It’s that time of year again, when students across the country are preparing to go back to university. That may mean for some of them, moving into a new shared home, or accommodation block. It is the landlords responsibility to make sure that the electrical safety legislation’s have been adhered to, and that the necessary checks have been carried out, before these students move in. But if you are a landlord, what else do you need to know? How can you make sure your student accommodation is up to the task? Well, here at Walker Electrical, we are Preston’s leading electrical experts. As a result, we have produced this guide to answer the question: What are the electrical considerations for student accommodation?
What are the electrical considerations for student accommodation?
Eelctrical work for student accommodation is not the same as in any other building type. You will need to consider:
- lighting in shared areas, such as stairwells and hallways
- electrical safety measures like key fobs and smoke alarms
- external security lighting and CCTV to protect the entrances and inhabitants
Each of these come with their own wiring and circuitry considerations that should be evaluated and reviewed by a qualified electrician.
Lighting in shared areas
This is an essential wiring consideration for student accommodation, and there are several ways to light the area. These include:
- multiple switches on different floors or parts of the hallways
- PIR sensors that turn off and on themselves in response to movement
Students tend to keep to a different schedule than the rest of society, which means they will be up and about during the night when lighting is necessary.
In addition, they are more likely to simply leave these lights on all night, for the ease of their friends who may be coming in later. As a result, electrical bills can rocket.
This is why, we at Walker Electrical, would recommend the second lighting option: PIR sensors.
Installing electrical Safety options
Lighting isnt the only electrical consideration for student accommodation. You also need to think about the safety measures that your tenants might need. These can include:
- electronic key fobs and card swipes for building or room access
- emergency lighting in case of fire
- smoke detectors and fire alarms spread throughout the building