Landlord EICR electrical safety in England: what an EICR is and what you must do

In England, landlords must have the electrical installations in rented homes inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years, and obtain a report, usually an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). This guide covers England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own electrical safety rules, so check the guidance for the nation your property is in. You must share the report with tenants and, if asked, the local council, and you must act within set time limits if faults are found.

What is an EICR, and why do landlords need one?

An EICR is short for Electrical Installation Condition Report. It is the report you usually receive after a qualified person inspects and tests the electrical installations in a rented property.

The government guidance explains that the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to have electrical installations inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years. You must obtain a report from that person, and provide copies to tenants. The guidance also notes the 2020 regulations were updated in 2025 to include the social rented sector. Social landlords have extra duties, including checking any electrical equipment they provide at least every 5 years. For social tenancies granted before 1 December 2025, the first inspection and test and the first equipment check must both be done before 1 November 2026. This guide focuses on private landlords.

Key point: the duty is about keeping to electrical safety standards and being able to prove you have had the inspection and test done, by keeping and sharing the report.

Does the electrical safety regulations guidance apply to my letting?

The guidance uses the term “residential premises”, meaning premises that are all or partly a dwelling. It says the regulations apply to all landlords if the tenant:

• has a right to occupy the premises as their only or main residence, and
• pays rent (whether or not it is a market rent).

The guidance also explains that “tenancy” includes a licence to occupy. References to “landlords” and “tenants” include licensors and licensees.

Some tenancies are excluded. The guidance says exceptions are set out in Schedule 1 to the regulations, and lists excluded tenancies, including:

• shared accommodation with the landlord or the landlord’s family
• long leases (including shared ownership leases) or tenancies that grant a right of occupation of 7 years or more
• student halls of residence
• hostels and refuges
• care homes, hospitals and hospices
• other accommodation relating to healthcare provisions
• mobile homes, caravans and boats

If your letting falls into one of these categories, this guidance says it is excluded from the regulations.

How often does a landlord need an electrical inspection and test?

The guidance says landlords must ensure the electrical installations in their rented properties are inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years.

It also says the report you obtain should give the results and set a date for the next inspection and test. That means the report may set out when you should next arrange the work, but the baseline requirement in the guidance is “at least every 5 years”.

What parts of the property are inspected and tested?

The guidance describes the inspection as covering the electrical installations for the supply of electricity, meaning the fixed electrical parts of the home. It gives examples, including:

• wiring
• socket-outlets (plug sockets)
• light fittings
• consumer unit (sometimes called the “fuse box”)

It also says the installations include permanently connected equipment such as showers and extractors. It adds that installations include circuits provided for specialist equipment such as solar PV systems and battery storage.

The guidance also explains what the inspection is trying to find out, including whether:

• any electrical installations are overloaded
• there are any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards
• there is any defective electrical work
• there is a lack of earthing or bonding (two built-in ways of preventing electrical shocks)

What standard must the electrics meet?

The guidance says landlords must ensure electrical safety standards are met, and that these standards are set out in British Standard 7671, also known as the 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations.

In other words, your responsibility is to ensure your property meets the electrical safety standards described in the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations, and to have the inspection and test carried out by a qualified person at least every 5 years.

What are the landlord duties after the EICR is done?

The guidance sets out a list of actions landlords must take around the report. In practice, this is where many compliance problems happen, because it is not just about arranging the test. It is also about sharing the paperwork and keeping records.

What you must do with the report (EICR)

• Obtain a report (usually an EICR) from the person conducting the inspection and test.
• Supply a copy of the report to the existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection and test.
• Supply a copy of the report to a new tenant before they occupy the premises.
• Supply a copy of the report to any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving a request for it.
• Supply the local council with a copy of the report within 7 days of receiving a request for it.
• Retain a copy of the report until the next inspection and test is required or (if later than this) conducted, unless it is superseded by a more recent report.
• Supply a copy of the report to the inspector and tester who will undertake the next inspection and test.

Tip: The guidance includes both “within 28 days” and “within 7 days” duties. It helps to note the trigger. For tenants, the 28 days is linked to the inspection and test (existing tenant) or to receiving a request (prospective tenant). For the council, the 7 days is linked to receiving a request.

What do EICR codes mean, and when is remedial work required?

The guidance says inspectors use classification codes to indicate where a landlord must undertake remedial work. It lists the following codes:

• Code 1 (C1): Danger present. Risk of injury. The electrical inspector may make any C1 hazards safe before leaving the premises.
• Code 2 (C2): Potentially dangerous.
• Code 3 (C3): Improvement recommended. Further remedial work is not required for the report to be deemed satisfactory.
• Further Investigation (FI): Further investigation required without delay.

The guidance explains how these codes affect you:

• If the report does not require investigative or remedial work, “the landlord will not be required to carry out any further work”.
• If codes C1 or C2 are identified, “remedial work will be required”, and the report will state the installation is unsatisfactory for continued use.
• If the inspector identifies FI, the landlord must ensure that further investigative work is carried out.
• C3 does not mean remedial work is required, but acting on it would improve safety.

How long do you have to fix EICR problems, and what proof do you need?

The guidance is clear about timescales when the report shows remedial work or further investigation is needed.

• You must complete remedial or further investigative work within 28 days, or any shorter period if the report says it is necessary.
• Within 28 days of completing the work, you must supply the tenant and the local council with the report and written confirmation from the qualified person who carried out the works.

The guidance also gives examples of what can count as written confirmation. It says acceptable forms include:

• a satisfactory EICR
• an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC)
• a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC)
• other appropriate electrical certification

What happens if you do not comply with the electrical safety duties?

The guidance describes steps a local council can take where it has reasonable grounds to believe a landlord is in breach of specified duties under the regulations.

Remedial notices and council action

For electrical installations, the guidance says that if the council has reasonable grounds to believe a landlord is in breach, and if the report does not indicate urgent remedial action is required, the council must serve a remedial notice requiring remedial action.

If the landlord fails to comply with the notice, the guidance says the council may arrange for remedial action to be taken themselves. It also says the council can recover the costs from the landlord, and the landlord has the right of appeal against a demand for costs.

Urgent remedial action

The guidance explains that if the report indicates urgent remedial action is required, and the landlord has not carried this out within the period specified in the report, the local council may (with the consent of the tenant) arrange to carry out the remedial work. The council must authorise a person in writing and give at least 48 hours’ notice to the tenant.

The guidance says the costs can be recovered from the landlord, and the landlord has the right of appeal against a demand for costs.

Financial penalties

The guidance states that local councils may impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 on landlords who are in breach of specified duties under the regulations (the limit was £30,000 before 1 November 2025).

If you want to read the official guidance in full, use Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance. Keeping your inspection dates, reports and follow up actions together in one place also helps.