Electrical safety instructions

[fallenlord]

Does anyone supply electrical safety instructions for appliances in their properties? I am in the early stages of putting together a pack for our landords to be left at properties, as I have read recently that a LA was fined for not supplying instructions.

Does anyone have any experiance with this or any knowlegde of an agent being sued for not supplying safety instructions?

[pete's properties]

I left instructions at my property. I have never heard anyone say it is obligatory, merely useful for the tenants.

In my experience it saves money in the long run to buy all new electrical items, scan the manual and leave copies and keep the originals for later tenants. This also avoids paying for safety checks.

Perhaps the case you refer to will have been due to negligence of common sense; perhaps a search of the net for basic guidelines on use of equipment might be all you need.

Others may know more but I hope this helps

:)

[Ericthelobster]

In my experience it saves money in the long run to buy all new electrical items, scan the manual and leave copies and keep the originals for later tenants. This also avoids paying for safety checks.So you replace all your electrical stuff every 12 months, then?!?

[pcwilkins]

So you replace all your electrical stuff every 12 months, then?!?


scan the manual and leave copies and keep the originals for later tenants.

I don't think he does...

When we moved in there were no instructions for the washing machine but we managed to find some online. I've never heard of any legal obligation on part of LL to supply them.

Peter

[jeffrey]

When we moved in there were no instructions for the washing machine but we managed to find some online.
Where else would you find washing but on the line?

[Bel]

The Consumer Protection Act 1987 requires that goods supplied by a landlord ‘in the course of a business’ must be safe and consumers must be supplied with information and warnings about the use of products supplied.

Q.E.D.

[pcwilkins]

The Consumer Protection Act 1987 requires that goods supplied by a landlord ‘in the course of a business’ must be safe and consumers must be supplied with information and warnings about the use of products supplied.

That's potentially useful, thanks.

Peter

[davidjohnbutton]

What I do is go online to the manufacturers website and see if the manual is available there. I then copy the file and bung it onto the end of the tenancy agreement for that particular property so then when the TA is run off for a new tenancy, they automatically get a copy of any instruction manual for things like cookers, burglar alarm, CH system etc.

Where the manual is not available online, I scan the paper copy and deal with it in the same way.

[Skengland]

Yes, that is helpful, thanks Bel.

When we moved into our rental property my husband and I had never used a boiler with radiators as we had always lived in flats with storage heater.

It was new boiler but there were no instructions. Please don't laugh...dispite being in our 30s, we had no idea how it worked!!!
We figured it out, but it does go to show, you can't assume people know how things work.

And washing machines. Don't start me on washing machines...

[Surrey]

...video recorders, anyone...?

(Nah, just ask the kids!)

[alarm man]

I supply burglar alarm user manuals online

[welshgold]

From posts i am wondering if you are aware that if you supply appliances you must have a a portable appliance check P.A.T carried out by a part p registerred electrician. And records of this must be kept.

[bagpuss]

We had a full electrical check done on our houses, plus, Trading Standards also came around and did a brief check of electrical equipment. They didn't ask us to provide instruction manuals but we always do - it's just common sense to do so. We get manuals on-line too, when we don't have the originals.

[Ericthelobster]

From posts i am wondering if you are aware that if you supply appliances you must have a a portable appliance check P.A.T carried out by a part p registerred electrician. Not for a normal, non-HMO letting you don't; although it's advisable to do so.

[Mrs Dingle]

I supply instructions for the operation of the storage radiators.That is enough confusion.Portable electrical tests? Is that where it's supplied in a commercial enviroment i.e. staff rest room.

[ah84]

Not for a normal, non-HMO letting you don't; although it's advisable to do so.



I have two licenced HMO's. The council had plenty of requirements, but they did not mention PAT testing.

[pete's properties]

.....Portable electrical tests? Is that where it's supplied in a commercial enviroment i.e. staff rest room.

That's the one. You get a nice little sticker on your kettle plug / washing machine etc.

It seems safest to do this where the item is not brand new, or if there is a change of tenants and you can't be sure the item has been looked after.

:)

[Ericthelobster]

I have two licenced HMO's. The council had plenty of requirements, but they did not mention PAT testing.Sorry, didn't mean to imply otherwise in my post; what I meant was that I'm not familiar with the rules for HMOs as I don't own any.


It seems safest to do this where the item is not brand new, or if there is a change of tenants and you can't be sure the item has been looked after.Yes agreed - as opposed to the original advice that it was compulsory.

[Kentish3739]

Hi
I attended a course on Basic Lettings Law recently and they state that even if you do not have the user manual for the appliance it must be safe at point of supply and you MUST provide the saftey pages that come at the back of every manual (ie. how to require the plug, correct fuse etc.) If a tenant injures themselves on an appliance that was 'safe at point of supply' but they were not given the safety bits of the manual at start of tenancy then the landlord/agent would be found to be at fault.