Part P Building Regulations: A Complete Guide for Landlords

Part P (Electrical Safety — Dwellings) is the section of the Building Regulations for England and Wales that governs electrical installation work in domestic properties. It was introduced in January 2005 to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by faulty electrical work in homes.

Before Part P, there was no legal requirement for domestic electrical work to be inspected or certified (unlike commercial properties, which were covered by the Electricity at Work Regulations). This meant unqualified individuals could carry out potentially dangerous electrical work in homes without any oversight.

Part P requires that all electrical installation work in dwellings is designed, installed, inspected, and tested to ensure it meets the safety standards set out in BS 7671 — the IET Wiring Regulations. The current edition is the 18th Edition (Amendment 2), which has been in force since September 2022.

For landlords, Part P is particularly important because:

• Any electrical work you commission in your rental property must comply with Part P.
• Non-compliant work can be identified during an EICR, potentially resulting in an Unsatisfactory report.
• Non-compliance can affect your insurance cover and expose you to liability if a tenant is injured.
• Local authorities can require you to remove or redo non-compliant work at your expense.

Part P applies to dwellings — houses, flats, maisonettes, and the common parts of blocks of flats. It also applies to electrical work in gardens, outbuildings, and garages associated with a dwelling. It does not apply to commercial properties (which have their own regulatory framework).

All electrical installation work in a dwelling must comply with Part P and BS 7671. However, the way compliance is demonstrated depends on whether the work is classified as notifiable or non-notifiable.

All electrical work must be safe. This is the fundamental principle. Whether the work is notifiable or not, it must be designed, installed, inspected, and tested in accordance with BS 7671. The distinction between notifiable and non-notifiable work is about the process of demonstrating compliance, not the standard of work required.

Types of electrical work covered:

• New circuits (e.g., adding a circuit for an EV charger, electric shower, or cooker)
• Consumer unit (fuse board) replacement
• Rewiring — partial or complete
• Additions and alterations to existing circuits
• Installation of sockets, switches, and light fittings (in some cases)
• Electrical work in kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoors (special locations)
• Installation of fire alarm and emergency lighting systems

What is not covered:

• Replacing like-for-like accessories (e.g., swapping a socket faceplate for one of the same rating on an existing circuit) — provided the circuit's protective measures are unaffected.
• Replacing a light fitting with a new one of the same type (e.g., pendant for pendant), provided no changes are made to the circuit.
• Work on extra-low voltage systems (doorbells, telephone wiring, network cables) that are not connected to the mains.

As a landlord, the practical rule is: if you are having any electrical work done beyond simple like-for-like replacements, it must comply with Part P. Use a registered electrician and you do not need to worry about the notification process — they handle it for you.

Part P divides electrical work into two categories based on risk. The distinction determines how compliance is demonstrated to building control.

Notifiable work must be either carried out by a registered competent person (who self-certifies) or notified to the local authority building control before work starts. Notifiable work includes:

• Installation of a new circuit — any new circuit added to the consumer unit.
• Consumer unit replacement — changing the fuse board.
• Any electrical work in a bathroom or shower room — this includes new lights, extractor fans, shaver sockets, and any other electrical installation within these rooms (excluding like-for-like replacements in Zones 0, 1, and 2).
• Any electrical work outdoors — garden lighting, outside sockets, pond pumps, and similar installations.
• Any electrical work in a kitchen that involves a new circuit — for example, installing a new cooker circuit or adding under-cabinet lighting on a new circuit.

Non-notifiable work does not need to be reported to building control but must still comply with BS 7671. Non-notifiable work includes:

• Adding a socket or light point to an existing circuit (not in a bathroom or outdoors).
• Like-for-like replacement of accessories (sockets, switches, ceiling roses).
• Replacing a damaged cable section with like-for-like cable.
• Re-fixing or replacing enclosures of existing accessories.

How notification works:

If the electrician is registered with a competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, STROMA, etc.), they are authorised to self-certify their own work. They will:

• Complete the work to BS 7671 standards.
• Inspect and test the installation.
• Issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) to you.
• Notify building control on your behalf (the scheme operator handles this electronically).
• Building control issues a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate to the property owner.

If using an unregistered electrician (which is legal but not recommended), you must:

• Apply to your local authority building control before the work starts.
• Pay a building control fee (typically £200–£400).
• The building control officer may inspect the work during and after installation.
• The electrician must still issue an EIC and the work must comply with BS 7671.

Using a registered electrician is simpler, usually cheaper overall (no building control fees), and gives you confidence that the work will be done to the required standard.

