Understanding EICRs: A Guide to Electrical Rules and Regulations For Landlords
Get the lowdown on Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) – the must-have safety checks for your rental property. Learn why they matter, how to meet legal requirements and what to do if issues occur. Discover the codes, actions, and easy tips to keep your property safe.
What is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) report is a document created by a qualified electrician to record the safety and working order of electrical systems in a specific property.
It is a legal requirement for all private tenancies in England, Scotland and Wales to have an electrical inspection and EICR at least every five years. You must have an EICR in place before taking on a new tenant.
EICRs have replaced landlord electrical safety certificates.
In Northern Ireland, you do not need an EICR. However, tenants have the right to a safe home and you are bound by law to ensure that the electrics in your property pose no danger – as such, EICRs are common and strongly recommended.
These regulations refer to private tenancies only. There are different requirements in place for other tenancies, including:
- Student halls
- Social housing
- Rent-a-room schemes (where you have a lodger in your home)
- Hostels
- Hospitals, hospices and care homes.
Who can do an EICR?
An ECIR should be completed by a qualified electrician who is part of a competent person’s scheme and accredited with the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC).
Your chosen electrician should be up to date with the latest standards and have at least two years of experience doing periodic inspections and testing. They should also have public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance.
What does EICR inspection and testing involve?
An EICR inspection and testing involves a professional electrician visiting your property and checking your electrical systems, including hard-wired appliances, light fittings, plug sockets and switches. They will then write up a report to record their findings and determine whether the property meets the latest safety standards – British Standard 7671.
Here are some examples of what an EICR inspector is checking for:
- Signs of damage, faults and overloaded circuits
- Risk of electrical fires and electric shocks
- Earthing or bonding in good condition
- A hard-wired, working smoke alarm on each storey.
An EICR does not cover the safety of non-fixed electrical appliances and devices – anything that you plug in. If you include electrical items as part of your property (TV, lamps, hairdryers, routers, etc.) you should invest in portable appliance testing (PAT), although this is not legally required. Tenants are responsible for their own electrical appliances.
What will an EICR reveal?
An EICR will reveal whether your electrical installations remain in a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ condition. Your electrician will assign specific codes.
EICR code | Condition | What it means |
Code 1 (C1): Danger present. Risk of injury. | Unsatisfactory | There is immediate danger of a fire or shock. |
Code 2 (C2): Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required. | Unsatisfactory | The problem is not currently dangerous, but there is a real risk of it becoming dangerous. |
Code 3 (C3): Improvement recommended. | Satisfactory | Further remedial work is not required but may be recommended. |
Further Investigation (FI) | Unsatisfactory | The electrician needs more time to investigate the problem. |
If your property is deemed to be unsatisfactory, your electrical inspector will attempt to make hazards safe before leaving the property.
What should I do with my EICR?
- Keep copies of all EICRs, including any unsatisfactory ones, and provide these to the next electrician to complete an EICR at your property.
- Provide new tenants with a copy of the EICR when they move in (plus any carried out during their tenancy)
- Provide a copy of the EICR to your local authority, if requested.
I have received an ‘unsatisfactory’ report. What do I do?
If your property has an unsatisfactory report, you must get the highlighted issues fixed or further investigations carried out within 28 days (or 14 days in Wales).
Once the issue is fixed, you do not need another full EICR inspection. However, you must have written confirmation from a qualified professional of any work done to make the EICR satisfactory.
What happens if I don’t fix the problems highlighted in my EICR?
In England, Scotland and Wales, you are breaking the law if you do not take remedial action within the required period or if you start a new tenancy agreement without an EICR in place. As such, your local council is within their rights to serve you an enforcement notice.
If you remain non-compliant, you could be fined up to £30,000 fine.
Your council may also get a qualified professional to carry out any repairs and then recover the costs from you via the courts.
If the tenant refuses you access to the property to complete work or you can’t find a suitable electrical inspector to complete the required work within the statutory period, make sure you keep a detailed record of all communications.
You should share this evidence with your tenant and local authority, as required, to prove that you have taken (or are taking) steps to comply with the law.
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Learn more about Landlord & Tenant Protection’s services and benefits for landlords.
FAQs
I have a newly built property. Are the rules the same?
If your property is less than a year old or has been completely renovated with new wiring throughout, you should have received an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC).
While an EICR will look at your existing electrical installations and whether they are safe to use, an EIC certificate will cover new or modified installations. Both are required to ensure that your property and all electrical installations are safe and fall under current rules and regulations.
Do older electrical installations need to comply with the new Wiring Regulations?
Not necessarily. The 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations was established in 2019 and states: “Existing installations that have been installed in accordance with earlier editions of the regulations may not comply with this edition in every respect. This does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe for continued use or require upgrading.”
If you have an EICR report that pre-dates these regulations, you should contact the electrical inspector who completed the report to ask for further advice.