SELECT, the campaigning trade body for Scotland’s electrical sector, has launched a new radio campaigning reminding landlords of their legal responsibilities.
The move coincides with the start of the new university term, as hundreds of thousands of students return from summer break.
The radio adverts are part of a campaign to reduce the risk of fire in private rented property. Since December last year, landlords have been required to conduct five-yearly electrical checks of the fixed wiring and any electrical appliances in privately rented homes. SELECT said that as well as landlords being compliant, tenants should ask for a copy of the electrical safety check when it’s done.
The campaign is backed by Scottish Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart MSP, who recently met SELECT managing director Newell McGuiness and Alan Wilson, SELECT’s head of communications and member services.
Mr Stewart said, “Government statistics have shown that 69% of all accidental fires in Scottish homes are caused by electricity. It is most important to continue to deliver the safety message to landlords. SELECT is  at the forefront of safety initiatives in the electrical sector in Scotland and this new campaign is a very helpful tool in ensuring that rented homes meet the Repairing Standard during tenancies.”
