Tripping fuses, scorch marks or exposed wiring in your rented home? Your landlord's electrical safety duties, the warning signs, and what to do if they ignore you.
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A faulty electrical system is one of the most dangerous problems a home can have. It can start a fire, or deliver a serious shock, with little warning. Something feels unsafe while the landlord sits still? You hold rights, and waiting helps nobody.
Your landlord's electrical safety duties
Your landlord must keep the home's electrical installation safe. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes them keep the electricity supply installations in repair and working order.
Private renting carries a specific duty too. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, the installation must be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, with tenants given a copy of the report.
A serious fault can also be assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which recognises electrical hazards. A bad enough case counts as a Category 1 hazard, one the council can make the landlord fix.
Warning signs of a dangerous fault
Some signs must never be ignored. Fuses or trip switches that keep going. A burning smell with no clear source. Scorch marks or staining around sockets or switches. Sockets warm to the touch. Flickering lights. Exposed or damaged wiring. Each points to a fault needing a qualified electrician.
Smell burning, see sparks, or feel a shock from a switch or appliance? Treat it as an emergency. Stop using the circuit and report it straight away.
What to do if you spot a hazard
Report it in writing at once. Describe exactly what you saw or smelled, and say you believe it is a safety risk. Ask for an urgent inspection by a qualified electrician, and keep a copy of your message.
Photograph what you safely can, scorch marks or a fault code, without risking yourself. Keep every reply. A landlord who sits on a serious danger leaves you the council: its environmental health team can assess electrical hazards.
How to claim
Was the landlord told of an electrical hazard born of disrepair, and failed to make it safe? Free, independent advice is open to you. Support For Tenants is an FCA-authorised claims management company, not a solicitor. We check whether grounds for a disrepair claim exist, and where they do, we connect you with a panel solicitor working no-win, no-fee. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Does my landlord have to check the electrics?
Yes. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes them keep the installation safe and working. Private landlords in England must also have it inspected at least every five years, and give you the report.
What are the warning signs of an electrical fault?
Fuses that keep tripping. A burning smell. Scorch marks or warmth around sockets. Flickering lights. Exposed or damaged wiring. All need a qualified electrician.
What should I do if I smell burning or get a shock?
Treat it as an emergency. Stop using the circuit, report it in writing straight away, and ask for an urgent inspection.
Can the council help?
Yes. Your local council's environmental health team can assess electrical hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
Does it cost anything to start a claim?
Where a claim appears to exist, we connect you with a panel solicitor working no-win, no-fee. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Worried your home's electrics are not safe?
Never wait for something to go wrong. Get a free, independent view on your rights. Call free on 0800 030 4669 or start your claim.
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11
- Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance (GOV.UK)
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System guidance (GOV.UK)
Support For Tenants is a trading name of Cyntex Group Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Claims Management Company. FRN 1020217. Registered in England and Wales.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 2 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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