If you let a home in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require the fixed electrical installation to be inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years, or sooner if the last report says so. The result is an Electrical Installation Condition Report, usually called an EICR.
Since 2025 the same rules have been extended to social housing, so housing associations and councils that let homes now follow them too. Whether you hold one flat or a portfolio across Liverpool and Manchester, the deadlines below apply to every tenancy in scope.
What an EICR is
An EICR records the condition of the wiring, sockets, consumer unit and other fixed parts of the electrical installation. It sets out what the inspector found, any work needed, and the date the next inspection is due. The inspection must be carried out by a qualified and competent person, typically an electrician registered with a recognised scheme.
What the codes on the report mean
- C1: danger present and a risk of injury. Remedial work is required, and the inspector may make the hazard safe before leaving.
- C2: potentially dangerous. Remedial work is required.
- FI: further investigation is needed without delay, and the landlord must make sure it happens.
- C3: improvement recommended. This does not stop the report being satisfactory.
The deadlines landlords must meet
- Give each existing tenant a copy of the report within 28 days of the inspection.
- Give a new tenant the latest report before they move in.
- Give a prospective tenant a copy within 28 days of a written request.
- Give the local housing authority a copy within 7 days of a written request.
- Keep the report until the next inspection is due and give a copy to the next inspector.
- Complete any remedial or investigative work within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
- Send written confirmation that the work is done to tenants and the local authority within 28 days of completing it.
What happens if you do not comply
Local councils can take enforcement action, including arranging the work themselves and recovering the cost. GOV.UK guidance states that councils may impose financial penalties of up to £40,000 for breaches of specified duties, with the penalty regime depending on when the breach took place.
Making it manageable across several properties
The rules themselves are clear. The difficulty for landlords and managing agents with more than a few homes is tracking five-year due dates, chasing reports to tenants on time, booking remedial work within 28 days and keeping proof that each step happened. A single register showing every property, its last inspection, its next due date, open codes and the evidence sent to tenants is what holds up if a council asks.
How Apex helps
We arrange EICRs and the remedial work that follows as part of our mechanical and electrical service, and keep the dates, certificates and tenant confirmations in one place under fire safety and compliance. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current guidance on GOV.UK or with a qualified professional for your specific properties.