The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has launched a consultation and call for evidence on electrical safety in the social rented sector.

The consultation follows up on a commitment in the Social Housing White Paper and aims to improve safety for residents in social rented homes.  The consultation is seeking comments on two specific proposals:

• Mandatory checks on electrical installations for social housing at least every five years and
• Mandatory Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on all electrical appliances that are provided by social landlords as part of a tenancy.

The paper also issues a call for evidence in relation to mandatory checks on electrical installations for owner-occupier leasehold properties within social housing blocks at least every five years.