Landlords in one part of the Midlands 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 council. 

Failure to do so could result in fines up to £30,000.

A council spokesman says: “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.

Council leader Matt Dormer adds: “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.”