Our Key Policies in Northern Ireland
Electrical Safety First works closely with the Northern Ireland Executive and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to ensure that people are kept safe in their homes from accidents, injuries and fires caused by electricity.
Safe Housing
In November 2024, the Northern Ireland Assembly approved The Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations, which will require electrical safety checks at least every five years in privately rented homes. Electrical Safety First is pleased to have played a part in this happening. For more information about the new regulations, visit this page.
More must be done to ensure everyone is protected from preventable risks and has proper safeguards, regardless of their housing tenure or whether a property is let short or long-term. Now that the private rented sector is covered, the social rented, short-term let, and owner-occupied sectors still lack equivalent protections. The social rented and owner-occupied sectors have no regulatory requirement for ongoing electrical safety checks. Electrical Safety First will continue working to establish cross-tenure protections.
What we want to see:
- The same measures implemented in the social rented sector as are now in place for the private rented sector. This will help ensure all renters, regardless of tenure, are protected from electrical hazards.
- Electrical safety certificates being required during property sales to safeguard more people living in the owner-occupied sector.
- Mandatory five-yearly electrical safety checks for the short-term let sector.
Safety at the heart of net zero
As Northern Ireland transitions to net zero and greater electrification, we must not overlook safety. With rising electricity use and the adoption of low-carbon, electrical-powered technologies, our ageing housing stock needs attention. It is also vital that electrical safety is considered as part of any Northern Ireland Executive plans for net zero, including around the decarbonisation and electrification of homes, and the circular economy.
What we want to see:
- Electrical safety being considered a key factor in all policymaking for the net zero transition.
- Updates to the Northern Ireland House Condition Survey to collect more robust data about the preparedness of homes for future electrical installations and demands.