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Safe to Rent?
30th June 2009
Many of us will have lived in rented accommodation at some stage of our lives, possibly as students or while saving to get on the housing ladder
Even so it may still come as a surprise to learn that around 7.8 million homes in the UK are rented. Of these, some 840,000 are defined as houses in multiple occupation or HMOs - that is a property let to three or more tenants who form two or more households. HMOs are a key source of housing for often vulnerable groups in society.
While most HMOs are well maintained by responsible landlords and careful tenants, confusion about landlords’ legal obligations coupled with a lack of awareness amongst tenants about electrical safety generally can put householders in HMOs at risk.
To coincide with the launch of our new Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety, we’ve embarked on a PR campaign to reduce electrical risks in rented homes.
Working with specialist landlord publications and online forums to target particularly those landlords operating in the private rented sector, we’re trying not only to raise awareness amongst this audience of their legal responsibilities, but also offer guidance as to how these obligations may be met.
Of course landlords aren’t the only parties involved. Students, migrant workers and 18-30 year olds on a low income make up a significant number of the tenants in multiple occupancy housing.
Tenants need to be aware of their rights when it comes to the electrical safety of their accommodation and know how to identify any problems. They should also understand their own obligations and responsibilities including safe use of the electrical installation and appliances in the home.
We’re working closely with organisations such as the National Union of Students, major universities, local authorities and migrant community groups around the country to gather information about the safety standards in rented accommodation and provide essential safety advice for tenants, as well as delivering safety messages through a wide range of media channels. To help with our PR campaign, we’re on the look out for tenants, landlords, electrical contractors and others who have had to deal with a potentially dangerous electrical problem in a rented home.
If you know anyone who may fit the bill, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact peta.barsby@ridgemountpr.co.uk for further information.
