EICR certificates: the UK landlord's guide

An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a periodic inspection and test of the fixed wiring in a property. A qualified electrician checks the consumer unit, circuits, earthing and bonding, sockets, switches and fixed equipment, then records observations against standard classification codes and gives an overall verdict: satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

It is not a decorative survey and it is not a check of your appliances. It is evidence that the installation supplying the property is safe for continued use — which is precisely what a local authority, an insurer or a court will ask you for.

England: at least every five years, or more frequently if the report specifies a shorter interval. This comes from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, which have applied to all existing tenancies since 1 April 2021.

Scotland: an EICR every five years, alongside a PAT record for landlord-supplied appliances, under the Repairing Standard.

Wales: every five years under the fitness for human habitation requirements of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

A new inspection is also sensible on change of tenancy, after significant electrical work, or where the previous report recommended an earlier review. The five-year EICR sits alongside the annual gas check and the other renewals set out in our UK landlord compliance checklist. If you are letting for the first time, the first time landlord guide covers where the EICR fits in the wider setup, and the Renters' Rights Act guide explains why compliance evidence now matters for possession and the Property Portal.

• C1 — danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate action required; the electrician will normally make it safe on the spot.
• C2 — potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required.
• FI — further investigation. Something could not be fully assessed and needs following up.
• C3 — improvement recommended. Not a failure. A report with only C3 items is still satisfactory.

Any C1, C2 or FI makes the report unsatisfactory. Remedial work must be completed within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so), and you must obtain written confirmation the work is done.

• Give a copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
• Give it to a new tenant before they occupy the property.
• Give it to any prospective tenant within 28 days of a written request.
• Supply it to the local authority within seven days of a request.
• Complete remedial work within 28 days and evidence completion in writing.
• Keep the report until the next inspection, and hand it to the next electrician.

Typical UK pricing is roughly £120–£300 for a one to three bedroom property, with larger properties and additional consumer units costing more. Remedial work is separate and quoted on the findings. These are illustrative market ranges — they vary by region and contractor, and are not a quote.

Use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA, and check the certificate carries their registration details. A letting agent will typically arrange this for an arrangement fee; booking direct removes that fee entirely.

Local authorities in England can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 per breach, and can carry out remedial work themselves and recover the cost. Beyond the fine, a missing or expired EICR can undermine an insurance claim and complicate a possession claim, because it goes to whether you met your statutory obligations as a landlord.