We've been working with other housing providers and local authorities from around the country to introduce a new code of practice and shape the future of electrical safety in affordable housing, as no code currently exists. The new code is due to be presented at parliament today (23 January 2019).

Most house fires start through electrical safety and there has been a drive to look at best practice and develop a unified approach for local authorities and housing associations to follow, to ensure the safety of their residents.

Under the current regulations, housing associations don’t have the ability to gain legal access to properties to check electrical safety, despite having statutory obligations to ensure that electrical safety is tested every 5 years. The new code recommends this changes, so the policy is in line with the rules for local authorities and the procedure to check gas safety in affordable homes.

Julian Chun, Director of Strategic Services at VIVID said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority, so we were delighted to play a part in developing this code of best practice, which will not only ensure the safety of our customers, but also affordable housing customers up and down the country.”

The ‘Code of Practice for the Management of Electrotechnical Care in Social Housing’ will be presented to parliament today. Leading industry forum, Electrical Safety Roundtable (ESR) and Ryan Dempsey from the Compliance Workbook have been integral to producing the report and Neil Holmes, Technical & Quality Manager at VIVID is accredited with involvement. Other organisations who contributed to the report include The Compliance Workbook, Cairn, South, Cambridgeshire District Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire District Council, First Ark, Magenta Living, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, WDH, Winchester City Council, Karbon Homes and Regenda Homes.