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23rd November 2011

New Electrical Safety App could benefit Landlords

Incorporating electrical safety checks as part of property management services could help landlords protect the wellbeing of their tenants.

Now, a new smartphone app created by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) will make it easier to do this.

The app, which is available for download on iPhones and Android devices, allows users to make a quick, visual check of a property to ensure its electrically safe.

It highlights potential dangers in each room and explains how to resolve simple, non-technical problems or, where more serious issues are flagged, advises users to call a registered electrician.

"We wanted to create something which people would find effortless but essential. It can be used any time in your home," said Phil Buckle, director general of the ESC.

"It can also be used as a basic tool when viewing accommodation, whether you are planning to buy or rent. Landlords too should find it useful, as it will allow them to review their properties to ensure tenant safety."

The launch of the app follows research by the ESC which revealed that many people in the UK vastly underestimate the risk to safety of electrical appliances and fittings.

According to the organisation, at least one person dies each week in the UK as a result of an electrical accident, while 350,000 people are injured annually.

However, most people rate the danger posed by electricity as about the same as being in a plane crash, or getting struck by lightning.

In reality, only one person in the UK is killed by lightning each year on average and no one has died in a commercial plane accident in 11 years.

"There is a worrying gap between the public's perception of electrical danger and the reality," said Mr Buckle.

"The ESC's Home Electrical Safety Check app was designed to bridge that gap."