EICR Certificates for Landlords: Requirements, Costs and Deadlines
Since 1 April 2021, every rental property in England must have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). If yours is missing, overdue, or unsatisfactory, you are breaking the law — and the fines are up to £30,000.
The EICR is one of the compliance documents that landlords most often overlook. Gas safety certificates get renewed annually, so they stay front of mind. But an EICR is valid for five years, which means it is easy to forget about — until it expires and you are suddenly non-compliant.
What Is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is an inspection of the fixed electrical installation in a property — the wiring, consumer unit (fuse box), sockets, light fittings, and other permanently connected equipment. It is carried out by a qualified electrician who checks that everything is safe and meets current standards.
The inspection results in one of two outcomes: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, the report will list the faults using a coding system.
The Fault Codes You Need to Know
C1 — Danger Present
Risk of injury exists. The electrician should make it safe immediately, or disconnect the affected circuit. You must complete remedial work urgently.
C2 — Potentially Dangerous
A fault that could become dangerous. You must complete remedial work within 28 days and notify your local authority of the results.
C3 — Improvement Recommended
Not a legal requirement to fix, but recommended. A C3 alone does not make the report unsatisfactory, but it is worth addressing to maintain safety standards.
FI — Further Investigation
The electrician could not fully assess something and needs to investigate further. This must be resolved before the report can be finalised.
Your Legal Obligations
Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, you must:
Have an EICR carried out every 5 years (or more frequently if the previous report recommends it). The inspection must be done by a qualified person — look for electricians registered with NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA.
Supply a copy to your tenant within 28 days of the inspection. For new tenants, provide it before they move in. You must also supply a copy to your local authority within 7 days if they request it.
Complete any remedial work within 28 days if the report is unsatisfactory (C1 or C2 faults). After the work is done, you must get written confirmation from the electrician and send it to your tenant and local authority within 28 days.
What It Costs
EICR costs vary by property size and location. As a rough guide for 2026:
£120–£180
1–2 bed flat
£180–£280
3–4 bed house
£280–£400+
Large HMO / 5+ bed
Remedial work is additional and depends entirely on what faults are found. Simple fixes like replacing a socket might cost £50. A full consumer unit replacement can be £500 to £1,000. Get quotes before committing.
The Penalties
If your local authority finds that you have not obtained an EICR, or have not completed required remedial work, they can issue a remedial notice requiring you to comply. If you fail to comply with the notice, the council can arrange the work themselves and charge you for it, and issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000.
As with other compliance failures, you also risk being unable to serve valid eviction notices under the new Section 8 rules. From May 2026, compliance is directly linked to your ability to manage your tenancies.
When to Book Your Next EICR
Check the date on your current EICR right now. If it was done more than four years ago, book your next one soon — electricians get busy and you do not want to run past the five-year deadline. If it was done more than five years ago, you are already overdue and need to act immediately.
Remember: the report itself may recommend a shorter interval than five years. Always check the "recommended next inspection" field on your certificate.
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