EICR Explained: Electrical Safety Compliance for Landlords (England, 2026)
EICR landlord requirements in England: 5-year rule, C1/C2/FI codes, 28-day remedial deadline, penalties up to £30,000. How to stay compliant.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a professional electrical inspection of your property's fixed wiring. It's not optional, not a PAT test, and you can't skip it if the wiring looks fine. It's a legal requirement — and the rules vary by jurisdiction.
This post covers what an EICR is, when and where you need one, what the codes mean, and what happens if you ignore it.
What Is an EICR?
An EICR is a professional inspection of fixed electrical installation in your property, covering:
- Consumer unit (fuse box)
- Fixed wiring (cables and circuits)
- Switches, sockets, earthing, and bonding
It does NOT cover portable appliances (kettles, TVs, hairdryers) — that's tenant responsibility, though PAT testing is recommended if you provide appliances.
A registered electrician issues the report with a condition code: satisfactory or one of several fault codes. The codes indicate urgency and legal deadline for fixes.
EICR Requirements in England
Requirement: EICR at least once every 5 years.
Legal instrument: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
Key deadline: C1/C2/FI issues must be remedied within 28 days.
Penalty: Up to £30,000 per breach (enforced by local authorities).
Before each new tenancy: Provide incoming tenants a valid EICR (no more than 5 years old). You can reuse the same report across tenancies if still valid.
Got properties elsewhere in Great Britain? The 5-year EICR rule is similar across jurisdictions, but the source legislation, penalties, and enforcement differ.
Who Can Carry Out an EICR
Only a registered electrician can issue a valid EICR. Look for accreditation with:
- NICEIC — National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting
- NAPIT — National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers
- ECA — Electrical Contractors' Association
- Stroma — Building Services Competency Council
Unregistered electricians = invalid EICR = no proof of compliance if enforcement asks.
Cost: £150–£300 typical; £400–£600 for HMOs or complex properties. Cheap insurance against a £30,000 fine.
Understanding the Codes
An EICR assigns one of four condition codes. Understanding them is the difference between urgent and optional.
C1: Danger Present — Fix Immediately
28-day deadline. Immediate risk of serious harm — electrocution, fire, explosion. Cut the affected circuit's power immediately; don't wait weeks.
Examples: damaged insulation on live wires, exposed live parts, missing overcurrent protection, severe water damage to electrics.
C2: Potentially Dangerous — Fix Within 28 Days
28-day deadline. Potential risk of serious harm, but not immediate. Still urgent.
Examples: inadequate earthing, circuit breaker malfunction, substandard bonding, worn components likely to fail.
C3: Improvement Recommended — Optional
No legal deadline. Minor issues with no immediate danger, but could cause problems if left.
Examples: missing socket covers, outdated but functional wiring, cosmetic issues.
Ignoring C3 doesn't breach the law, but you could be liable if it worsens and causes harm later.
FI: Further Investigation Required — Investigate Within 28 Days
28-day deadline to investigate. Electrician couldn't fully assess or needed specialist equipment. If investigation reveals C1/C2, you then have 28 days to fix.
What "Unsatisfactory" Means
An EICR is unsatisfactory if it contains any C1, C2, or FI codes. The installation is not safe and must be remedied.
Once fixed, the electrician issues a remedial report confirming the work is complete. Keep this report — it's your proof of compliance if enforcement comes asking.
Your Legal Obligations
Give Tenants a Copy (Within 28 Days)
Email or post a copy of the EICR to your current tenant. Keep proof of delivery.
Provide It Before New Tenancies Start
Give incoming tenants a valid EICR (or summary) during the viewing or in the tenancy pack.
Respond to Local Authority Requests (Within 7 Days)
If enforcement asks for your EICR, provide it. Non-response is a breach.
Keep Remedial Confirmations (5 Years)
If you had C1/C2/FI codes, keep the electrician's written confirmation that work is complete. This is your compliance proof.
EICR vs. PAT Testing
EICR: Fixed wiring, circuits, consumer unit, switches, sockets. Legally required every 5 years. Registered electrician only.
PAT testing: Portable appliances (kettles, TVs, hairdryers). Not legally required for landlords unless you provide appliances. Anyone with training can do it.
Bottom line: You must do EICR. PAT is optional unless you supply appliances.
The Penalties for Non-Compliance
No valid EICR = up to £30,000 fine per breach (enforced by local authorities). Criminal prosecution and court orders also possible.
Local authorities are actively checking. Can't produce an EICR? Compliance notice. Ignore it? Fined.
One EICR every 5 years: £150–£300. A fine: £30,000. Choice is easy.
Tracking EICR Expiry
Set a reminder 4 years and 9 months after your EICR date to book the next one. This gives a 3-month buffer before expiry.
For multiple properties, use a spreadsheet or compliance tracking system to flag renewal dates. Don't rely on memory.
Using SelfLet to Automate EICR Tracking
SelfLet flags EICR expiry with 90-day, 30-day, and 7-day reminders. Upload the report once — it's timestamped and stored in the document vault. Tenants access it via the portal (no separate email needed). You get a complete audit trail: issue date, tenant delivery, remedial work completion.
Enforcement asks for your EICR? Everything they need is in one place: the report, the remedial confirmation, and proof of tenant notification.
In Summary
- 5-year EICR rule across England, Scotland, Wales (regimes differ — see jurisdiction section)
- Valid EICR before every new tenancy
- C1/C2/FI = fix or investigate within 28 days. C3 = optional
- Keep remedial reports for 5 years (proof of compliance)
- Give tenant a copy within 28 days of receiving it
- Missing EICR = £30,000 fine
Next steps:
- Check when your last EICR was. Still valid?
- Book a registered electrician (NICEIC/NAPIT/ECA) if needed.
- Fix any C1/C2/FI issues and keep the remedial report.
- Set a reminder for 4 years 9 months after your EICR date.
- Track and store your reports using a compliance system like SelfLet.
For more, see our guides to RRA compliance and gas safety (CP12).
Manage EICR compliance without the headaches. SelfLet auto-tracks expiry, stores reports and remedial confirmations, flags deadlines, and serves everything to tenants via the portal with timestamped logs. Launching 1 May 2026.
Last updated: April 2026. England: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.