New Electrical Safety Bill Could Mean Good News for Homebuyers

The Dangers of Electric Shocks and Fires

Every year in England and Wales, there are over 2000 fires caused by faulty electrical installations. These can also be caused by faulty electrical appliances and products, which can lead to electric shocks. This can cause damage to your property, costing you huge amounts of money but can also lead to serious injuries and sadly even loss of life.

As well as some of the more immediate and visible symptoms, many people who have suffered an electric shock can go on to experience a range of psychological symptoms. This is sometimes referred to as Post Electric Shock Syndrome and can include:

• depression;
• anxiety;
• memory loss;
• confusion;
• sleep disturbance;
• fatigue;
• cardiac arrythmia.

A lot of people who have suffered an electric shock also report ongoing chronic pain, especially if they’ve suffered a nerve injury. A common condition resulting from electric shock is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Because people often think they are going to die at the time they have an electric shock it is also common to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

According to Electrical Safety First research, around two thirds of people did not get their electrics checked before purchasing a house. If you’re currently in the process of buying your home, make sure you get your electrics separately tested. If you’re currently renting or in social housing, this is your landlord’s responsibility, so make sure you have your most recent Electrical Safety Certificate and flag it if over five years have passed.

The National Residential Landlords Association shows that landlords must do the following when it relates to electricity:

• Arrange for a registered electrician to carry out a professional check every five years to get an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)  
• Make the EICR available to tenants before they move in  
• Protect against potential electric shocks by checking the property has an adequate residual current device (RCD)  

How Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help

Our expert solicitors have recovered millions of pounds for people over the years for injuries resulting from fires, faulty equipment, appliances and other products, such as burns and electric shocks. If you’ve experienced this and believe it was due to someone else’s negligence, get in touch with our specialist Personal Injury lawyers who can tell you whether you have an eligible claim for compensation. You can also make a claim for compensation on behalf of your child.

If the other party admits liability, we try and get you access to early interim payments, to cover any immediate rehabilitation and support you might need after your injuries.

As we discussed in this article, legislation is inconsistent across owned and rental properties, and it can be tricky to know whether another party was at fault for your injury. We’ll listen to your situation and provide expert legal advice. We can usually deal with claims on a No Win, No Fee basis, so call us on 0808 239 3227 for a free, no obligation discussion regarding your claim.