Grenfell tower fire: after recent tragic events, safety regulations for private landlords must go further

In the wake of the tragic North Kensington blaze, the accidental landlord says private rental safety regulations don’t go far enough.
£2,145 per month: this one-bedroom flat in Camden Lock. Available through Red Property Partnership, call 020 7485 1332

While we still don’t know the full story behind the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, the tragedy must have prompted many private landlords — myself included — to take a closer look at the safety of their own rental properties.

Privately rented homes should be among the safest in the country because landlords must comply with a number of health and safety laws that don’t apply to home-owners, but there is an argument, I think, that the regulations don’t go quite far enough.

For instance, rented properties must have smoke alarms on every floor, but there is no requirement for them to be hard-wired into the mains, which I think would avoid the risk of them failing due to drained or missing batteries. At the same time, I think it would be a good idea for landlords to provide heat detectors in kitchens, which could potentially provide earlier warning of a fire.

Also, while landlords must have gas appliances and flues checked by a qualified gas engineer at least once a year, there’s no requirement to have electrical appliances or installations checked by a professional, unless the property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Sorry to bang on about this, I know I’ve raised this issue before, but I can’t understand why it isn’t a legal requirement for landlords to have wiring and electrical appliances checked at least once every few years.

I realise this will add to landlords’ costs and, yes, that might lead to a slight increase in rents (though probably not), but I think it’s just as vital as gas safety checks. The law does make it clear that landlords are responsible for ensuring that sockets and light switches and all electrical appliances are safe and the government does recommend that landlords have a professional safety check every five years or before the start of every new tenancy, but I don’t think that’s enough. How would a layman like me know if the electrical wiring or the cooker is faulty?

Early reports suggested the fire at Grenfell was started by a faulty fridge and I don’t know if it’s true but it doesn’t sound unlikely to me. A little classmate of my daughter’s lost three members of her family, including her baby brother, in a house fire that started when a plug on a kitchen appliance suddenly exploded on a really hot day.

We could reduce the likelihood of these fires breaking out in privately rented property by making sure that all landlords have a legal obligation to have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least once every five years and Portable Appliance Tests every two years, no?

Also, I think there might be an argument for properties to have a fire safety inspection prior to being let for the first time. At the moment, unless it’s an HMO, landlords are able to carry out their own fire safety assessment of their properties but surely it would be better for these checks to be carried out by a professional who is aware of the hazards that a regular Jo like you and me might overlook?

To those landlords who baulk at the cost, of which I think there must be only a few, I say that if we work together to ensure that privately rented accommodation is without doubt the safest in the country, it will benefit us all.