WA Electrical and Gas Safety: Trade Licence Verification for Landlords

One of the most persistent misconceptions in WA landlord forums is that rental properties need annual electrical and gas safety certificates. They don't — that's a Victorian requirement, not a WA one. But Western Australia has its own strict rules, and the consequences for getting them wrong are serious.

What WA Actually Requires

WA's electrical and gas compliance operates differently from states like Victoria:

• No mandatory periodic safety inspections. WA doesn't require fixed two-yearly or annual electrical or gas safety check cycles for private rentals
• Strict initial compliance. At least two RCDs must be installed before leasing, and all electrical and gas installations must be safe
• Absolute duty to fix faults fast. Dangerous electrical faults and gas leaks are essential services — the 24-hour repair window applies
• Licensed trades only. All electrical, gas, and plumbing work must be performed by licensed professionals

The key difference: WA uses an initial compliance mandate plus a fast-response repair duty, rather than a periodic inspection cycle.

Verifying Contractor Licences

All electrical and gas work must be conducted by professionals holding active licences issued by Building and Energy, within the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS; formerly DEMIRS). You can verify any contractor via the Building and Energy online public register before they start work.

Check three things:

1. The licence is current (not expired or suspended)
2. The licence class covers the specific work being done
3. The licence number matches what the contractor provided

For gas work, verify the gas fitter holds an appropriate licence under the Gas Standards Act 1972. For plumbing, the plumber's licence must be current and cover the type of work (water supply, drainage, or sanitary plumbing).

Electrical Safety Certificates and eNotices

When electrical work is completed on your property, the contractor must issue either an Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) or a Notice of Completion (Form WH-5) within 28 days of completing the work.

For certain electrical work, the contractor also lodges an eNotice with Building and Energy. This is a regulatory notification that the work was performed by a licensed tradesperson. You can request a copy from the contractor.

Keep these documents for the life of your ownership. In a dispute about whether electrical work was done properly or by a licensed trade, the certificate and eNotice are your primary evidence.

Gas Appliance Safety

If you supply gas appliances (space heaters, hot water units, cooktops), they must be safe for operation. Room-sealed gas appliances and flued space heaters should receive periodic servicing by a licensed gas fitter to prevent carbon monoxide accumulation.

While there's no WA mandate for fixed-interval gas appliance servicing certificates (unlike Victoria), the general duty to maintain habitability means a landlord who ignores a deteriorating gas appliance and someone gets hurt faces significant liability.

The Record-Keeping Habit

For every trade visit to your property, log:

• Contractor name and business
• Licence number and type
• Date of work
• Description of work performed
• Invoice number and amount
• Any certificate or notice issued

This audit trail protects you in Magistrates Court proceedings, bond disputes, and insurance claims. A verbal claim that "I got it fixed" carries no weight.

For the complete trade verification system with a structured licence ledger, get the WA landlord compliance guide.

See more Western Australia guides →