Electrical inspection every 5 years - an obligation easily forgotten

Where does this obligation come from

Art. 62 of the Prawo budowlane (Polish Building Law) imposes on owners and managers of facilities the obligation of periodic inspection - at least once every 5 years - including, among others, testing of the electrical and lightning protection installation: the condition of connections, equipment, protections and means of protection against electric shock, insulation resistance of cables and earthing. A report is prepared from the inspection, which goes to the building log book.

This applies not only to blocks of flats: also to company buildings, public facilities and - which often comes as a surprise - single-family houses. In practice, a report from the current inspection is also often the first document an insurer asks for after a claim.

Measurements vs inspection - they are not the same

It is worth distinguishing between two things, as they are often mixed up in the market:

• electrical installation measurements - protective testing of specific circuits with measurement reports;
• periodic inspection of the facility - a broader review required by the Prawo budowlane (Polish Building Law), of which measurements are a part; the report is signed by a person with appropriate qualifications.

When ordering a service, ask directly what you will receive: just the measurement results or a complete set of documents for the building log book. We specify this in the quote upfront - with no ambiguity regarding the scope and qualifications of the team.

What it looks like in a multi-unit building

The biggest challenge is not the measurements, but the logistics: entering every single flat. We described a proven workflow in the case study of a measurement campaign - 200 units in 5 days: a staircase-by-staircase schedule agreed with the administration, notices in advance, a second date for inaccessible units, and digital reports instead of a ring binder.

What the property manager receives after the inspection

• reports for individual units and common areas;
• a summary report: what was tested, what the results were, and where irregularities were found;
• a list of defects with priorities - what poses an immediate safety hazard, and what can be planned in the budget for the following year;
• a reminder about the date of the next inspection.

For housing associations and property managers, we provide this as a permanent service - from fault reporting to a plan for defect rectification: electrical services for buildings and property managers. Public facilities have a dedicated path under the offer for the public sector.