The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 made EICRs a legal requirement for private landlords. This guide explains what is required, what happens when the report is Unsatisfactory, and what you must give your tenants.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force in stages. By 1 April 2021, the requirement applied to all tenancies in the private rented sector in England. both new and existing.
The core obligation is straightforward: the electrical installations in a private rented property must be inspected and tested by a qualified person at intervals of no more than five years. The result of that inspection is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. The report determines whether the installation is Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.
The duty sits with the landlord. Tenants do not arrange EICRs. Managing agents act on behalf of landlords and carry the same obligations where they have been given that responsibility.
The Regulations apply to England. Scotland and Wales have their own frameworks with broadly similar principles but different specific requirements. Northern Ireland has separate housing legislation.
A new EICR is required before a new tenancy begins. A landlord cannot hand over a property to new tenants without a current, valid EICR in place. If the previous EICR was issued three years ago and came back Satisfactory, it is still valid. there is no requirement to commission a fresh one for each tenancy unless the five-year period has elapsed or the report says otherwise.
The five-year maximum applies unless the EICR specifies a shorter re-inspection period. An installation with significant age, condition concerns, or a history of defects may warrant a three-year or even annual re-inspection. The electrician sets that period in the report. The landlord must comply with it.
There is no exemption for properties with newer installations. A property wired last year still requires an EICR before a new private rented tenancy begins. The Regulations do not distinguish between old and new wiring.
The documentation obligations under the 2020 Regulations are specific.
Before a new tenant occupies the property, the landlord must give them a copy of the current EICR. This is a condition of the tenancy, not an optional courtesy.
For existing tenants, the landlord must provide a copy of the EICR within 28 days of a written request. They must also provide a copy to the local housing authority within 7 days of a request.
After any remedial work, the landlord must obtain written confirmation from the electrician that the work has been done and that the installation is now in a satisfactory condition. That confirmation must be provided to the tenant within 28 days of the work being completed, and retained by the landlord as a record.
Failing to provide the EICR when required can result in a civil penalty of up to £30,000. Local housing authorities have enforcement powers and can require landlords to carry out electrical safety works.
An EICR is Unsatisfactory when it contains one or more C1, C2, or FI observations. A Satisfactory report may contain C3 observations. these are recommendations, not defects, and do not make the report Unsatisfactory.
When a landlord receives an Unsatisfactory EICR, they must arrange for all required remedial work to be completed within 28 days of receiving the report. or within any shorter period specified in the report itself. A C1 observation. danger present. will typically require immediate action, not 28 days.
The landlord must provide a copy of the Unsatisfactory EICR to the tenant as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than 28 days after receiving it. The tenant does not need to ask. the landlord must provide it.
Once the remedial work is done, the electrician must confirm in writing that the work has been completed and that the installation is satisfactory. The landlord provides that written confirmation to the tenant. At this point, the obligation under the Regulations is discharged. until the next five-year inspection is due.
The 2020 Regulations require that inspections are carried out by a "qualified person." This is defined in the Regulations as someone who is competent to inspect and test electrical installations and has the knowledge, skill, and experience to prevent danger or injury. In practice, the simplest way to identify a competent electrician is through registration with a competent person scheme.
The main schemes for electrical work in England are:
Registration with a competent person scheme is not the only way to demonstrate competence, but it is the most straightforward and provides the landlord with evidence that the electrician has been assessed. A landlord who commissions an EICR from an unregistered electrician takes on greater risk in the event of a dispute about the quality of the inspection.
Always ask for evidence of registration and check the scheme's online register. The NICEIC contractor search is publicly available.
The process of getting the EICR from the engineer's hands to the landlord's inbox has historically been slow. The engineer fills in the report, returns to the office, it gets typed up or uploaded, and the PDF arrives by email a day or two later.
Electrician firms that use Quickler can deliver the EICR PDF to the landlord by one-click email directly from the job record, the moment the report is complete on site. The PDF is generated at the end of the WhatsApp-based workflow. No transcription, no delay, no chasing.
For landlords managing multiple properties, this means faster compliance documentation and a clearer audit trail. both of which matter when a local housing authority asks for records.
At least every five years, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter interval. The five-year maximum applies across the private rented sector in England under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
Under the 2020 Regulations, a landlord must give a copy of the current EICR to any new tenant before they occupy the property, to any existing tenant within 28 days of a request, and to the local housing authority within 7 days of a request.
The landlord must arrange for all remedial work to be completed within 28 days. or within any shorter period specified in the report. After completion, the electrician must provide written confirmation that the work is done and the installation is satisfactory. The landlord provides that confirmation to the tenant and retains a copy.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply in England only. Scotland has separate requirements under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and associated guidance. Wales operates under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 framework. The principles are broadly similar but the specific obligations differ by nation.
Electricians using Quickler complete the EICR through WhatsApp and email the PDF to the landlord in one click.