EICR: Electrical Safety Requirements for Landlords

You now have to treat the electrics like the gas: documented, five-yearly, done by the right person, and fixed promptly if anything fails.

"This guide provides general information about UK landlord tax obligations. It is not financial or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may change. Consider consulting a qualified accountant or solicitor for advice specific to your situation."

1. The law: what is required and how often

Law: The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.

Scope and frequency

• Applies to almost all private rented dwellings in England (ASTs etc., not social housing).
• You must ensure the electrical installation is inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified person.
• Many EICRs come with a shorter "next inspection" date (eg 3 years in rough HMOs); if so, you must follow that earlier date.

Qualified person

A "qualified person" is someone competent and qualified to carry out testing and inspection, usually:

• A registered electrician under a competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA etc.).

You must

• Ensure the installation meets the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) "electrical safety standards" as far as reasonably practicable.
• Arrange and pay for the EICR on time.

2. What the EICR covers and what the codes mean

EICR scope

• Fixed wiring (circuits, cables, accessories).
• Consumer unit (fuse box), RCDs, MCBs.
• Earthing and bonding.
• Fixed accessories like sockets, switches, light fittings.

Standard codes you will see

C1 -- Danger present:

• Immediate risk of injury (eg live parts exposed).
• Action: make safe immediately (isolate / fix).

C2 -- Potentially dangerous:

• Could become a danger (eg no RCD protection on a socket likely to supply outdoor equipment).
• Action: urgent remedial work required.

C3 -- Improvement recommended:

• Not unsafe, but not up to current best practice (eg older consumer unit, lack of labelling).
• Action: optional; property can still pass.

FI -- Further investigation:

• Something is unclear or needs more testing before it can be coded properly.
• Action: further investigation is mandatory; until resolved, report is treated as unsatisfactory.

Satisfactory vs unsatisfactory

• An EICR is unsatisfactory if any C1, C2 or FI is recorded.
• C3s alone do not fail the report.

3. What you must do with unsatisfactory reports and how fast

If the report is unsatisfactory (C1, C2 or FI):

You must ensure further investigative or remedial work is carried out by a qualified person within:

• 28 days, or
• The shorter period specified in the EICR.

You must obtain written confirmation from the electrician that:

• The work has been carried out, and
• The installation is now safe or what further work is needed.

You must supply this written confirmation and the original unsatisfactory report to:

• Each existing tenant within 28 days of the work, and
• The local authority within 28 days if they ask for it.

C1 issues should be made safe on the day of inspection; a decent electrician will not leave a C1 live.

4. Giving reports to tenants and keeping records

You must

• New tenants: give them a copy of the current EICR before they occupy the property.
• Existing tenants: give them a copy of each new EICR within 28 days of the inspection.
• Prospective tenants: provide a copy if they request it, as soon as you can.
• Local authority: provide a copy within 7 days if they request it.

Record-keeping

• Keep at least the last EICR and any remedial certificates; in practice, keep everything for the period you own the property.
• Maintain a simple spreadsheet or tracker with: address, EICR date, expiry/next test date, contractor, and known C3s.

Costs

Typical domestic EICR (2025 UK averages):

5. Enforcement, HMOs, and what goes wrong most often

Enforcement and penalties

Local authorities enforce the Regulations.

If they believe you are not compliant, they can:

• Serve a remedial notice requiring an EICR and/or remedial work.
• If you do not comply, they can arrange the work themselves and bill you.
• Impose a civil penalty up to GBP 30,000 per breach.

HMOs

EICR duty applies in HMOs in the same way, but:

• HMO licences often require more frequent testing (eg every 3 years) or extra checks on emergency lighting and alarms.
• Councils may ask for EICR copies as part of licence renewal and ongoing management inspections.

Common landlord mistakes

Letting the 5-year date drift: "It is about five years old" is not good enough. If the date has passed, you are in breach.

Treating FI like a C3: FI means "unsafe until checked further", not "nice to have". Landlords often ignore FI codes even though they are treated like a fail.

Not sharing the report with tenants: Courts and councils care as much about paperwork as the test itself. Failing to send the EICR within 28 days is non-compliance.

Assuming PAT on appliances is enough: The Regulations are about the fixed installation, not portable kit. PAT is good practice but does not replace an EICR.

Relying on the managing agent without checking dates: Research shows around one in three landlords do not know if their EICR is valid; some assume the agent "will sort it" and then find out they have a gap.

Forum myths

"EICR is a one-off when you first let." Wrong: you must test at least every 5 years (or more often if the report says so).

"C2 and FI are just suggestions; I can ignore them." Any C1, C2 or FI means the report is "unsatisfactory" and you must get remedial work or further investigation done and confirmed in writing.

"The fine is a few hundred quid at worst." Councils can issue civil penalties up to GBP 30,000 per breach, and they are already using these powers.

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