Electrical safety in a rental property

Tenants' responsibilities

Tenants need to notify their landlord or agent right away to make arrangements for urgent repairs.

Landlords' responsibilities

Landlords are responsible to ensure urgent repairs are undertaken within a reasonable time frame.

Property condition at start of tenancy

The property condition report should include whether there are:

• visible electrical hazards or testing needed for items such as:

  • loose or damaged electricity outlet sockets

  • loose wiring

  • sparking power points

• working safety switches.

Condition reports and electrical safety

The security/safety section of the condition report includes whether there is a safety switch for the property, and both parties need to indicate whether or not it is working. Agents and landlords are reminded that testing the safety switch is the only way to confirm whether it is working at the start of a tenancy.

If a safety switch is found to be faulty or if it is detecting an electrical fault before or during a tenancy, this would be considered an urgent repair. NSW Fair Trading can provide assistance to both tenants and landlords on how to deal with urgent repairs.

Electrical faults and electrical appliances cause 40% of house fires in NSW homes each year.

NSW Fair Trading