Southwark Council statement on electrical testing of council homes

18 June 2024

As part of a commitment to improve council homes in the borough, Southwark Council has today, 18 June, made a self-referral to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in relation to electrical testing.

Raising standards across its thirty six thousand council homes is a top priority for Southwark, and as part of an ongoing, full review of its housing service the council has identified that a new regulatory requirement to undertake an electrical safety test of each home has not been implemented in the way it should have been. This has led to the Council making a voluntary self-referral to the RSH, the independent organisation responsible for regulating a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector.

The Council has now begun a major programme to carry out the required outstanding tests, which are known as Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR). They will be writing to all council tenants to explain what happens next and when to expect their property to be tested. While this work is underway, tenants should continue to take the usual care when using electrical appliances and devices in their homes.

Council tenants who have questions about electrical safety can call a dedicated electrical safety number (020 7525 5999) or email (electrical.testing@southwark.gov.uk) to seek advice, and where necessary, book an appointment.

They can also visit a dedicated webpage (southwark.gov.uk/electrical-testing) for further information and answers to frequently asked questions.

This work is one part of the wide-ranging action Southwark Council is taking to improve its council homes. This has also included setting up a new tenant-led repairs improvement board; damp and mould service and rolling repairs actions days on estates as well as appointing new leadership in the housing department. While there is still some way to go, progress is being made in areas such as repairs, where satisfaction has increased, year on year, since 2021.

Councillor Kieron Williams, Leader of Southwark Council said: “We take residents’ safety extremely seriously and are determined to keep raising the quality of our council homes.  Whilst we have made real progress – improving our repairs service, tackling damp and making our homes safer from fire – we also have work to do. This includes completing these important electrical tests. I apologise for this delay. We have started a major programme to do the required tests. In the meantime, we are making this self-referral to, and working with, the Regulator of Social Housing, as the independent organisation responsible for driving improvements in social housing through robust regulation." 

Page last updated: 18 June 2024