Electrical Safety Certificates For Landlords: A Guide 

If you’re a new landlord in East London, you’ll need to learn the rules about electrical safety certificates for landlords – as part of your obligations to tenants.

Landlords must protect their tenants from the risks of faulty electrics – from electrical fires to electric shocks. The law on safety standards in the private rented sector has changed in recent years. The electrical safety check is a legal requirement for landlords, meaning you must carry out electrical safety checks every five years. If you fail to organise an inspection and give your tenant a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), you could face a hefty fine. We look at everything landlords in Stratford, Ilford, and Forest Gate need to know about electrical safety certificates.

What are the current electrical safety requirements for landlords?

As of June 2020, you must arrange an electrical safety inspection or Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) of your electrics when you sign up your first tenant, and repeat it every five years. Electrical inspections for existing tenants predating the change are required by 1 April 2026.

Landlords must appoint a competent, suitably qualified person to complete the check. If the inspector detects a fault, you must organise remedial work or further investigation to identify the problem. You must supply a copy of the report to your tenant within 28 days of the inspection. If the local authority requests a copy of your EICR, you must supply it within 7 days. Landlords in England will also need to upload their electrical certificate of compliance to the private rented sector database under the new Renters’ Rights Act.

What is an electrical safety certificate?

An electrical safety certificate is the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), which you must organise at the start of a tenancy and then every five years.

The EICR sets out whether your electrics have passed the inspection – i.e. whether they are in a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ condition. If your electrical installations are deemed unsatisfactory, the report will outline the work needed to make them safe.

Is PAT testing a legal requirement?

PAT testing for portable appliances is not a direct legal requirement for landlords. However, landlords are legally required to ensure that electrical appliances you supply are safe, and PAT testing is an efficient way to cover your obligations.

Want to know more? Landlord compliance covers more than electrics — find out what preparing for the Renters’ Rights Bill means for you, and brush up on the rules around refusing pets in a rental property.

What will be inspected?

The electrician conducting your EICR inspection will examine your property’s wiring, fuse box, plug sockets, light switches, and wired-in devices such as ovens, electric showers, and extractor fans. The inspection will check for any overloaded circuits, defective electrics or faulty wiring that could cause a fire or electric shock.

The private rented sector regulations in England do not require you to perform portable appliance testing of the small electrical items you have provided. This includes appliances with plugs, such as fridges, TVs, kettles or toasters. However, it is good practice to carry out portable appliance testing annually to check for any defects.

How much does an electrical safety report cost?

How much you pay will vary depending on your location, the size of the property, and the complexity of your electrics. For a flat, costs can range from £100 to more than £200, with a certificate for a house costing up to £300 or more.

What results could be EICR show?

An EICR will contain the electrical inspector’s observations and unsatisfactory codes or satisfactory codes. These indicate how urgently action should be taken to make the property safe.

How to get an electrical safety certificate

1. Commission a qualified engineer

The regulations state that you must use someone qualified and competent to conduct the inspection. The electrical safety industry has established competent person schemes to help you find the right person. You can find out more on the gov.uk website.

2. Get your electrical safety report

Once the inspection has taken place, ensure you get hold of the EICR as soon as possible because it will tell you whether work is needed on the property.

3. Act on the report

If the report says your property’s electrical systems are unsatisfactory, you should undertake remedial work immediately. For some minor issues, the electrician carrying out the inspection may be able to fix the problem during the inspection.

4. Give the tenant a copy

You need to give your tenant a copy of the inspection report within 28 days of the inspection. In the case of a new tenant, they should receive it before they occupy the property. If your local council asks for a copy of the report, you must supply it within seven days of the request.

5. Renew the report when necessary

The regulations say you must carry out an EICR every five years – or more frequently if the report specifies this. If your tenants change during the five years, you don’t need to repeat the test, but you must supply a copy of the report to your new tenants when they move in.

Want to find out more? You might also want to explore evicting a tenant in East London and what to do if your tenant is not paying rent.

What is the penalty for breaching electrical safety check rules?

If you don’t follow the law regarding electrical safety certificates for landlords, you could face prosecution with a maximum fine of £30,000.

Electrical safety FAQs

Talk to us if you’re a landlord in Newbury Park, East Ham, Goodmayes, Seven Kings, Plaistow, Chadwell Heath or Barking who needs clarity on electrical safety regulations. We can take some of the hassle out of letting property by arranging EICR inspections as part of our property management service. Contact us to find out more.