Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR)
Every rented home in England needs its fixed wiring inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years. The report that comes out of it is an EICR — and a local council can now impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for a breach.
Below: who the duty applies to, what the inspector actually tests, how to read the classification codes, and the deadlines that follow an unsatisfactory report.
Who needs an EICR?
The regulations apply to landlords in England where the tenant occupies the property as their only or main residence and pays rent, whether or not it is a market rent. The duty covers the landlord, and a licence to occupy counts as a tenancy for this purpose.
The 2025 amendment extended the same duties to social landlords, which must also have any electrical equipment they provide under the tenancy checked every five years and keep a record of it.
Excluded tenancies
- Shared accommodation where the landlord or their family also live
- Long leases and tenancies granting a right of occupation of seven years or more, including shared ownership
- Student halls of residence
- Hostels and refuges
- Care homes, hospitals and hospices
- Other accommodation relating to healthcare provision
- Mobile homes, caravans and boats
What gets inspected
The assessment covers the fixed electrical installation — the parts of the wiring that belong to the building rather than anything you plug in:
- wiring and circuits
- socket outlets
- light fittings
- the consumer unit, sometimes called the fuse box
- permanently connected equipment such as showers and extractors
- circuits serving solar PV systems and battery storage
The inspector is looking for overloaded installations, shock and fire risks, defective work, and a lack of earthing or bonding. The standard applied is BS 7671, the 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations.
Portable appliances are not part of an EICR. PAT testing is a separate service and does not satisfy the regulations.
Reading the report
The EICR records any issues using four classification codes. Two of them make a report unsatisfactory; two do not.
| Code | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present, risk of injury | The inspector may make the hazard safe before leaving |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Remedial work required |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | Not required for the report to be satisfactory |
| FI | Further investigation required without delay | Must be investigated |
In short: a C1, C2 or FI makes the report unsatisfactory and triggers the remedial timetable. A C3 on its own does not — acting on it improves safety but is not a legal obligation.
The deadlines that follow
These are the dates that catch landlords out, because several are much tighter than the inspection cycle itself:
| Obligation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Copy of the report to the existing tenant | Within 28 days of the inspection |
| Copy to a new tenant | Before they occupy |
| Copy to a prospective tenant who asks | Within 28 days of the request |
| Copy to the local council on request | Within 7 days of the request |
| Remedial work on an unsatisfactory report | Within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies |
| Report and written confirmation of the work to tenant and council | Within 28 days of completion |
You must also keep the report until the next inspection is due, supply it to the inspector carrying out the next test, and give it to the local council if asked. Written confirmation that remedial work is complete can be a satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate, a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate, or other appropriate certification.
What it costs to get it wrong
Where a council has reasonable grounds to believe a landlord is in breach, it must serve a remedial notice. If the landlord does not comply, the council can arrange the work itself and recover the cost.
Separately, a financial penalty of up to £40,000 may be imposed. For offences committed before 1 May 2026 the penalties come under the Housing and Planning Act 2016; from that date the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 regime applies. Where a report indicates urgent remedial action and the landlord has not done it, the council can act with the tenant’s consent after giving at least 48 hours’ notice.
EICR and EPC booked together
Both documents sit on the same five-year-ish rhythm for a landlord — an EPC lasts ten years, an EICR five — and both are needed to let a property lawfully. Where access is the hard part, having an assessor attend once for both is cheaper and simpler than two appointments.
If you are letting the property, you will also want the current rules on the minimum rating. Our guide for private landlords covers band E, the exemptions and the 2030 move to band C.
Frequently asked questions
How often do I need an EICR on a rented property?
At least every five years. The report itself states the date by which the next inspection and test is due, and that date governs rather than a fixed five-year anniversary.
Is an EICR a legal requirement for landlords?
Yes, in England. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require the fixed electrical installation to be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, and the report given to tenants. The 2025 amendment extended the same duties to social landlords.
Do I need an EICR to sell a house?
Not by law. There is no statutory requirement to provide an EICR when selling a home, although buyers and lenders increasingly ask for one. The legal duty applies to rented property, not to sales.
What do the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes mean?
C1 means danger is present and there is a risk of injury, and the inspector may make the hazard safe before leaving. C2 means potentially dangerous. C3 means improvement is recommended but not required for the report to be satisfactory. FI means further investigation is required without delay.
What is the penalty for not having a valid EICR?
A local council may impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 on a landlord in breach of the duties. For offences before 1 May 2026 the civil penalties under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 apply; from that date the Renters Rights Act 2025 regime applies.
How quickly must I fix problems the EICR identifies?
Within 28 days, or any shorter period the report specifies. Within 28 days of the work being completed you must give the tenant and the local council the report together with written confirmation from the qualified person who did the work.
What does an EICR actually cover?
The fixed electrical installation: wiring, socket outlets, light fittings and the consumer unit, plus permanently connected equipment such as showers and extractors, and circuits serving solar PV or battery storage. It does not test appliances you plug in.
Book an inspection
Or call 0208 522 0001.
Sources: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020; Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) (Extension to the Social Rented Sector) Regulations 2025; GOV.UK, Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance. This page reflects the position in October 2026.