Electrical Hazards & Unsafe Wiring
Exposed wiring, dead sockets, no safety checks — electrical danger your landlord must fix.
Electrical faults are one of the most dangerous forms of disrepair because the risk is fire and serious injury. Landlords have to keep the electrical system safe and have it inspected regularly. If you've reported exposed wiring, sockets that spark or trip, or a landlord who's never carried out an electrical safety check, that's a hazard the law takes seriously — and one you can act on.
Reviewed by Sannah Khatoon, Litigation & Housing Disrepair Solicitor · SRA #654258 · Admitted 2018
The electrical installation is covered by section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, which requires the landlord to keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of electricity — the wiring, consumer unit (fuse box), sockets and fixed lighting. Damaged or dangerous electrics that you've reported and the landlord hasn't fixed are a breach of that duty.
In the private rented sector in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person and to give tenants a copy of the report (an EICR). A landlord who has never had the electrics checked, or won't provide the certificate, may be in breach of those regulations as well as the repairing duty.
Unsafe electrics are also a hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and can make a home unfit under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Because the risk is fire and electric shock, these problems are usually treated as urgent, and a solicitor can press for immediate action.
If you see sparks, scorching, exposed live wiring or repeated tripping, treat it as an emergency and, if there's an immediate danger, contact your local authority or emergency services. A regulated solicitor can then take up the underlying claim under the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims, with compensation assessed on the facts rather than a fixed figure.
How we can help
- Exposed, damaged or dangerous wiring
- Faulty sockets, fuse boxes and lighting
- Missing electrical safety certificates (EICR)
- Urgent action on fire and shock risks
These claims are run on a no-win, no-fee basis by SRA-regulated solicitors, so in suitable cases it costs you nothing up front to find out where you stand. Start your claim using the form and a regulated solicitor will review your situation. We connect you with a regulated firm — we are not a firm of solicitors ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
Is my landlord responsible for unsafe wiring?
Yes. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 makes the landlord responsible for keeping the electrical installation — wiring, fuse box, sockets and fixed lighting — in repair and proper working order. Reported faults that go unfixed are a breach, and because the risk is fire and shock they are usually treated as urgent.
Should my landlord give me an electrical safety certificate?
In the private rented sector in England, the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 require landlords to have the fixed wiring inspected and tested at least every five years and to give tenants a copy of the report (an EICR). A landlord who has never had the electrics checked, or refuses to provide the certificate, may be in breach of those regulations.
What should I do about an immediate electrical danger?
Treat sparks, scorching, exposed live wiring or repeated tripping as an emergency. If there's an immediate risk, contact your local authority's housing team or emergency services. A solicitor can then pursue the underlying disrepair claim and press the landlord for urgent, lasting repairs.
How long do I have to claim for electrical disrepair?
Under the Limitation Act 1980 you generally have up to six years for the disrepair and three years for any personal injury caused by it. Given the safety risk, though, the priority is getting the hazard fixed quickly rather than waiting.
Can I be evicted for reporting dangerous electrics?
Retaliatory eviction is restricted by section 33 of the Deregulation Act 2015, which limits a landlord's use of a section 21 notice after a genuine complaint about conditions. A regulated solicitor can advise on the protection that applies to your tenancy.
Is an electrical disrepair claim no win, no fee?
In suitable cases, yes — these claims are usually run under a Conditional Fee Agreement, often with After the Event insurance covering the other side's costs if the claim fails, so there's typically nothing to pay up front and nothing to pay if you lose. Your solicitor will explain the funding before any work starts.
Sources & further reading
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11 (repairing obligations) — legislation.gov.uk ↗
- Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 — legislation.gov.uk ↗
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) — GOV.UK ↗
- Repairs if you're a private tenant — GOV.UK ↗
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Every housing-disrepair case turns on its own facts — speak to a solicitor about your situation. UK Housing Disrepair Solicitors is a connector service: we put tenants in touch with SRA-regulated solicitors, and we are not a firm of solicitors ourselves.