EICR for Landlords: The Legal Requirements
Since 2020, landlords in England must have the electrical installation in their rented properties inspected and tested at least every five years — and the rules on timing, evidence and remedial work carry fines of up to £30,000 for getting it wrong.
For years, electrical safety in the private rented sector rested on general duties rather than a hard requirement to test. That changed with the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, which put a firm, recurring obligation on landlords to have their installations inspected and tested and to act on what the report finds.
This guide sets out what those regulations require in England — the maximum inspection interval, the deadlines for giving tenants the report and for carrying out remedial work, which codes must be put right, and the penalties for non-compliance. It also notes briefly that Scotland and Wales have their own arrangements.
Key takeaways
- In England, the 2020 Regulations require an EICR at least every five years for privately rented homes.
- Landlords must give the report to tenants within 28 days of the inspection.
- Remedial work must be completed within 28 days — or sooner if the report specifies.
- Any C1, C2 or FI must be remedied for the installation to meet the required standard.
- Local authorities can impose financial penalties of up to £30,000 for non-compliance.
The 2020 Regulations and the five-year rule
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords of privately rented homes in England to ensure the electrical installation is inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every five years. The output of that inspection is an Electrical Installation Condition Report, and the landlord must ensure the installation is kept in a condition that meets the required standards throughout the tenancy.
Five years is a maximum, not a default. If the EICR itself recommends an earlier re-inspection date, that shorter interval applies. The obligation covers the fixed installation — the wiring, consumer unit, accessories and fixed equipment — rather than the tenant’s own portable appliances.
Five years is the ceiling
The inspection must happen at least every five years, but if the report specifies a shorter re-test interval, that is the date the landlord must work to.
The 28-day deadlines
Two 28-day clocks matter. First, the landlord must supply a copy of the report to the existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection and test, and to any new tenant before they move in. A prospective tenant who requests it must also be given a copy. This is how the tenant gets to see the condition of the installation they are living in.
Second, where the report requires remedial or further investigative work, that work must be carried out within 28 days — or sooner if the report states a shorter period. Once done, the landlord has to obtain written confirmation that the work has brought the installation up to standard and supply that to the tenants and, on request, to the local authority.
Which codes must be remedied
An EICR is only satisfactory if it carries nothing worse than C3 observations. The codes that make it unsatisfactory — C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous) and FI (further investigation required) — are the ones the Regulations require to be acted on. Remedial work must address them so the installation meets the standard, within the 28-day window (or sooner if specified).
A C3 is "improvement recommended" and does not by itself make the installation unsatisfactory, so it is not a mandatory remedial under the Regulations, though a sensible landlord will often act on it anyway. It is the C1s, C2s and FIs that must be cleared for the property to comply.
Penalties, and Scotland and Wales
Enforcement sits with the local authority. Where a landlord fails to comply, the authority can serve a remedial notice and, in cases of breach, impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000. In urgent cases the authority can arrange remedial work itself and recover the cost. The financial risk of ignoring the rules therefore dwarfs the cost of the inspection.
These specific Regulations apply to England. Scotland and Wales have their own frameworks for electrical safety in rented housing, with their own inspection requirements and timescales, so a landlord operating across borders should check the rules that apply in each nation rather than assuming the English regime carries over.
Issue and hand over the report cleanly
TradePlanr lets you code the observations and issue the EICR PDF on site, so the landlord has the report to pass to tenants within the 28-day window without waiting on paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a landlord need an EICR in England?
At least every five years under the 2020 Regulations, or sooner if the report itself recommends an earlier re-inspection date. The five-year figure is a maximum interval, not a fixed one.
How long does a landlord have to do remedial work?
Remedial or further investigative work required by the report must be completed within 28 days of the inspection, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period, with written confirmation that the installation now meets the standard.
What’s the fine for not having an EICR?
In England, a local authority can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for breaching the Regulations, and can arrange urgent remedial work itself and recover the cost from the landlord.
From guidance to action
Related guides
EICR Code C2: Potentially Dangerous
When to code C2, how it differs from C1 and C3, and why it makes an EICR unsatisfactory.
EICR Limitations Explained
Agreed vs operational limitations, the extent-of-inspection box, and how to record limitations properly.
How to Price an EICR (UK 2026)
What to charge for an EICR in 2026, how circuit count and property size drive the price, and how to quote it.
