Landlords in England must have the fixed electrical installation in each rented home inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every five years. The result is usually recorded on an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), which also sets the date of the next inspection. Five years is the maximum: the inspector can specify a shorter interval, and that shorter date becomes the deadline. Since late 2025 the same duties have been extended to social landlords in England.<\/p>\n
The duty comes from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. Landlords must make sure the electrical installation meets the standards in BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, and have it inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years.<\/p>\n
The rules have applied to new private tenancies since 1 July 2020 and to existing private tenancies since 1 April 2021. That means many of the first reports issued during the 2021 rollout have now reached the end of their five-year life, so any landlord who has not re-tested since then should check their dates now.<\/p>\n
The 2025 amendment regulations extended the same requirements to social housing in England. They apply to social tenancies granted on or after 1 December 2025, and to earlier social tenancies from 1 May 2026, with transitional arrangements giving social landlords until 1 November 2026 to complete the first round of checks.<\/p>\n
An EICR covers the fixed electrical installation: wiring, socket-outlets, light fittings, switches, the consumer unit and permanently connected equipment such as electric showers and extractor fans.<\/p>\n
In the private rented sector, landlord-supplied portable appliances are not covered by the regulations, although regular checks are strongly recommended. Social landlords have an additional duty to have electrical equipment they provide checked at least every five years.<\/p>\n
A report with any C1, C2 or FI code is unsatisfactory. A report with only C3 observations is satisfactory.<\/p>\n
Where the report is unsatisfactory, the landlord must have the remedial work or further investigation carried out by a qualified person within 28 days, or within any shorter period stated in the report.<\/p>\n
Once the work is complete, the landlord must obtain written confirmation from the electrician that the work has been done and the installation now meets the required standard. That confirmation, together with the original report, must be given to the tenant and to the local council within 28 days of the work being completed.<\/p>\n
C3 items do not trigger a deadline, but they are worth planning and budgeting for, because they often point to ageing parts of the installation that will need attention at the next inspection.<\/p>\n
A practical tip: ask the team that carried out the inspection to quote for the remedial work. When the coding and the fix come from the same contractor, the paperwork lines up and the council sees a clear chain of evidence.<\/p>\n
Landlords must also keep a copy of the report to give to the inspector carrying out the next inspection.<\/p>\n
Some living arrangements fall outside the regulations in England. They include lodgers who share accommodation with the landlord or the landlord’s family, long leases of seven years or more, student halls of residence, hostels and refuges, and care homes, hospitals, hospices and other healthcare accommodation. If you are unsure whether a property is covered, check the government guidance or take advice.<\/p>\n
The rules also differ across the UK. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own requirements, so landlords with property outside England should check the rules that apply there.<\/p>\n
Local councils can impose civil penalties of up to \u00a330,000 per breach on private landlords who fail to comply. They can also serve remedial notices requiring the work to be done and, where a landlord fails to act or the danger is urgent, arrange the work themselves and recover the cost. Social landlords also face regulatory action from the Regulator of Social Housing.<\/p>\n
Beyond the penalties, an unsatisfactory report left unaddressed is a live hazard for tenants and a serious liability for the landlord.<\/p>\n
Five years is the legal ceiling, not a target. Inspectors often recommend shorter intervals for older properties, ageing wiring or homes with high tenant turnover, such as HMOs. A visual check between tenancies is also good practice, looking for damaged sockets, scorch marks, exposed cables or signs of DIY alterations.<\/p>\n
A new EICR is not needed for every new tenant, provided the existing report is still in date and nothing significant has changed in the electrical installation.<\/p>\n
Up to five years from the date of inspection, unless the inspector specifies a shorter period on the report.<\/p>\n
No, as long as the existing report is still valid and the installation has not been significantly altered.<\/p>\n
Landlords are not in breach if they can show they took all reasonable steps to comply. Keep records of every attempt to arrange access, because the council will expect evidence.<\/p>\n
No. A report with only C3 observations is satisfactory.<\/p>\n
Delta First carries out EICRs for landlords, managing agents and homeowners across Essex, Suffolk and London, with clear C1, C2, C3 and FI coding and remedial work quoted by the same team. Find out more on our homeowners and landlords page<\/a> or our commercial EICR<\/a> service for mixed-use and block properties.<\/p>\nTalk to Delta First<\/h2>\n