CHARITIES have called on the government to change the law because dangerous electrics are putting the lives of more than 750,000 private renters in the North West at risk. Electrical Safety First and Shelter said homes in the private rented sector were worse than in any other, with a third of properties failing to meet basic standards and nearly a fifth of renters reporting problems with electricity in the last year.

They said present regulations were not fit for purpose, as there was no legal requirement for landlords to ensure that electrics were safe before renting out a property or to check the wiring and any electrical appliances they had provided on a regular basis.