The EICR, explained for landlords
What an Electrical Installation Condition Report covers, the codes that matter, and how to handle an unsatisfactory result.
Since 2021, every privately rented home in England has needed a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report — yet the EICR remains the compliance document landlords misunderstand most.
An EICR is an inspection of the fixed electrical installation: the consumer unit, the wiring in the walls, sockets, switches and fixed lighting. It does not cover appliances — that is PAT territory — and it is not a repair; it is a condition survey with a verdict. A qualified inspector tests circuits, inspects accessible parts of the installation and grades any defects found.
The grading codes carry the legal weight. A C1 means danger is present and immediate action is required — inspectors will usually make it safe before leaving. A C2 is potentially dangerous and makes the whole report unsatisfactory. A C3 is a recommendation for improvement only: it does not fail the report, and it is the code most often misread as a demand for work. An FI means further investigation is needed, which also renders the report unsatisfactory until resolved.
If your report is unsatisfactory, the clock starts: remedial work on C1, C2 and FI items must be completed within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so), with written confirmation supplied to the tenant and, on request, the local authority. Councils can fine up to £30,000 for non-compliance, and they do.
Reports last five years at most, but the interval is set by the inspector — a tired installation may be given less. Treat the renewal date as you would a gas certificate: booked well ahead, never discovered in arrears.
GEM schedules EICRs automatically for properties on our Complete plan, prices remedials from the report itself, and files the satisfactory certificate against the property record — one thread from inspection to compliance.