Electrical Safety Certificates for Rental Properties (EICR): England Guide | LegalDocuments.co.uk

At a glance

• Regulations: The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/312), as amended by the 2025 Extension to the Social Rented Sector Regulations.
• Inspection frequency: At least every 5 years, or sooner if the EICR specifies a shorter interval.
• Report: An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) must be obtained from a qualified and competent person after each inspection.
• New tenants: Supply the EICR before they occupy the premises.
• Existing tenants: Supply the EICR within 28 days of the inspection date.
• Local authority: Supply a copy within 7 days of a written request.
• Remedial work: Complete within 28 days of the inspection (or sooner if specified); supply written confirmation of completion to tenant and local council within 28 days of completion.
• Maximum financial penalty: Up to £40,000 per breach (from 1 May 2026 — check GOV.UK for current figures; it was £30,000 before that date).
• Applies to: England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate regimes.
• Not legal advice: This guide is general information. Your specific circumstances may differ — see the disclaimer at the foot of this page.

What is an electrical safety certificate (EICR)?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report — commonly called an EICR or electrical safety certificate — is the written record produced by a qualified electrician after inspecting and testing the fixed electrical installation in a property. "Fixed installation" means the wiring, consumer unit (fuse box), socket-outlets, light fittings, and any permanently connected equipment such as electric showers, extractor fans and circuits serving solar PV or battery storage systems.

The report records the condition of the installation, assigns a classification code to every item of concern, states an overall pass or fail, and sets the date by which the next inspection must take place.

The EICR is the document that private landlords in England are legally required to hold, supply to tenants, and make available to the local housing authority. It is distinct from a Portable Appliance Test (PAT) report, which covers plug-in appliances supplied by the landlord and is addressed separately below.

Which tenancies are covered?

The 2020 Regulations apply to landlords whose tenants have a right to occupy the premises as their only or main residence and pay rent. The regulations cover licences to occupy as well as tenancies.

Certain arrangements are excluded under Schedule 1 to the Regulations:

• Shared accommodation where the landlord or a member of the landlord's family also lives in the property
• Long leases (including shared-ownership leases) or tenancies granting a right of occupation of 7 years or more
• Student halls of residence
• Hostels, refuges, care homes, hospitals and hospices
• Mobile homes, caravans and boats

Note on tenancy types from 1 May 2026: The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) and fixed-term assured tenancies in England from 1 May 2026. All private residential tenancies in England are now periodic assured tenancies (rolling tenancies). References to "new tenancies" in the electrical safety regulations continue to apply to each new letting relationship — the abolition of ASTs does not remove or alter the EICR supply obligations.

The landlord's duties in full

GOV.UK's current guidance sets out a comprehensive list of obligations. Landlords in England must:

1. Ensure the electrical installation meets the required standard — British Standard 7671 (the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations published by the IET).
2. Arrange an inspection and test at least every 5 years by a qualified and competent person.
3. Obtain an EICR (or, for a new build or complete rewire, an Electrical Installation Certificate — EIC) from the person who carries out the inspection.
4. Supply the EICR to each new tenant before they move in.
5. Supply the EICR to any existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection date.
6. Supply the EICR to any prospective tenant within 28 days of a written request.
7. Supply the EICR to the local housing authority within 7 days of a written request.
8. Retain a copy until the next inspection is due or completed (whichever is later).
9. Where the report shows remedial or investigative work is needed, complete it within 28 days (or any shorter period specified in the report).
10. Within 28 days of completing remedial work, supply both the tenant and the local council with the original report and written confirmation from a qualified person that the work is done.

The confirmation after remedial work can be a satisfactory follow-up EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate, or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.

Does a new inspection have to be done before every new tenancy?

No. If the existing EICR is less than 5 years old and does not require further investigative or remedial work, the landlord does not need to commission a fresh inspection before re-letting. The landlord must, however, supply the most recent report to the new tenant before they move in. GOV.UK's guidance recommends a visual inspection between formal inspections to confirm the installation remains safe and that no damage has occurred since the last report.

Understanding the EICR codes

An EICR uses four classification codes:

| Code | Meaning | Action required | |------|---------|-----------------| | C1 | Danger present — risk of injury | Immediate remedial action required. The inspector may make C1 hazards safe before leaving the premises. | | C2 | Potentially dangerous | Remedial work must be completed before the installation is satisfactory. | | FI | Further investigation required without delay | The cause of the potential hazard must be investigated. | | C3 | Improvement recommended | No remedial work is legally required, but acting on C3 observations would improve safety. |

If the report contains any C1, C2 or FI observation, the overall result is "unsatisfactory" and the installation cannot be treated as compliant until the issue is resolved and confirmed by a qualified person. A report that contains only C3 observations, or no observations at all, is satisfactory for continued use.

