Home Safety - Private Renters in Camden

Home safety

Your landlord should make sure that your home is safe and free from any hazards.

Your landlord must make sure your home is fit to live in throughout your tenancy. However, some rules may not apply if you have a fixed term tenancy which began before 20 March 2019. For more information visit the Shelter website.

Gas Safety Certificate

Landlords are required to ensure gas safety checks are carried out every 12 months by a certified gas safety registered engineer, on all gas appliances and flues the landlord has provided.

For further information please visit the Shelter website.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

Landlords must keep installations for the supply of electricity in repair and proper working order throughout the tenancy.

From 1 July 2020 private landlord have additional obligations to ensure the electrics within the rented property is safe. The electrical safety report is known as the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).

For further information please visit the Shelter website. 

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors 

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarm regulations 2015 legislation requires landlords to provide smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms under a tenancy or licence:

• All landlords must by 1 October 2015 ensure that there is a smoke alarm on each storey of a property which contains living accommodation, including bathrooms and toilets. Regardless of when the tenancy or licence started. 
• A landlord must also provide carbon monoxide alarms in any room being used as living accommodation, in which solid fuel is used. A room relating to carbon monoxide detection includes hall and landing. Solid fuel in the legislation is identified as coal or wood not gas or oil. 

For more information visit the Shelter website. 

If the property is a House in Multiple Occupation, fire safety works will be included in the HMO licence schedule of works. Your landlord will be given a timeframe to get these works completed by the Council. Failure to complete the works will result in enforcement action. 

If the property is not a House in Multiple Occupation, the Council will investigate any fire safety concerns and assess these under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). 

For more information on HHSRS visit the GOV.UK website.