Responding to the Government’s failure to include mandatory electrical checks in its report on electrical safety in the private rented sector, Labour’s London Assembly Housing Spokesperson, Tom Copley AM, said:
"Mandatory electrical safety tests are already in place in Scotland and are expected to be brought in in Wales, it’s completely unfair that the government refuse to give the same protection to renters in England.
"London has the largest private rented sector in the UK, and more fires occur in private rented homes than any other tenure. We already have annual gas safety checks. Five-yearly electrical safety tests are hardly an onerous extra burden to place on landlords.
“Across the capital many people are also using white goods that, without their knowledge, pose a serious fire risk and are subject to recall. Mandatory checks could mean these are identified before they result in serious harm. However, we also need the government to get behind the London Fire Brigade’s Total Recalls campaign which includes the call for a central record of appliances flagged for recall.
"These avoidable fires can do untold damage to people’s lives and their homes, and I urge the government to reconsider their light touch approach."
Notes to editors
- In December 2016, the London Assembly backed a unanimous motion for the Government to introduce mandatory electrical safety checks to be conducted every five years;Information about the London Fire Brigades Total Recalls campaign can be found here;
- Tom Copley is a Londonwide Assembly Member
For more information please contact London Assembly Labour Group senior press officer, Alison Orlandi, on 020 7983 4952. Number not for publication.