Landlords in Redditch are being warned that they could face fines of up to £30,000 if they don’t have a valid electrical safety certificate for their property.

Private landlords are required by law to have a valid certificate before letting their properties, and to provide it within seven days of a request by the local authority, in this case Redditch Borough Council. Failure to do so could result in fines up to £30,000.

Redditch Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Craig Warhurst, said: “Every private landlord should be aware of their legal responsibilities to the safety and welfare of their tenants, including ensuring their rented property has a valid electrical safety certificate.

“While the vast majority of landlords in Redditch are of course exemplary, if and when the council does have to serve remedial notices, we believe that fines of up to £30,000 reflect the seriousness of the issue.”

Electrical safety certificates can be valid for up to five years.

The current regulations came in in 2020 and have applied to all private sector tenancies since April this year.

As well as enforcing the regulations and being the contact point for private tenants who have concerns, Redditch Borough Council also provides a wealth of support to local private sector landlords.

This includes teaming up with the National Landlords Association to provide essential documents, regular advice newsletters, landlord meetings and more, for free, to every landlord who joins up. For more information, visit our Landlords section on the website

Leader of the Council Cllr Matt Dormer said: “It’s vital that we continue to support our local private rental sector to keep on providing so many people in the borough with good quality, safe homes. Part of that is enforcing safety regulations where necessary, and landlords and tenants alike should be aware that if they need support on these essential issues they can reach out to the council.”

If your landlord fails to provide you with a valid electrical safety certificate, you can contact the council’s Private Sector Housing team for help.