A £30,000 penalty fine for landlords who flout safety checks will be extended today, protecting millions more tenants.
New laws from April 1 mean landlords will be required to carry out an electrical safety test every five years to determine that the property they are letting out is safe to live in.
The legislation initially came into force in June 2020, but now the same law will be extended to cover all existing tenancies in the private rented sector from April 1, 2021.
It means all rented properties in England will need an electrical safety inspection every five years by law.
The inspection, known as an EICR - or electrical installation condition report - will highlight any urgent work that must be carried out to ensure the property is safe.
Landlords that fail to comply or have necessary repairs undertaken could face fines of up to £30,000.
The law was partly triggered by the death of Thirza Whittall in 2008, a mother who was electrocuted whilst stepping into her bathtub due to an unidentified electrical fault. An inquest heard the property had not been checked since 1981.
Chief executive of Electrical Safety First, Lesley Rud, said: "Renters will be better protected from the dangers posed by electricity under these new laws.
"Whilst many good landlords already carry out checks, some do not. These checks will help prevent tragedies like those involving Thirza Whittall from happening to others."
Local authorities will be responsible for enforcing the new regulations with powers to enforce £30,000 fines where landlords do not comply.
