What Is It?
A report electrical fault letter is a formal notification from a tenant to their landlord or letting agent reporting one or more electrical faults or hazards in the rental property. It describes the nature and location of the fault, the potential safety risk, and requests that the landlord arrange for a qualified electrician to inspect and repair the issue within a reasonable timeframe. The letter serves as documented evidence that the fault was reported, which is essential if the landlord fails to act and the matter needs to be escalated to the local authority or used in a disrepair claim.
About This Template
When you discover an electrical fault in a rented property — whether it is a socket that sparks, a persistent burning smell from a light fitting, a tripping consumer unit, or exposed wiring — your landlord has a legal obligation to investigate and repair it promptly. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (Section 11), landlords must keep the electrical installation in repair and proper working order. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 further requires that properties are fit for habitation, which includes being free from electrical hazards. This letter template helps tenants report electrical faults clearly, create a documented record, and set appropriate expectations for the landlord's response.
When to Use
- When you notice a specific electrical fault such as sparking sockets, flickering lights, burning smells, or exposed wiring in your rental property
- When the consumer unit or fuse box is frequently tripping and the issue has not been resolved despite verbal reports to the landlord
- When you have reported an electrical issue verbally but the landlord has not taken action, and you need to create a formal written record
- When an electrical fault poses an immediate safety risk and you need to communicate the urgency to the landlord in a documented way
- When you are preparing to involve the local authority's environmental health team and need evidence of prior reporting to the landlord
What to Include
- Your full name, the property address, and the date of the letter
- The landlord's or letting agent's name and contact details
- A clear description of the electrical fault: what you have observed, where in the property it is located, and when it first occurred
- Any safety measures you have taken (for example, switching off a circuit at the consumer unit, unplugging an affected appliance, or avoiding using a particular socket)
- Reference to the landlord's repairing obligations under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
- A request for the landlord to arrange inspection and repair by a qualified electrician within a specific timeframe (7 days for non-urgent faults, 24 hours for faults posing immediate danger)
- A statement that if the fault is not addressed within the stated timeframe, you may contact the local authority's environmental health team for assistance
- Your preferred contact details and available times for an electrician to attend
- Photographs of the fault if safely obtainable (attached to the letter or email)
Tips
For immediate dangers — such as exposed live wiring, a burning smell from the consumer unit, or electric shocks from an appliance or fitting — do not wait to write a letter. Call the landlord immediately, switch off the affected circuit at the consumer unit, and if there is a risk of fire, call 999. Follow up with this letter to create a written record
Always send the letter by a method that provides proof of delivery: email with read receipt, recorded delivery post, or hand delivery witnessed by another person. Screenshots of WhatsApp or text message notifications also work as evidence
Be specific and factual in your description of the fault. Instead of 'the electricity is not working properly', write 'the double socket in the kitchen next to the sink sparks when I plug in the kettle, and I noticed a burning smell on 15 January 2026'. Specific descriptions help the electrician diagnose the issue more quickly
If you have young children, elderly household members, or anyone with a medical condition that relies on electrical equipment (such as a powered wheelchair or medical device), mention this in the letter as it increases the urgency and the landlord's duty of care
Keep a log of all electrical faults you report, including dates, how you reported them, and the landlord's response. This is invaluable if you later need to make a disrepair claim or request a rent reduction