Carrying out remedial work

Where an EICR flags C1, C2 or FI codes, the landlord must:

1. Arrange for a qualified person to carry out the remedial or investigative work within 28 days of the inspection (or within any shorter period specified in the report).
2. Obtain written confirmation from the person who carried out the work that the installation now meets the required standard.
3. Supply both the report and the written confirmation to the tenant and to the local council within 28 days of completing the work.

GOV.UK's guidance acknowledges that in some cases — for example, where the work is technically complex, involves third parties such as a network operator, or requires specialist equipment — 28 days may not be achievable despite genuine efforts. A landlord who takes all reasonable steps and keeps clear records of communication and progress is less likely to be found in breach. That said, the deadline is set by regulation and taking reasonable steps is not a guaranteed defence — keep contemporaneous records of every attempt.

Inspection: who can carry it out?

The inspection must be carried out by a person who is both qualified and competent to do so. In practice, landlords should engage an electrician registered with a government-endorsed competent person scheme. The main recognised schemes are:

• NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting)
• NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers)
• ELECSA

A registered electrician can be found via Electrical Safety First or the Registered Competent Person Electrical register. Before instructing anyone, ask to see evidence of scheme membership, relevant qualifications and professional indemnity insurance. Using an unregistered or unqualified inspector can leave the certificate open to challenge and expose the landlord to enforcement action.

Financial penalties and enforcement

Local councils in England are the primary enforcement body for the 2020 Regulations.

Where remedial work is required but not urgent, the council must first serve a remedial notice giving the landlord an opportunity to comply. The landlord has 21 days to make written representations before the notice takes effect. If the landlord does not comply, the council may carry out the work itself and recover the costs from the landlord.

Where C1 code urgent remedial action is required and has not been carried out, the council may (with the tenant's consent) arrange the work directly, giving at least 48 hours' notice to the tenant.

Financial penalty: Local councils may impose a civil financial penalty of up to £40,000 per breach (from 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — check GOV.UK for current figures; the maximum was £30,000 for offences committed before that date). Penalties are separate from any costs recovery for remedial work carried out by the council. Landlords may appeal against a financial penalty to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) within 28 days of the final notice.

Beyond the regulatory penalty, a non-compliant landlord may face:

• Civil liability under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 if a tenant suffers harm from a defective electrical installation
• Complications in possession proceedings
• Potential impact on landlord insurance cover

PAT testing: appliances supplied by the landlord

The EICR covers the fixed installation only. It does not cover plug-in appliances that the landlord provides — items such as fridges, washing machines, microwaves, kettles, lamps and televisions.

In England's private rented sector, there is no statutory requirement for private landlords to carry out Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on appliances they supply. However, landlords have a general duty under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 to ensure that any electrical equipment they supply is safe. Keeping basic records of appliance checks, or commissioning periodic PAT testing, is good practice and can assist in demonstrating compliance with that general duty.

Social landlords in England are now required to have appliances they provide checked by a qualified person at least every 5 years, following the extension of the regulations to the social rented sector under the 2025 amendment.

Tenants: what to do if you cannot get hold of the EICR

Tenants are entitled to a copy of the current EICR. If a landlord does not supply one:

1. Request it in writing — this creates a dated record and starts the 28-day clock running.
2. Report to the local council's environmental health or housing standards team — councils have the power to require the landlord to arrange an inspection, carry out remedial work, and produce the report. They can also carry out works themselves and recover costs from the landlord.
3. Consider the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 — if the property is unsafe due to defective electrics, a tenant may be able to bring a civil claim for compensation in the county court.

Tenants cannot be required to pay for or contribute to the cost of an EICR inspection.

The position in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The 2020 Regulations apply to England only. The rules differ in each other jurisdiction:

Wales: Electrical safety obligations for landlords arise under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022. An EICR is required every 5 years (or at shorter intervals if the report specifies). A copy must be provided to the contract-holder within 14 days of the occupation date or — if the inspection takes place during the tenancy — within 14 days of the inspection date. Non-compliance means the dwelling is treated as unfit for human habitation.

Scotland: Electrical safety is governed by the Repairing Standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Private landlords must arrange an EICR and a Portable Appliance Test (PAT) before the first let and at least every 5 years thereafter. The most recent EICR and PAT report must be given to a new tenant before the tenancy starts. Tenants cannot be charged for the cost of an inspection.

Northern Ireland: Different legislation applies. Check with the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) or a local solicitor for the current requirements.

Landlords operating across more than one jurisdiction must comply with the rules in each area separately.

This guide provides general information about landlord electrical safety obligations in England as at June 2026. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Statutory requirements and penalty figures are subject to change — always verify the current position on GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk before acting.