Private landlords · England
The tenancy rules changed on 1 May 2026. Your electrical safety duties did not, and a consultation now asks whether Awaab's Law repair deadlines should reach private lets. Here is what is law, what is planned and what is only proposed.
Part P
BS 7671At a glance
The Renters' Rights Act is about tenancies and evictions. Your electrical duties sit in separate regulations that are unchanged. The thing to watch is a consultation, not a new law.
1 May 2026
The gov.uk overview for landlords says these changes came into effect on 1 May 2026:
None of that is electrical, and the overview does not mention electrical safety. Two knock-on effects are worth knowing:
Source: gov.uk, Renters' Rights Act: an overview for landlords (published 1 May 2026); gov.uk electrical safety standards guidance.
Unchanged
These come from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/312, regulation 3), as set out in the current gov.uk guidance (published 1 November 2025). Private landlords must:
Also from the same guidance: a newly built or completely rewired home with an Electrical Installation Certificate needs no further report for 5 years after it; the regulations do not cover communal areas such as stairwells, though councils can still enforce there under other housing law; and if remedial work genuinely cannot be done in 28 days (for example, while waiting for the energy supplier to fit an isolator), you are not in breach if you took all reasonable steps, so keep a record of every message and booking.
Booking an inspection: see landlord EICR. What the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes mean: landlord EICR guide. The full landlord service: landlord electrical compliance and our landlord portal.
Alarms
Separate regulations again: the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/1693), as amended from 1 October 2022. The gov.uk landlord booklet (updated 29 July 2022) sets out the duties:
At least one on every storey that has a room used as living accommodation.
In any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker.
Checked and working on the day a new tenancy begins, and repaired or replaced once you are told one is faulty.
The regulations do not say whether alarms must be mains or battery powered. The booklet recommends alarms that meet BS 5839-6 for smoke and BS EN 50291 for carbon monoxide. Building Regulations work, such as a loft conversion, can bring its own alarm requirements. For mains-interlinked alarms fitted and certified, see smoke, heat and CO alarms; for HMOs, see HMO electrics.
Proposed, not law
Status on 25 October 2026: consultation only. Nothing below applies to private landlords yet. The final scope, deadlines and start date will be set by the government after the consultation closes.
Awaab's Law already applies to social landlords. Its first phase came into force on 27 October 2025, covering emergency hazards and significant damp and mould. A second phase, which adds electrical hazards among others, is due to come into force on 30 November 2026, subject to Parliament's approval. Our guide for social landlords covers that side.
For private tenancies, the government published "Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences" on 9 October 2026. It closes at 11.59pm on 18 December 2026. In short, it:
Our practical view, whatever the final rules: a current EICR with every C1 and C2 cleared, working alarms, and a written record of when tenants report problems and when you act will make any new deadlines easier to meet.
Coming later
The government's roadmap says the private rented sector database will start rolling out from late 2026. Subject to Parliament, it expects the database to include, for each property, safety information covering gas, electrical and energy performance certificates. A landlord ombudsman is expected in 2028. A Decent Homes Standard for private rented homes is listed as to be confirmed, subject to consultation. An in-date report on file now means nothing to chase later.
A sensible order
We carry out landlord EICRs, remedial work, and mains-interlinked smoke, heat and CO alarms across Mid Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset. Certificates are issued through NAPIT (registration 66245) and sent to you ready to pass on.
Every job is priced individually: you get a fixed written quote after a survey.
Ask about your properties or call 07889 334849.
Related: which certificate for which job · EV chargers in rented homes and flats
FAQ
No. The gov.uk overview of the Act for landlords does not mention electrical safety. The Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 still require an inspection and test at least every 5 years, copies of the report for tenants and remedial work within 28 days. What changed is the penalty guidance councils follow: for offences committed from 1 May 2026, gov.uk points to civil penalties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation.
No. On 25 October 2026 it is a consultation, open from 9 October to 18 December 2026. The consultation gives 2027 as the earliest feasible start, and the government's implementation roadmap lists the timing as to be confirmed.
Possibly. The consultation asks whether it should cover all Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards except overcrowding, and that list includes electrical hazards. Nothing has been decided.
Not if the current report is less than 5 years old and does not call for further remedial or investigative work. gov.uk says the new tenant must get a copy of the most recent report before they move in, and recommends a visual check of the property before a new tenancy starts.
gov.uk lists a satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate, a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or other appropriate electrical certification. We issue the right one for the work, so you can pass it to your tenant and, if asked, the council.
Mid Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, including Wells, Glastonbury, Street, Shepton Mallet, Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Wedmore and Bath. Every job is priced individually, with a fixed written quote after a survey.
Sources
Last reviewed 25 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Get a quote
Tell us how many properties you have and where they are. We'll check dates, book inspections around your tenants and quote any remedial work in writing.
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