In England, private rented homes need a satisfactory EICR at least every five years and at the start of a new tenancy, with the report given to tenants and to the local authority on request. Where a report is unsatisfactory, remedial work must be completed within 28 days — or sooner if the report specifies — with written confirmation supplied to tenants and the authority.
- The 28 days runs from the report date, not from when you get round to reading it.
- You must supply written confirmation that remedial work was done, not just do it.
- Alarms and gas sit alongside the EICR — treat them as one compliance calendar.
- Keep the report and the remedial evidence together. Both get asked for.
The electrical duty, precisely
For private rented properties in England, the requirements are specific and the deadlines are short.
- An EICR at least every five years, and a valid report in place at the start of a new tenancy.
- Supply the report to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
- Supply it to new tenants before they occupy.
- Supply it to the local authority within seven days of a request.
- Where the report is unsatisfactory — any C1, C2 or FI — complete remedial work within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period.
- Supply written confirmation that the remedial work has been completed, to tenants and to the local authority, within 28 days of completion.
- C1 items should be made safe during the inspection visit, not held over into the 28-day window.
The confirmation step is the one most often missed. Doing the work is not the whole duty — evidencing it is part of the duty.
The wider compliance calendar
Electrical safety is one item among several, and treating them as a single schedule is far easier than handling each as it falls due.
| Requirement | Frequency | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| EICR | At least every 5 years, and at a new tenancy | The report, plus remedial confirmation |
| Gas safety check | Annually, by a Gas Safe registered engineer | The CP12 record |
| Smoke alarms | One per storey; tested at the start of a tenancy | Tenancy check-in record |
| Carbon monoxide alarms | In rooms with a fixed combustion appliance | Check-in record |
| Fitness for human habitation | Throughout the tenancy | Inspection records, repair logs |
| EPC | Valid certificate required to let | The certificate |
| Portable appliance checks | Not legally mandated; good practice if you supply appliances | Test records if carried out |
Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. We do not carry out gas work and would not claim otherwise — it is listed here because it belongs in the same calendar.
Reading the report as a landlord
The codes decide whether you have a 28-day clock running, so they are worth understanding rather than forwarding unread.
C1 — danger present. Immediate risk. Should have been made safe during the visit. If a report shows a C1 and nothing was done on the day, ask why.
C2 — potentially dangerous. This is the one that most often drives the 28-day requirement. Not an emergency, but it must be put right.
FI — further investigation. Also makes a report unsatisfactory. Something could not be determined and needs following up.
C3 — improvement recommended. Does not make a report unsatisfactory and does not start a clock. A report consisting entirely of C3s is satisfactory, and you are not legally required to action any of it.
That last point matters commercially. C3 items are sometimes presented to landlords as remedial work required by law. They are not, and a report that lists a dozen C3s as though they were failures is worth questioning.
Practical ways landlords get caught out
- Counting the 28 days from the wrong date. It runs from the inspection, not from when the report lands in your inbox or when the agent forwards it.
- Doing the work but not evidencing it. Written confirmation to tenants and, on request, the authority is a separate obligation.
- Assuming the agent has it covered. Agents vary in what they manage. Establish in writing who holds responsibility for each item.
- An EICR that was a visual check. A cheap, half-hour inspection is not a test and will not stand up. Ask what testing is included.
- Letting the five years lapse between tenancies. A new tenancy needs a valid report regardless of where you are in the cycle.
- Ignoring access problems. If a tenant will not grant access, document every attempt in writing. Demonstrating reasonable steps matters.
- Losing the paperwork. Reports get asked for years later, often at sale or at a dispute.
If a tenant will not give access
This comes up regularly and the answer is procedural rather than dramatic.
You cannot enter without permission, and you cannot force an inspection. What you can do is demonstrate that you took all reasonable steps: written requests with proposed dates, follow-ups, a record of responses or their absence, and a written explanation of why the inspection is required and what it is for.
Keep all of it. If the local authority asks why a property has no current report, a documented trail of reasonable attempts is the relevant evidence. An undocumented verbal attempt is not.
In practice most access problems resolve with explanation. Tenants who understand the inspection is for their safety, takes a few hours, and involves the power being off in stages, are generally willing to arrange it.
Making it manageable across a portfolio
- Put every property's EICR expiry, gas check date and EPC expiry in one calendar.
- Schedule inspections so they do not all fall in the same month — stagger them as tenancies turn over.
- Book the EICR and any gas check together where possible; one access arrangement rather than two.
- Agree in writing with your agent who is responsible for arranging, chasing and evidencing each item.
- Keep a single folder per property holding the report, remedial confirmation, certificates and check-in records.
- Treat C2 remedials as same-visit work where practical — having the electrician return is more expensive than fixing it there.
What it costs
These are the electrical figures published across this site:
| Job | Typical Coventry guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EICR (3-bed) | £150–£300 | Safety certificate |
| Consumer unit upgrade | £450–£700 | RCD protection |
| Electrician, hourly | £45–£90/hr | Certified, Part P |
| Typical job | £233–£473 | Sockets, lighting, faults |
| Full rewire (3-bed) | £3,000–£6,000 | Whole-house |
For portfolios we can schedule inspections across the year and carry out C2 remedials during the same visit where practical, which avoids a second mobilisation and a second access arrangement.
A note on scope
This describes the position for private rented residential property in England. Wales and Scotland operate under their own regimes, and houses in multiple occupation carry additional requirements including, in many cases, more frequent inspection.
It is a general description rather than legal advice on your situation. Where you are unsure how a duty applies to a particular tenancy, the local authority's private sector housing team is the authoritative source.
Full testing, clear coding, and C2 remedials dealt with in the same visit where we can — so the 28-day clock is not a problem.
Frequently asked questions
How often do landlords need an EICR?
At least every five years for private rented property in England, and a valid report must be in place at the start of a new tenancy. If a report specifies a shorter interval than five years, that shorter period applies. Houses in multiple occupation can carry additional requirements.
What happens if my EICR is unsatisfactory?
Remedial work must be completed within 28 days of the inspection, or sooner if the report specifies, and you must then supply written confirmation of completion to tenants and, on request, to the local authority. C1 items should have been made safe during the visit itself rather than left to the 28-day window.
Do C3 items have to be fixed?
No. C3 means improvement recommended; it does not make a report unsatisfactory and it starts no clock. A report consisting entirely of C3 items is satisfactory. If C3 findings are being presented to you as legally required remedial work, that is worth questioning.
What if my tenant refuses access for the inspection?
You cannot force entry, so the duty becomes demonstrating reasonable steps. Make written requests with proposed dates, follow up in writing, explain what the inspection involves and why, and keep a record of everything including non-responses. That documented trail is what the local authority will want to see.
Does the letting agent handle this for me?
Only if your agreement says so, and agents vary considerably in what they manage. Establish in writing who arranges the inspection, who chases remedials, who supplies the report to tenants and who holds the records. The legal duty generally sits with the landlord regardless of who does the administration.
Do I need an EICR between tenancies if the last one is recent?
You need a valid report in place at the start of a new tenancy. If the existing report is still within its period and remains satisfactory, that is sufficient — you do not need a fresh one for every tenancy. What you do need is to supply it to the incoming tenant before they occupy.
One calendar, one contact
We schedule EICRs across a portfolio so they do not all fall together, and deal with C2 remedials in the same visit where we can. Free quote, reports with findings explained.