Landlords in Sefton who own properties where electrical facilities are not up to standard could face fines of up to £30,000.
The new rules will see Sefton Council now able to order rogue landlords to carry out vital remedial works or even arrange for the repairs to be done themselves and recover their costs from the landlord.
Inspections of properties must be carried out at least every five years, with electrical safety reports available for tenants to view.
In his report to councillors, Assistant Director of Place (Economic Growth and Housing) Stuart Barnes wrote: “The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020.
“The Regulations require landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a person who is qualified and competent, at least every five years.
“Landlords must provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants, and if requested to their local authority.
“Existing legislation already required landlords to keep their properties free from electrical hazards, but the requirement to obtain an electrical safety report was previously limited to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) accommodation.
“Under these Regulations the Local Housing Authority (LHA) can also require landlords to carry out vital remedial works or even arrange for the repairs to be done themselves and recover their costs from the landlord.
“Following failure to comply with the Regulations, an LHA can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 on a landlord.
“Proceeds of financial penalties can be used to carry out private rented sector enforcement. Any amount that is not used in this way must be paid into the Consolidated Fund, the government’s general bank account at the Bank of England.
“Statutory Guidance issued October 2021, states that the LHA should develop and document their own policy on how they determine appropriate financial penalty levels.
“The maximum penalty amount is expected to be reserved for the very worst offenders. The actual amount levied in any particular case should reflect the severity of the offence as well as taking account of the landlord’s previous record of offending.
“The team are now at a stage where enforcement action will be necessary and the policy to support the level of fine for each civil penalty served is required to support that enforcement work.”
If the policy is approved, staff will undergo internal training to ensure they are competent in its implementation.
Template Civil Penalty Notices have been created and approved by Legal Services and are ready for service.
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