Landlord EICR requirements: when you need one and who can issue it

In England you must follow the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (ESPRS) when letting a covered private rented home; these notes explain who can issue an EICR, the key deadlines and what to do if certificates are missing or fail.

how can i get a landlord eicr

Use a qualified, competent electrician registered with an industry body (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA) who offers domestic periodic inspections: they will carry out a full EICR (fixed‑wiring inspection) and issue a report. Search those public registers or ask your letting agent for recommended contractors; specify you need a landlord/domestic periodic inspection (not PAT). There is no government tariff — small contractors commonly quote from about £120–£140+VAT for a one‑ or two‑bed flat as a guide — and the electrician must give a written report showing satisfactory or listing C1/C2/FI codes and the date of the next inspection.

do landlords need an eicr

Yes: most private landlords in England must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every 5 years and hold an EICR for specified tenancies, subject to statutory exclusions (for example, most lodger arrangements where the landlord shares accommodation). You must supply a copy of the report to tenants and to the local authority on request and you risk enforcement and civil penalties if you do not comply.

do i need a new eicr for a new tenant

No — you do not automatically need a fresh EICR whenever a tenant changes if the existing report is still within its stated interval and any remedial work has been completed; you must, however, provide a copy of the most recent EICR to the new tenant before they occupy and to prospective tenants within 28 days of request. If the existing EICR has expired or specifies a shorter interval that has passed, you must commission a new inspection before letting.

do you need a new eicr on change of tenancy

No: change of tenancy on its own is not a statutory trigger for a new EICR in England — the statutory trigger is the inspection interval (no more than 5 years) or an earlier re‑inspection date specified in the report. Give the incoming tenant the current report before occupation and act if the report has expired or contains outstanding C1/C2/FI items.

How often do I legally need to get an EICR done on a rental property?

Legally, at least every 5 years in the standard private rented case in England, unless the EICR itself specifies a shorter interval (for example 3 or 1 year), in which case you must follow the shorter date. The EICR will state the date of the next inspection; if it says sooner than 5 years, that shorter date is the legal requirement.

Do I need an EICR if I'm only renting out a room to a lodger while I still live in the property?

Usually no: the ESPRS Regulations exclude tenancies where the landlord shares accommodation with the tenant (typical lodger arrangements), so those regulations do not require an EICR; you still owe general safety duties under housing and landlord‑tenant law and may choose to get an EICR voluntarily for safety or insurance reasons.

I've just taken over an inherited rental and I don't know if the last EICR was ever done — how do I check, and what happens if it's overdue?

There is no central public register of EICRs, so check the property files, the previous agent's records and any emails for an EICR; ask the managing agent or the contractor if you can identify them. If you cannot find evidence the installation has been inspected within the required interval, you must commission a new EICR immediately. Local authorities can serve remedial notices and impose civil penalties if you are non‑compliant, and you should keep the new report and supply copies to tenants and the council (authorities can request the report and you must provide it within statutory timescales).

Does my leasehold flat need its own EICR and gas check, or does the freeholder's building insurance and management cover that for me?

If you are the leaseholder letting your flat on an assured tenancy, you are the landlord for that tenancy and must arrange the EICR for the flat’s electrical installation and annual gas safety checks for any gas appliances/flues you provide; freeholder building insurance or block management for communal parts does not discharge your statutory duties for the demised flat. Communal systems may be the freeholder’s responsibility, but you must still ensure tenants receive any necessary gas‑safety records when required.

My tenant keeps ignoring calls and messages to arrange access for an overdue EICR - what's my next legal step to get it done, given I can't just let myself in?

You must make and document all reasonable steps to obtain access (written requests, at least 24 hours’ notice where the tenancy requires it, offering multiple times) because you cannot lawfully enter without consent; importantly, under the regulations you are not in breach if you can show you have "taken all reasonable steps" but were prevented by the tenant. If reasonable requests are refused, escalate: send formal written notices (recorded delivery), keep evidence, involve your agent, consider asking the local housing authority to advise, and as a last resort seek a court order or injunction to compel access or consider possession proceedings — but these are extreme steps and require legal process.

I run eighteen properties across three agents — what's the easiest way to actually track which ones are due a gas check or EICR renewal without an agent quietly letting one lapse?

There is no statutory central tracker, so use your own central register (spreadsheet or compliance log) with address, certificate type, issue date, next inspection date, contractor and agent, and set calendar reminders 1–2 months ahead; alternatively use property‑management software that supports compliance reminders or require agents contractually to supply a compliance schedule and copies of certificates. See our guide to Best Property Management Software for UK Landlords in 2026: An Honest Comparison for tools and our Landlord responsibilities UK: complete legal checklist for what to include in an audit.

I've inherited a rental with old-style wiring the previous owner never touched — if the EICR comes back unsatisfactory, how quickly do I legally have to fix it before I can keep renting the place out?

If the EICR reports C1/C2 or FI items, you must ensure the required remedial or further investigative work is carried out by a qualified person within 28 days of the inspection, or within any shorter period specified in the report, and then obtain written confirmation that the work has been done; you must supply the confirmation and the original EICR to tenants and the local authority within 28 days of completion. Continuing to let while serious (C1) faults remain unaddressed risks enforcement and penalties.

Our EICR contractor flagged a category 2 issue on a managed property and the landlord is dragging their feet on the repair — how long can we let that sit before we're the ones exposed?

You cannot lawfully leave a C2 (potentially dangerous) item unremedied beyond the period stated in the EICR or, by default, 28 days from the inspection; after that the landlord is clearly in breach and at risk of remedial notices and civil penalties. The statutory duty rests on the landlord, but managing agents who knew of the fault and failed to escalate or act as their contract requires may face contractual or negligence claims; agents should document warnings and chase the landlord in writing and consider ending management if the landlord refuses to authorise timely repairs.

Many letting agents only flag electrical certificates when a problem becomes urgent, not before.

Last reviewed August 2026.