Electrical Safety Policy Statement (September 2021)

Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) recognises its responsibility for Electrical Safety under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the Housing Act 2004, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016.





This policy statement supports our Health and Safety Policy and sets out our approach to managing Electrical Installations. It has been written for all YHN staff, board members, volunteers and contractors who are carrying out services on behalf of YHN, including consultancy and agency staff.



We are strongly committed to fairness and making sure that everyone has the same opportunities to achieve the same, or similar, outcomes. This policy statement meets the requirements set out by the Equality Act 2010 and aims to prevent unlawful discrimination on the grounds of disability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion and beliefs, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships. It has been written and approved in-line with YHN’s Policy & Strategy Development Framework and supports our strategic objective of amazing places where people are proud to live.





Our commitments YHN will ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to prevent exposure to the dangers of Electricity as a consequence of its organisational activities, as far as is reasonably practicable. The objective will be to protect its employees, contractors, partners, customers and others from Electrical hazards, such as Electric Shock, Fire, Burns and Explosion resulting from exposure to Electricity.





To meet this commitment YHN will:

  • Follow a systematic approach to the management of Electrical work, to ensure it meets the requirements set out in BS 7671: 2018 Requirements for Electrical Installations, IET Wiring Regulations 18th Edition and other relevant legislation relating to Electrical safety. This is to ensure the safety of tenants, employees and members of the public.
  • Put in place a programme to carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report(EICR) to all domestic, communal and commercial properties, every 5 years, in order to produce a Satisfactory EICR.
  • YHN will ensure that an EICR is carried out prior to the commencement of any new tenancies (void properties), mutual exchanges and transfers. and that a Satisfactory EICR is issued prior to them moving in.
  • Ensure all electricians working for, and on behalf of YHN are deemed competent.
  • YHN acknowledges and accepts its responsibilities with regard to Electrical safety as stated above. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 places duties on landlords to ensure that electrical installations in rented properties are:
  • Safe when a tenancy begins.
  • Maintained in a safe condition throughout the tenancy.
  • In order to be compliant under these duties, Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR’s) are required, to every Electrical installation. The intervals between Inspection & Testing, are not absolutely set within any regulations, however, best practice guidance from the Electrical Safety Council and from BS7671: 2018, states that electrical installations should be tested at intervals of no longer than 5 years from the previous inspection.
  • YHN will hold accurate records against each property it owns or manages, identifying when the electrical installation was last Inspected & Tested.
  • YHN will ensure that all Electrical portable appliances are tested periodically in accordance with the testing guidance set out in ‘The Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment’ (ISITEE).
  • YHN will carry out an EICR and issue new satisfactory EICRs when completing planned component replacement works within domestic properties. In the case of a rewire YHN will receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and following Minor works, a Minor Works Certificate (MW).

The key objectives of the policy statement are to establish:

•Electrical safety management principles

•Approach to compliance remedial work

•Record keeping

•Competent persons

•Training

•Audit procedure

•Non-compliance

•Electrical Safety Information





This policy statement will be reviewed in September 2022, or earlier if necessary due to:

•Legislative changes

•Structural or role changes

•Operational or technical changes







For policy queries, or more information, contact the author or the Policy and Innovation Team.





Current version: 0.3

Date published:

Date of next review: September 2022

Author: Steven Studley, Compliance Manager; Chris Atkinson, Compliance Officer (Electrical).

Owner: Ian Gallagher, Assistant Director, Operational Property Services. Approved by: CMT

Date: February 2020

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