A landlord in England must have the fixed electrics in a rented home inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, or sooner if the last report sets an earlier date. Each tenant gets a copy. If the report calls for remedial work, it must be done within 28 days of the inspection, or sooner if the report says so. A council can fine a landlord up to £40,000 for breaking the rules. The report is usually called an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Two 2026 changes affect its codes and re-lets.
The short version
- Test the installation at intervals of no more than 5 years, or by the earlier date in the last report.
- Give each existing tenant a copy within 28 days of the test, and a new tenant a copy before they move in.
- C1 and C2 mean remedial work. C3 is a recommendation. FI changed in 2026.
- Send the tenant and the council proof of the work within 28 days.
- The penalty cap is £40,000.
Which rented homes need an EICR?
The duty applies to a "specified tenancy": a tenancy of a home in England that gives the tenant the right to occupy it as their only or main residence and provides for rent, whether or not it is a market rent (regulation 2). Schedule 1 excludes some tenancies, including shared accommodation with the landlord or their family, long leases and tenancies of 7 years or more, and student halls.
GOV.UK's guidance says HMOs are covered and communal areas of a building are not.
How often does a landlord need an EICR?
At intervals of no more than 5 years, or by an earlier date if the most recent report requires one (regulation 3). The report must state the date by which the next test is required, so diary that date. For a new build or full rewire, GOV.UK says an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) can stand in for a report for 5 years from its issue, if you have otherwise complied with your duties.
Do I need a new EICR for each new tenancy?
The regulation says the installation must be tested before the tenancy commences. GOV.UK's guidance says a new test is not needed before re-letting if a test was done less than 5 years ago and the report required no further work. You give the new tenant the most recent report, and GOV.UK recommends at least a visual check. It also says a statutory periodic tenancy is a new tenancy and a contractual periodic one is not, but it predates the 1 May 2026 reforms.
What changed in 2026?
A new wiring standard. The electricians' standard, BS 7671, moved to Amendment 4 (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026). NICEIC says it became the only valid edition on 15 October 2026 and that, under it, an FI code ("further investigation is advised") and a C3 no longer make a report unsatisfactory. Under the previous edition an FI did. We could not read the paywalled standard, so we rely on NICEIC. GOV.UK's guidance and regulation 3 were written earlier and still say further investigation "without delay". Ask your electrician how a new-style FI is handled. We could not settle whether it starts the 28-day duty.
A draft amendment. The Electrical Safety Standards (Amendment) Regulations 2026 were laid in draft on 13 July 2026. From 30 November 2026 they would say a new tenancy needs no fresh test if an inspection in the previous five years produced a report whose next-test date has not passed. They would also remove "further investigative" work from regulations 3 and 10 for inspections completed from that date. The Lords approved them on 14 October 2026 and a Commons committee is listed for 19 October. Until they are made, GOV.UK's guidance, which is not law, is the only support for skipping a pre-let test.
Did the Renters' Rights Act change the rule?
On our reading, no. The regulations' change notes show no amendment from the Act, and we found no mention of electrical safety in the Act's text. For private landlords the changes came from S.I. 2025/1043 on 1 November 2025: the penalty cap rose from £30,000 to £40,000, a "reasonable steps" defence was added for the duties to inspect and to do remedial work, and duties to keep the report and hand it to the next tester were added.
What do the codes C1, C2, C3 and FI mean?
| Code | Meaning (GOV.UK's guidance, shortened) | What the landlord must do |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present; the inspector may make it safe on the spot | Remedial work |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Remedial work |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | Nothing; the report can still be satisfactory |
| FI | Further investigation needed | Ask your electrician; see "What changed in 2026?" |
With a C1 or C2, GOV.UK says the report will state the installation is unsatisfactory for continued use. Landlords do not have to make C3 improvements.
What must you do within 28 days of an unsatisfactory report?
Regulation 3(4) to (6) sets this sequence:
- Have the work done. A qualified person must carry out the remedial work (the regulation still says "or further investigative work") within 28 days of the inspection, or sooner if the report says so.
- Get written confirmation from the qualified person that it is done. GOV.UK lists a satisfactory EICR, an EIC or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate as acceptable.
- Send it on. Within 28 days of completing the work, give each existing tenant and the council the confirmation and the report that required the work.
- Repeat if needed. If an investigation shows more work, repeat steps 1 to 3.
