A Landlord’s Guide to Electrical Safety

As a landlord you want to ensure you are taking every precaution to avoid harm to your tenants. Using due diligence to ensure appliances, electrical outlets and overall electrical systems are functioning properly will help keep tenants safe. Here are some guidelines to assist you in keeping your tenants safe from electrical dangers and protect your property from potential fire hazards:

  1. Appliances, especially large ones such as ovens, can be a dangerous source of shock if not properly grounded. Ensuring appliances and outlets are well fitted and working properly will help avoid accidents and fire.
  2. Make sure that your electrical system matches regulations with the proper breakers such as I Line Power Pact Square D Circuit Breakers providing the proper amps.
  3. If providing second hand appliances have them checked and repaired to avoid any unforeseen issues.
  4. Have regular maintenance checks of appliances.
  5. Provide users manuals for all tenants to avoid improper usage of appliances.
  6. Make sure all plugs in kitchens and bathrooms that are in close proximity to water have the proper ground fault interrupters.
  7. Make sure all outlets are properly covered and do not have any exposed wires.
  8. Make sure tenants are aware of the location of the main breakers such as the Stab Lok circuit breakers.
  9. Make sure tenants are aware of the proper fuses to be used.
  10. Use a safety check list and check and date the lists and save them as a record of safety inspections.
  11. Have a professional electrician perform an electrical systems check at least every five years and save all receipts and dates of each check.

New tenant safety:

  1. Whenever you have a tenant leave do a thorough check of the unit and make sure that appliances, outlets and other electrical concerns are still in working order.
  2. If manuals have been removed see if you can print one off online for the model of the appliances within the unit.
  3. Check the main panel such as the Stab Lok Circuit Breakers that are located in the unit and ensure the tenant has not added any inappropriate fuses.

Following these guidelines will not only protect your tenants from injury but also protect your property from potential fire hazards.

Using due diligence to ensure appliances, electrical outlets and overall electrical systems are functioning properly will help keep tenants safe. For more details, visit the official website.