As a landlord, you are not expected to understand the technical details of BS 7671. Your role is to commission competent people and maintain proper documentation. Here is how to ensure every piece of electrical work in your rental property is Part P compliant.

1. Always use a registered electrician

This is the single most important step. An electrician registered with NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, or STROMA is authorised to self-certify their work under Part P. They carry the liability for compliance, they handle building control notification, and their work is subject to periodic audits by the scheme operator.

You can verify an electrician's registration on the relevant scheme's website:

• NICEIC: niceic.com/find-a-contractor
• NAPIT: napit.org.uk/find-a-tradesperson
• ELECSA: elecsa.co.uk/find-an-electrician

2. Request the correct certificates

After any electrical work, you should receive the appropriate certificate:

• Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC): For new installations and notifiable work. This confirms the work has been designed, constructed, inspected, and tested in accordance with BS 7671.
• Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC): For minor, non-notifiable additions or alterations to an existing circuit (e.g., adding a socket).
• Building Regulations Compliance Certificate: Issued by building control (via the competent person scheme) for notifiable work. This is your proof that the work has been notified and approved.

Keep all certificates with the property file. They will be needed for future EICRs, property sales, and insurance claims.

3. Check certificates before paying

Do not make final payment until you have received the appropriate certificates. A verbal assurance that the work is compliant is not sufficient. The certificate is your legal proof of compliance.

4. Keep a property electrical file

For each rental property, maintain a file containing:

• All EICRs (current and historical)
• All EICs and MEIWCs from electrical work
• Building Regulations Compliance Certificates
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates (for HMOs)
• PAT testing records (if applicable)
• Smoke and CO alarm installation and testing records

This file demonstrates a comprehensive compliance history and is invaluable during EICR inspections, licensing applications, and in the event of any dispute or claim.

5. Do not accept DIY or unregistered work

If a tenant, previous owner, or handyman has carried out notifiable electrical work without certification, it is non-compliant. You may need to have the work inspected and tested by a registered electrician, and potentially remediated if it does not meet BS 7671 standards. Non-compliant work will show up on the next EICR as a defect.

Non-compliance with Part P can have serious consequences for landlords, ranging from financial penalties to criminal liability.

Building control enforcement:

If notifiable work is carried out without proper certification or building control notification, the local authority can take enforcement action. This includes:

• Enforcement notice: Requiring you to either obtain retrospective building control approval (which means paying for an inspection and potentially making alterations) or remove the non-compliant work entirely.
• Prosecution: Failure to comply with a building regulations enforcement notice is a criminal offence. The maximum fine is unlimited in the Magistrates' Court.
• Injunction: The local authority can apply for a court injunction requiring the work to be removed or altered.

Impact on EICR results:

Non-compliant electrical work will be identified during an EICR. Depending on the severity, it may be classified as:

• C2 (Potentially dangerous): If the work poses a potential risk. This makes the EICR Unsatisfactory and triggers the 28-day remedial obligation.
• C3 (Improvement recommended): If the work is not dangerous but does not meet current standards. This does not make the EICR Unsatisfactory but flags the issue for future attention.
• FI (Further investigation): If the work cannot be fully assessed without additional investigation (e.g., concealed wiring that appears non-standard).

Insurance implications:

Landlord insurance policies typically require that all work complies with building regulations. Non-compliant electrical work can:

• Void your buildings insurance for electrical-related claims (fire, damage, injury).
• Constitute a material non-disclosure if you were aware of the non-compliance.
• Result in your insurer refusing to renew the policy.

Property sale complications:

When selling a property, conveyancers will ask for Building Regulations Compliance Certificates for any notifiable work. Missing certificates create complications:

• The buyer's solicitor may insist on retrospective building control approval.
• Indemnity insurance may be needed (at your cost) to cover the buyer against potential enforcement action.
• The sale may be delayed or the buyer may negotiate a price reduction.

Liability for injury:

If a tenant is injured by non-compliant electrical work, you face civil liability for negligence. The absence of proper certification makes it very difficult to demonstrate that you took reasonable care. Damages in personal injury claims for serious electrical injuries (burns, electrocution, fire-related injuries) can be substantial.

Retrospective regularisation:

If you discover non-compliant work in your property, you can apply to building control for a regularisation certificate. This involves a building control officer inspecting the work (which may require opening up walls and floors) and confirming it meets current standards — or specifying remedial work needed. Regularisation fees are higher than standard building control fees (typically £300–£600) and the process can take several weeks.