How agents can win with the new Electrical Safety Regulations

26 May 2020 40063 Views

Letting agents up and down the country have undoubtedly felt the financial strain added by the outbreak of COVID19. Whilst this will continue, agents should grab a hold of opportunities to add value to their existing services and increase revenue – cue the ‘Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020’.

Here are the facts...

• 1st July = New tenancies must have a satisfactory EICR to be let.

• 1st April 2021 = All existing tenancies must have a satisfactory EICR.

• Certificates will be valid for a maximum of 5 years.

• Failed EICRs have 28 days (or less if stated by the electrician) to resolve any issues and obtain a satisfactory report.

• There is no upper spending limit for landlords when it comes to remedial works.

How to win

The incoming electrical safety standards may feel like another hurdle in difficult times, but with the right planning and partnership, they can offer an easy win and generate some much needed income. The properties that you manage will be directly impacted and landlords will start knocking on the door and asking for your help – With PropCert in your arsenal, this is business that can be easily converted. PropCert can offer national coverage of competitively priced EICRs and you can set up an account within minutes.

Why should agents act now?

According to the UKs largest electrical certification body, the NICEIC, there is currently a shortage of electricians in the UK due to the increasing demand of greener technology such as smart meters and electric cars. Throw the new electrical safety regulations into the mix and you can be sure that the workforce will be even more stretched.

• Number of rental properties in England: circa 4.5 Million (ONS)

• Number of qualified Electricians in England: 259,000 (Statista)

Bearing in mind, of this total number you would need to deduct those who do not carry out EICRs, those who do not work in the domestic trade and finally, you need to factor in their current workload unrelated to the PRS.

In short, there is more work to do than hands to do it. Hence why it is essential to mobilise quickly and get your properties compliant.

How can PropCert help?

PropCert is a national provider of property certification and compliance, specialising in EICRs and electrical safety. We have recently undertaken a full rebranding and complete system overhaul to ensure that we are perfectly poised to deliver our quality services in large volumes. We now have a market leading portal system (with full API integration) that has streamlined the ordering and management of all agents’ ancillary services. We can carry out not only the EICR inspections, but also the remedial work should there be any required, providing your clients with a turnkey solution.

To set register with us is completely free and no obligation to order, you can click here to do so.

PropCert in numbers

5500 Average property visits completed per month

320+ Qualified engineers on the ground

200+ Trade accounts ordering every month

15 Full time admin experts available to help

13 Services offered (see list below)

8 Years of service in national property compliance

Services offered

Electrical: EICRs, PAT Tests,

EPC: Domestic, Commercial and New build

Gas: Gas Safety Certificates and Boiler Servicing

New Build Services: Air Tightness Testing, Sound Insulation Testing, Ventilation Flow Rate Testing, Water Usage Calculations and Heat Loss Calculations

Other: Legionella Risk Assessments, Asbestos Management Surveys and Fire Risk Assessments

If you have any questions relating to the incoming legislation and the services we can offer, please do not hesitate to contact us:

hello@propcert.co.uk 02033978220