Electrical Safety

Power cuts or meter issues (including hot/leaking meters)

If you experience a meter leak or a power cut, you should immediately do the following:

• Call the local electricity network operator free on 105 or Check Online
• Call Great Places on 0300 123 1966.

Your electricity network operator owns the cables which run up to your meter and are therefore responsible for any issues of faults therein.

Protecting yourself from electrical danger

Protect yourself, your neighbours and those you live with by following these simple steps:

• Check that sockets, switches and light fittings are in good condition with no signs of damage such as cracking or burn marks
• Check that leads (flexible cables) on appliances aren’t damaged or frayed
• Check that any electrical appliances provided by Great Places have up-to-date PAT (Portable Appliance Test) stickers on them
• Check that the fuse box has RCD (Residual Current Device) protection. An RCD is a life-saving device that protects against electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires
• Check that the wattage of light bulbs is not too high for the fitting.
• Check that fuses in plugs are of the correct rating

Take action to reduce the risk of electrical accidents and fires

• Don’t overload sockets, limit the use of extension leads and do not use plug-in adaptors
• Don’t attempt to use electrical appliances from overseas in the UK. Products manufactured for use in other countries may operate at a different voltage and frequency
• Don’t attempt any repairs to the electrical wiring or appliances yourself
• Don’t take mains-powered electrical products into the bathroom
• Don’t touch electrical appliances or switches with wet hands
• Don’t plug adaptors into adaptors, or extensions into adaptors/extensions
• Do call Great Places immediately on 0300 123 1966 if you think there is a problem with your electrics.

Electrical Safety

• Make sure your electrical systems are maintained in a safe condition
• Carry out electrical safety checks on your electrical systems (in most cases every five years)
• Have all installation, maintenance and safety checks completed by a registered electrical contractor.

Your responsibilities

We do not have responsibility to maintain or carry out safety checks for any appliances owned or installed by our tenants. As a tenant of Great Places, you have responsibility to allow access for any repairs and the safety checks to be completed.

Electrical safety check

What: An electrical safety check is a report confirming that the electrical installation in your home has been assessed and is safe to use (called an Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR.

Why: The safety check not only confirms that any recent electrical work meets the UK national standards, but also that your home is safe. Great Places will also modernise/upgrade parts of the system if required to further ensure safety with devices such as Residual Current Devices (RCDs), which are life-saving devices designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock, as well as non-combustible boards.

When: Great Places colleagues carry out a periodic inspection and test of the electrical installation at our properties at least every five years, or on change of tenancy. On completion of the necessary inspection and testing, an EICR will be issued detailing any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliance with the present-day safety standard which might cause danger.

How: The electrical testing will involve a full visual inspection of your electrical system and accessories, as well as working at various points throughout your home. The engineers will advise which rooms they need to access to test and check various accessories such as socket outlets, light switches, light fittings and electric storage heater points.

Where issues are identified such as faults or the need to replace an accessory, we aim to complete the works during the appointment to ensure your home is in a electrically safe condition. Once the testing and any associated works have been completed, the engineers will advise you of any changes such as the installation of RCD protection or new smoke detectors, and how to operate these.