How often does a landlord need an EICR?
Every five years in England, or sooner if the current report specifies a shorter interval. New tenancies need a valid report in place, tenants must receive a copy within 28 days, and any C1 or C2 remedial work must be completed within 28 days with written confirmation. Councils can fine up to £30,000 for breaches.
The rules come from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, and they are procedural as well as periodic: it is not enough to hold a report, you must supply it (to tenants within 28 days of inspection, to new tenants before occupation, to the council within 7 days if asked).
The five-year clock is the maximum, not a target. Inspectors can and do specify shorter intervals where an installation is ageing, and change of tenancy is a sensible trigger for a fresh look even when the paper is still valid.
Unsatisfactory reports start a second clock: C1 and C2 observations (and FIs) must be investigated and fixed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, with written confirmation from the electrician supplied to tenants and, on request, the council. Filing the confirmation letter with the report is what makes an audit painless.
HMOs layer licensing conditions on top, and Bristol's schemes are active; licensing officers expect current reports and adequate socket provision per letting room. We format landlord paperwork so agents can file it without chasing, because that, genuinely, is half the service.
More in certificates & landlords, or browse all 40 questions on the FAQ index.
Price your project
Two quick steps. We reply within one working day.
No account, no obligation. We only use this to prepare your quote.
Ready to price your electrical work?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We reply within one working day with an honest cost bracket, then a fixed written quote.