I think there are other crusades to be fought other than mandating the installation of RCD's in rented property
Unfortunately statistics are a set of figures twisted to suit the publishers requirements and don't give a true picture of the situation you only have to look at the statistics involving 4x4 vehicles or better still how green a Toyota Prius is!!
I think there should be automatic speed humps that are activated when somebody is detected exceeding the speed limit but it ain't going to happen even though more people are killed on the roads by speeding vehicles than are killed by faulty electrics, I'm not going to spend any time on this as it would not happen much as I would like it too
The economics of what you are proposing will only have an adverse affect on the rents on rental property by increasing them to meet the increased expenditure at a time when landlords are under pressure over what they charge and pressure groups are trying to get the government to legislate on rents and force private landlords to reduce their rents
Whilst I don't condone landlord's who's rental properties have unsafe electrics there has to be limits on the nanny state we have become, we have soldiers in Afghanistan getting killed has no one realised if we don't put them in the danger zone they won't get killed or seriously injured, may be we need legislation for that as well
It would probably more effective to campaign for a clearer inspection certificate system similar to the MOT system where a red certificate is issued when an electrical installation fails to meet the required standard and a blue one is issued if it meets the requirements and if needed advisory notes are clearly added. On top of that it would be much more effective if the regulatory bodies accepting these certificates I.E. OFSTED actually knew and understood what they where looking at as a few times when I have been asked to carry out inspections I have found fake or incomplete certification has previously been issued to the occupier of the premises
Just to clear a few things up UNG.
The statistics have been provided by the HSE, so they are from the coroner and postmortem.
In regards to deaths on roads due speed is only 1%, compared to loss of concentration is 99%.
Speed is a factor don't get me wrong but it is not as big as it is mad out to be.
If speed was as big of a killer as they claim it to be - then every emergency vehicle which goes over 70MPH will have an accident or kill someone - they don't because they are trained to be more aware of their surroundings and what to look out for.
I know this as I was working with the Welsh Ambulance Service in 2007 doing emergency calls, and we regularly went over 100MPH. I left as I hurt my back at the end of 2007, still suffering now because of it - hence why I am self employed.
We will have to see what happens with the rent - but that is set by the tenant - tenants not willing to pay high rent wont rent from the higher rent landlords and they will be forced to reduce the rent to get the tenants. Im sure those who rent properties (on here and off here) will tell you they would love to increase the rent by £50-£100 every month but they know they wont get the tenants!
Dont get me started with Afghanistan - that is another bud bear and I am not getting into that on here!
clearer inspection certificate system similar to the MOT system - This is part of what I am looking at -we will see what options and how it can work - ideas welcome.
Electrics are exactly the same as MOTs - Pass, Pass with conditions, Fail. This is effectively in place now but not done how it should:
PASS - EICR
PASS with conditions - EICR
FAIL - EICR and Electrical Danger Notice
I also what the EDNs to become more used in rental properties, but we will see what happens there.
I am more than happy to issue a EDN if there is a problem in rental properties that I see when I do other work.
Say Im painting a wall, or
tiling and I dont see any bonding - I will check it out and if none in place a EDN is issued. I find people are scared of these EDNs because they think that we are touting for work - short story - we issue one - covering our backs, its upto he landlord to do the work or not.
I also have yellow forms I have made called Electrical Condition Notices, exactly the same as the old advisories (on a separate page) with MOTs.