What Is an EICR and Why Do Landlords Need One?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection of all the fixed electrical wiring, consumer units, sockets and fittings in a rented property. Since 1 April 2021, it has been a legal requirement for all new private tenancies in England, and since 1 April 2022 for all existing tenancies.
A qualified electrician inspects every element of the fixed electrical installation and grades each observation:
An EICR is unsatisfactory if it contains any C1, C2 or FI observations. You must carry out the remedial work and get written confirmation from the electrician.
How Much Does an EICR Cost?
Costs vary depending on property size, age and location. Here are typical 2026 prices:
Additional remedial work (if C1 or C2 observations are found) is charged separately. Budget an additional £50 to £300 depending on the issue.
How to find a qualified electrician: Look for electricians registered with NICEIC, NAPIT or Stroma. These are the government-approved bodies for domestic electrical work.
What Happens If Your EICR Expires?
This is where landlords get into serious trouble. The consequences of a lapsed EICR are significant:
1. Fine of up to £30,000 per property
Local housing authorities actively enforce EICR compliance. The maximum civil penalty is £30,000.
2. It does not block a Section 8 claim (but the fine stands)
An out-of-date EICR used to invalidate a Section 21 notice, but Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and the EICR was never a Section 8 precondition, so a Section 8 possession claim is not barred by a lapsed EICR. It remains a breach carrying the £30,000 penalty above, so renew it on time regardless.
3. Local authority can carry out the work
If you fail to act, the local authority can arrange for the remedial work to be done, and recover the cost from you.
4. Prohibition notice
In serious cases, a prohibition notice can prevent tenants from occupying part or all of the property.
How Often Does an EICR Need to Be Done?
Every 5 years, or more frequently if the previous report recommended it. Some older properties with aging wiring may be recommended for more frequent inspection.
When you purchase a property with an existing tenancy, always request the latest EICR. If it's missing or out of date, arrange one immediately.
Important: An EICR is different from a periodic Portable Appliance Test (PAT test). PAT tests cover moveable appliances like kettles and washing machines. EICRs cover the fixed installation. You may need both.
Where the report should live
The inspection is the easy part. What costs landlords money is the five years afterwards, when the report is a PDF in an old email and the expiry date is in nobody's head.
In LetCompliance the report sits against the property, with its expiry, the remedial invoices and the proof you sent it to the tenant. It carries 20 points of the property's 0–100 compliance score, so an out-of-date report shows up next to your compliant properties rather than staying invisible. If a council asks for it, and you have 28 days to produce one — it is two clicks, not an afternoon in your inbox.
The same login runs the rest of the let: advertising and applications, referencing, e-signed tenancies, rent collection by Direct Debit with arrears chasing, maintenance work orders with completion evidence, Section 8 and Section 13 notices, and an SA105-shaped tax pack with MTD quarterly summaries.
What happens if the report comes back unsatisfactory
The inspection fee is only half the budget. An EICR is unsatisfactory if it records any C1, C2 or FI observation, and that starts a clock.
You must have the remedial work done within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period. You then need written confirmation from the electrician that the work is complete, and you must supply it to the tenant within 28 days and to the local authority within 28 days of completion.
Typical remedial costs, on top of the inspection:
A C3 is different. It is "improvement recommended", it does not make the report unsatisfactory, and you are not legally required to act on it. Sensible landlords still note them, because today's C3 is often next inspection's C2.
The five-year cycle, and when you actually need a new one
The requirement is an inspection at least every five years, or more often if the report itself specifies a shorter interval. Some electricians recommend three years on older installations, and if the report says so, that shorter period is the one that binds you.
A change of tenant does not reset the clock, and it does not require a fresh EICR. What it does require is giving the new tenant a copy of the existing report before they move in. Existing tenants get a copy within 28 days of a new inspection.
Diary the expiry date the day the report arrives. The most common way landlords end up non-compliant is not refusing to do it, it is a five-year gap nobody was tracking.
The cost of not having one
The civil penalty for breaching the electrical safety regulations is up to £30,000 per property, and a local authority can also arrange remedial work itself and recover the cost from you.
Worth being precise about the possession angle, because older guides get it wrong. An out-of-date EICR used to invalidate a Section 21 notice. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026, so that consequence has gone. The EICR was never a Section 8 precondition, so a lapsed report does not by itself bar a possession claim. What it does do is hand a tenant material for a disrepair counterclaim and make you look careless on any discretionary ground.
The £30,000 is the reason to keep it current. Set against £150 to £250 every five years, it is not a close call.
Choosing an electrician, and why the cheapest quote often is not
Anyone carrying out an EICR must be competent and, in practice, registered with a recognised scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA. Ask for the registration number and check it.
Two things separate a good report from a cheap one. A thorough inspector will lift a proportion of accessories and test circuits properly rather than doing a visual walk-round, and they will explain each observation rather than handing you a coded list. A report that comes back with an implausibly long list of C2s, from a firm that also quotes for the remedials, deserves a second opinion.
A worked budget for a three-bed house: £180 to £250 for the inspection, and on an installation over about twenty years old, budget £300 to £700 for likely remedials on the first inspection. After that, subsequent five-yearly reports are usually clean and cost the inspection fee alone.
2026 UK Landlord Compliance Cheat Sheet
Every Gas Safety, EICR, EPC, deposit and Right to Rent deadline on one printable A4 page. Updated for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
- Every UK statutory deadline by document type
- Maximum penalty per breach (HSE, MEES, RtR, deposit)
- What blocks a Section 8 / Form 6A possession claim
- Print-friendly A4 with checkboxes
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical EICR price for a 2-bed rental in 2026?
Many landlords pay roughly £150 to £250 depending on region and property size; London and large houses cost more. Remedial work for C1/C2 codes is quoted separately.
How much is the fine for not having an EICR in the UK?
The local authority can issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per property per breach under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. Penalties scale with portfolio size and previous offences. You also lose the ability to serve a valid Section 21 (until abolition) and can be referred to the Database of Rogue Landlords. The fine massively outweighs the typical £150–£300 inspection cost.
How much does British Gas charge for an EICR?
British Gas EICR pricing typically sits at the higher end — around £300–£450 for a standard 2-bed flat in 2026, more for larger properties. Local NICEIC / NAPIT registered electricians usually quote £150–£250 for the same job. Both are equally legally valid as long as the engineer is NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA registered. Always check the engineer's registration card on site.
How much do EICR remedial works cost?
Remedial works depend entirely on the codes raised. Indicative ranges: minor C3 improvement works £80–£250 (e.g. RCD upgrade, new socket); C2 potentially-dangerous fixes £150–£800 (e.g. faulty consumer unit, missing earth bonding); C1 dangerous + major rewires £500–£3,000+ (e.g. full consumer unit replacement, partial rewire). Get 2–3 quotes for any C1/C2 over £400, and only re-issue the EICR as satisfactory once works are signed off and certificated.
Is skipping an EICR ever worth the saving?
No. The £30,000 maximum civil penalty per property and Section 21 invalidation far exceed inspection cost. Insurers may also refuse claims if statutory electrical safety is ignored.