EICR explained: what landlords need to know
Since 2020, private landlords in England have had to hold a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report and give tenants a copy. Most disputes we see come from misunderstanding the codes rather than the duty itself.
Updated 2026-08-16
The legal duty in one paragraph
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require the electrical installation to be inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person, a copy of the report to be supplied to tenants within 28 days, and to a new tenant before occupation. Local authorities can request a copy within seven days.
What the codes mean
Every observation carries a classification. Only two of them make a report unsatisfactory.
- · C1 — danger present. Risk of injury now. Requires immediate action, usually made safe on the day.
- · C2 — potentially dangerous. Requires remedial work; makes the report unsatisfactory.
- · C3 — improvement recommended. Does not make a report unsatisfactory and is not compulsory.
- · FI — further investigation required without delay. Also makes a report unsatisfactory.
When a report is unsatisfactory
You have 28 days from the report date to complete the remedial work, or a shorter period if the report specifies one. You then need written confirmation from the electrician that the work is done, supplied to tenants and, on request, the council.
Penalties for non-compliance reach £30,000 per breach, and enforcement has become noticeably more active in boroughs running selective licensing schemes.
Practical advice before booking
Two things reduce cost and delay more than anything else: access and paperwork.
- · Give the electrician access to the consumer unit, loft and any outbuilding on the day
- · Hand over the last report and any minor works certificates since
- · Warn tenants the power will be off in stages
- · Get remedial work quoted separately from the inspection so you can compare prices