A landlord is not in breach of the duties to test or to do the work if they can show they took all reasonable steps. GOV.UK's example is work that waits for an energy supplier to fit an isolator, so keep a record of every message and booking. The same applies when a tenant refuses access: the landlord is not treated as failing to take reasonable steps solely for not bringing legal proceedings. The defence does not cover the duties to hand over copies.
Who gets a copy, and for how long do you keep it?
| Who | When |
|---|---|
| Each existing tenant | Within 28 days of the inspection and test |
| A new tenant | Before they occupy the home |
| A prospective tenant | Within 28 days of a written request |
| The local council | Within 7 days of a written request |
| The person doing the next test | When they carry it out |
Keep the report until the later of the next test being due and being done, unless a newer one replaces it (regulation 3(3)).
A worked example (invented dates)
An illustration, not a real case: a test on Monday 9 November 2026 records a C2 observation on the consumer unit.
- Friday 20 November 2026: the electrician finishes the repair and confirms it in writing.
- Sunday 6 December 2026: regulation 3(4) counts the 28 days from the test date, so aim to finish the repair by then.
- Monday 7 December 2026: the latest date to give the existing tenant the report.
- Friday 18 December 2026 (28 days after completion): the latest date to send the tenant and the council the confirmation and the report.
What happens if a landlord does not comply?
The local council enforces the rules, which for Edmonton means Enfield Council. Its steps are:
- A remedial notice. If it has reasonable grounds to believe the landlord breached the duty to test, to do the remedial work or to repeat it (regulation 3(1), (4) or (6)), it must serve a notice requiring action within 28 days, and the landlord has 21 days for written representations (regulation 4).
- Stepping in. If the landlord still does not act, the council may arrange the work with the tenant's consent and recover its reasonable costs (regulations 6 and 8).
- A financial penalty. The council can impose one if satisfied beyond reasonable doubt of a breach, and more than one for a continuing failure (regulation 11). Each is capped at £40,000. A notice of intent comes first, and a final notice can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal within 28 days (Schedule 2).
GOV.UK's civil penalties guidance does not list these regulations, so we cannot give a starting figure.
What should a landlord check each year?
- Find the date of the last EICR and the next-test date it names.
- Check each C1 and C2 item has written confirmation of completion.
- Confirm the tenant received the report, and keep proof of when and a record of any access attempts.
Enfield's selective licensing application asks for an EICR (see our licensing article), as does the draft London landlord register. Our landlord legislation guide covers the other checks a let needs, and we can organise certificates as part of property maintenance. To talk through your rented home, get in touch with our lettings team.
Questions readers ask
How long does an EICR last for a landlord?
The installation must be inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years, or by an earlier date if the latest report sets one. The report you receive states the date by which the next inspection and test is required, so diary that date rather than counting five years from memory.
Do I need a new EICR every time I re-let?
GOV.UK's guidance says no, if the last inspection was less than 5 years ago and the report does not require further investigative or remedial work. You then give the new tenant a copy of that report. A draft amendment would write a similar rule into the regulations from 30 November 2026, if Parliament approves it.
What if my tenant will not let the electrician in?
A landlord is not in breach of the duties to test or to do the remedial work if they can show they took all reasonable steps. The regulations say a landlord who is prevented from entering by the tenant is not treated as failing to take reasonable steps solely because they did not bring legal proceedings. GOV.UK suggests keeping copies of every attempt to arrange access.
Is a C3 code a fail?
No. GOV.UK describes C3 as improvement recommended and says further remedial work is not required for the report to be deemed satisfactory. Codes C1 and C2 mean remedial work is required and the report will state the installation is unsatisfactory. NICEIC says that under the wiring standard in force since 15 October 2026, an FI code no longer makes a report unsatisfactory either.
Who can carry out an EICR for a landlord?
The regulations say a qualified person must inspect and test the installation, and regulation 3 defines the term. GOV.UK's guidance points landlords to registers of competent electricians. Check the electrician's credentials before you book, and ask for the report to state the date the next inspection is required.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk, Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, regulation 2, read on 17 October 2026. Also read the same day: regulation 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.
- legislation.gov.uk, S.I. 2025/1043, the 2025 amending regulations, made 23 September 2025, read on 17 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector and Social Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (draft), read on 17 October 2026.
- UK Parliament, Procedure browser record for the draft amendment, read on 17 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance, published 1 November 2025.
- GOV.UK, Civil penalties guidance, published 13 November 2025.
- NICEIC, Amendment 4 to BS 7671, read on 17 October 2026.
- Enfield Council, Selective licensing scheme, read on 17 October 2026.
