, tenants haven't given us permission. Not surprising as they moved out 9 months ago and the people who had been living there have been gone 6 weeks now. Even though the property is empty the solicitor has told us we can't go in without permission unless there is an immediate threat to life.

[jpkeates]

Why can't you serve 24 hours written notice to inspect the condition of the property as you are entitled to do by law?

[pebblepebble]

Because I have had two solicitors now telling me I can't go onto the property to do the work without permission and as we are selling once they are formally evicted I'm not worried if it doesn't get done.

[cymro123]

The OP refers to 'electrical maintenance' not inspection and testing of the electrical installation

[cymro123]

Why can't you serve 24 hours written notice to inspect the condition of the property as you are entitled to do by law?

You could do this if you blindly follow 1980s legislation but given we are in the middle of a pandemic, the risk of infection and restrictions on one person from one household entering another household you would need to consider if that is the right thing to do. In this case is the risk of infection greater than the risks from delaying the electrical maintenence?