Following the passing of the Housing and Planning Act in May, we are expecting it to come into force in April 2017.
All sorts of secondary legislations are expected to be passed before then. One which has always been a topic of unsureity are electrical safety standards in rented properties, particularly fixed wiring and PAT tests, relating to the installation of the electrical supply and the electrical fixtures and fittings or appliances that the Landlord may have supplied.
The Secretary of State will have the power to pass a regulation, imposing an obligation on the landlord to comply with requirements to instruct an expert to ensure that the the electrical safety standards are met. Landlord who do not comply may face a financial penalty.