LB ElectricalsLandlord electrical safety rules, explained
By Lewis Burton, city & guilds qualified ·
Since the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, electrical safety stopped being something a landlord could sensibly leave to chance. The duties are specific, the deadlines are short, and the financial penalties are not trivial.
This is the plain version. It applies to privately rented residential property in England — Scotland and Wales have their own arrangements.
The core duties
There are four, and they're all straightforward once written down.
- The fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified and competent person — that's an EICR.
- The report must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, and to any new tenant before they move in.
- If the report requires remedial or further investigative work, it must be carried out within 28 days — or sooner, if the report specifies a shorter period.
- Written confirmation that the remedial work is complete must go to the tenant and to the local housing authority within 28 days of the work being done.
The bit that catches people out
The 28-day remedial clock starts from the date of the inspection, not from when you got round to reading the report or when your contractor could fit you in. A report that lands with a C2 on it and sits in an inbox for three weeks leaves you a week to find someone, get it quoted and get it done.
This is why it's worth using someone who will tell you on the day what they've found rather than emailing a PDF a fortnight later. If you're a landlord with several properties, book the inspections with enough slack in the diary to absorb remedial work — because some proportion of them will need it.
The other frequent trip-up: C3 items do not trigger the 28-day rule. C3 is 'improvement recommended', the report can still be satisfactory, and there is no legal obligation to act. Read the codes; don't just read the front page.
What the local authority can do
If a landlord doesn't comply, the local housing authority can serve a remedial notice, and if that isn't complied with, arrange for the work to be done itself and recover the cost. It can also impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for a breach.
It's also worth knowing that the authority can request a copy of the report within seven days of asking. Keep the paperwork somewhere you can actually find it.
What you should expect from your electrician
A report you can read. Circuit-by-circuit test results, not a one-page summary. Codes that are justified item by item, with the location and the observation written clearly enough that another electrician could go straight to it.
A separate quote for any remedial work, so you can see what you're being asked to pay for and take it elsewhere if you want to. There's an obvious conflict of interest in the same person coding the faults and pricing the fix — a straight operator will make it easy for you to check them.
And an honest conversation about the property. A tired 1930s terrace let to students is a different risk profile to a 2015 flat, and the report should reflect the building in front of them, not a template.
Between inspections
Five years is a long time in a rented property, particularly a busy one. Changes of tenancy are the sensible moment to have a look — voids are when the property is empty, accessible and easy to work in, and it's far cheaper to sort a scorched socket then than to have a tenant report it at nine on a Friday night.
LB Electricals carries out EICRs and landlord work across Doncaster, Sheffield & South Yorkshire. If you've a report due, or a report you don't understand, call Lewis on 07467 381272.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a rented property need an EICR?
At least every five years in England, and a copy of the report must be given to the tenant. Some reports specify a shorter interval — if yours does, that shorter interval is the one you're bound by.
What happens if the EICR is unsatisfactory?
Any C1, C2 or FI item must be remedied within 28 days of the inspection date, or sooner if the report says so. You must then supply written confirmation of completion to the tenant and the local housing authority within 28 days of the work being finished.
Do I need a new EICR after remedial work?
Not necessarily a whole new EICR — written confirmation from the electrician that the remedial work has been carried out is what the regulations require. The original report plus that confirmation is the record.
Does this apply to holiday lets and lodgers?
The regulations apply to most privately rented residential tenancies in England, but there are exclusions — including lodgers sharing accommodation with the landlord, and some other specific categories. If you're unsure whether a particular let is caught, take advice on that specific tenancy rather than assuming.