If you rent out a home in the capital, you will soon come across the EICR certificate London landlords are expected to hold. It is one of the most important safety documents in the rental market, yet many landlords and tenants are unsure what it covers or whether the law really demands it. It does. This guide explains what an EICR is, who needs one, how often it must be renewed and what can happen if the rules are ignored.
What Is an EICR?
EICR stands for Electrical Installation Condition Report. It is the written result of an inspection and test of a property’s fixed electrical parts, carried out by a qualified person. Many people call it an EICR certificate, but strictly speaking it is a report. It records the condition of the installation rather than simply certifying a pass, which means it can come back unsatisfactory.
What the inspection covers
According to the government guidance, the inspection looks at the fixed electrical parts of a home: the wiring, plug sockets, light fittings and the consumer unit, often called the fuse box. Permanently connected equipment such as showers and extractors is included, along with circuits serving solar panels and battery storage. The inspector checks for overloaded circuits, potential shock risks and fire hazards, defective electrical work, and missing earthing or bonding.
The installation is measured against British Standard 7671, also known as the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations.
EICR Certificate London: Do Landlords Legally Need One?
Yes, in most cases. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply across England, which includes every London borough. They require landlords to have the electrical installations in their rental properties inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years. The regulations were updated in 2025 to cover social housing as well as private lettings.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government sets this out in its official electrical safety guidance for landlords, which explains that landlords must obtain a report, usually an EICR, giving the results and the date of the next inspection, and must supply a copy to their tenants and to the local council if asked.
Which properties are covered?
The rules apply where a tenant has the right to occupy a property as their only or main residence and pays rent, whether or not it is a market rent. Houses in multiple occupations are included. The guidance lists a few exceptions:
- shared accommodation with the landlord or their family
- long leases, including shared ownership, and tenancies of seven years or more
- student halls of residence
- hostels and refuges
- care homes, hospitals and hospices
- mobile homes, caravans and boats
Communal areas such as stairwells and corridors fall outside these regulations, although landlords must still comply with council enforcement notices about them under other legislation.
How often do you need one?
At least every five years. Whichever EICR certificate London landlords commission, the report itself sets the date for the next inspection. If a valid report is less than five years old and requires no further work, a landlord does not need a fresh inspection before re-letting. They simply give the new tenant a copy. The guidance does recommend a visual check before each new tenancy to confirm that nothing has deteriorated.
Understanding Your EICR Results
Inspectors use classification codes to show where work is needed:
- C1: danger present, risk of injury
- C2: potentially dangerous
- C3: improvement recommended
- FI: further investigation required without delay
A C1 or C2 means remedial work is required, and the report will state that the installation is unsatisfactory for continued use. Any FI must also be followed up. A C3 does not require action for the report to count as satisfactory, though acting on it would improve safety.
Key Deadlines Every Landlord Should Know
Timing is where many landlords slip up with the EICR certificate London tenants are entitled to see. The guidance sets out the following:
- Existing tenant: a copy within 28 days of the inspection
- New tenant: a copy before they move in
- Prospective tenant: a copy within 28 days of a request
- Local council: a copy within 7 days of a request
- Remedial or investigative work: completed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so
- After the work: the report and written confirmation from the qualified person sent to the tenant and council within 28 days of completion
Landlords must also keep the report until the next inspection is due and hand it to the next inspector.
Getting an EICR Certificate London Landlords Can Rely On
A reliable EICR certificate London landlords can hand to a council on request starts with the right inspector. The regulations require a qualified person, meaning someone competent to carry out the inspection and testing. The guidance points landlords towards industry resources, including the Electrical Safety Roundtable’s home safety guidance, the Registered Competent Person Electrical register and Electrical Safety First’s find-an-electrician service. Checking credentials through a register like these is a sensible step before you book.
Where remedial work is done, acceptable written confirmation includes a satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
What Happens If a Landlord Does Not Comply?
Local councils can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for breaches of specified duties. If a council has reasonable grounds to believe a landlord is in breach, it must serve a remedial notice requiring action, unless the report points to urgent work. Should the landlord ignore the notice, the council can arrange the work itself and recover the costs.
Landlords do have protections. They can make written representations against a remedial notice and appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). A landlord is also not in breach if they can show they took all reasonable steps, for example by keeping records of attempts to arrange access when a tenant refuses entry.
Conclusion
For landlords in the capital, a valid EICR certificate London tenants can see on request is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. Book an inspection at least every five years, share the report on time, fix any C1, C2 or FI issues within 28 days and keep clear records.
