Electrical Safety and consumer redress in housing consultations launched

The Government has launched TWO new consultations impacting the private rented sector this week.

This means that over 26 consultations that impact the PRS have been launched since September 2017.

The first is a consultation on electrical safety in the PRS,

This has been launched following  an Electrical Safety Standards Working Group report, published in November.

RLA Vice-Chair Chris Town was one of the members of a Working Group which made a number of recommendations around the issue of electrical safety.

These included a requirement that landlords should be encouraged to install Residual Current Devices (RCDs) as good practice – with the recommendation set out in official guidance, as suggested by the RLA.

RCDs are safety devices designed to prevent people from getting a fatal electric shock form faulty appliances and wiring, if they touch something live such as a bare wire.

Following on from the publication of the Working Group’s report, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has now announced a consultation, in which groups are being invited to share their views and comments, in order to gather additional evidence on the working groups recommendations.

This consultation is due to close on 16th April 2018. 

Strengthening consumer redress in housing

Running in parallel to this, another Government consultation looking into improving the system for handling housing complaints has also begun this week.

This is an eight week consultation, and the Government hopes  it will help to shape a ‘simpler and better’ complaints system.

Some of the options that will be considered in this consultation are the introductions of a Housing Ombudsman, to cover the whole of the housing market and that builders be required to join an ombudsman scheme.

A proposal to name and shame poor practice in order to tackle the worst abusers will also be considered. Responses to this consultation are also due by 16th April 2018.