Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate: What the Law Requires in England
Updated: Oct 9
The "landlord electrical safety certificate" is an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). In England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every 5 years, give tenants a copy of the report within 28 days, and complete any remedial work or further investigation the report requires within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so). Councils can fine landlords who do not comply up to £40,000.
There is no separate document called a landlord certificate. Government guidance says the report is usually an EICR, the same report a homeowner or business would get.
What the 2020 regulations require
Regulation 3 of the 2020 Regulations sets out the duties. In plain terms, a landlord must:
Make sure the national standards for electrical safety (BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations) are met whenever the property is occupied.
Have the installation inspected and tested by a qualified person before a new tenancy starts, and then at intervals of no more than 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so.
Get a written report from the inspector with the results and the date of the next inspection.
Give a copy of the report to each existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection.
Give a copy to a new tenant before they move in, and to a prospective tenant within 28 days of them asking.
Give a copy to the local council within 7 days if it asks for one.
Keep a copy to hand to the next inspector.
The full text is on legislation.gov.uk, and our EICR reporting service covers private and social rented homes, including HMOs.
The 28-day remedial rule
If the report says remedial work or further investigation is needed, the landlord must have it done within 28 days, or within any shorter period the report specifies. That covers every C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous) and FI (further investigation) observation. C3 items are recommendations and do not have to be done to comply.
Once the work is finished, the landlord must get written confirmation from the electrician who did it and give that confirmation, together with the original report, to the tenant and the local council within 28 days of the work being completed.
The 28-day clock starts from the inspection, so it is sensible to book the inspection with enough slack to get quotes and schedule repairs, particularly between tenancies.
Which tenancies are covered?
The rules apply where a tenant occupies the property as their only or main home and pays rent. That includes houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Government guidance lists the main exclusions:
Lodgers sharing accommodation with the landlord or the landlord's family
Long leases of 7 years or more
Student halls of residence, hostels and refuges
Care homes, hospitals and hospices
Mobile homes, caravans and boats
Since 2025 the same regulations also apply to social housing. For social tenancies they apply to tenancies granted from 1 December 2025, and to earlier tenancies from 1 May 2026, with the first inspection of those existing homes due before 1 November 2026. Social landlords must also inspect and test electrical equipment they supply under the tenancy at least every 5 years.
Wales has separate rules. Under the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022, a landlord needs an electrical condition report no more than 5 years old (or sooner if the report says so) and must give the contract-holder a copy within 14 days of them moving in, or within 14 days of a later inspection.
HMO electrical requirements
HMOs follow the same 2020 regulations as any other private let: an EICR at least every 5 years, reports to tenants and the council, and the 28-day remedial rule. HMO licences issued by councils may add their own conditions, so check yours.
HMOs are also where the coding rules are tightening. Under Electrical Safety First's current coding guidance, the absence of arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) is recorded as a C3 in HMOs, while in an ordinary house it is only an observation. It does not fail the report, but it is worth planning for if you are replacing a consumer unit anyway.
What can the council do?
Enforcement sits with the local housing authority. Government guidance sets out the powers:
If a landlord is in breach and the report does not show urgent work, the council must serve a remedial notice requiring action.
If the report shows urgent remedial work that has not been done in time, the council can, with the tenant's consent, arrange for the work to be carried out.
The council can recover the cost of that work from the landlord.
The council can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000.
A landlord is not in breach if they can show they took all reasonable steps to comply. If a tenant refuses access, keep a record of every attempt to arrange the inspection; the guidance says a landlord will not be in breach solely because they have not taken the tenant to court.
Who can carry out a landlord EICR?
The regulations say "a qualified person": someone competent to carry out the inspection and testing and any further investigation or remedial work. Government guidance points landlords to registers of electricians who belong to government-approved competent person schemes. Ask to see evidence of registration and insurance before booking, and check the report includes full schedules of test results, not just a front page.
The time on site depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits; our guide to how long an EICR takes gives typical timings so you can plan access with tenants.
Landlord EICR questions, answered
Do I need an EICR between tenancies if the current one is in date?
Not by law, as long as it is within its 5-year life. Government guidance recommends at least a visual inspection before a new tenancy starts, and Electrical Safety First suggests a visual check once a year or between tenancies. Give the new tenant a copy of the existing report before they move in.
Does the landlord EICR cover appliances I supply?
No. It covers the fixed installation. Government guidance for landlords still expects all electrical equipment you provide to be safely installed and maintained, which is why many landlords PAT test supplied appliances.
What about commercial units I let?
Commercial lettings are not covered by the 2020 regulations. The duty there comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations and the lease; our guide to fixed wire testing explains how that works.
Booking your landlord EICR
Whether you need an electrician in Telford, Wolverhampton or elsewhere in Shropshire, SM Electrical carries out landlord EICRs across the West Midlands, including HMOs, and can quote for any remedial work and issue the written confirmation you need for tenants and the council. Tell us the property size and when your current report expires through our contact page.
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