What the law asks of a landlord
Since the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, every privately rented home in England needs a satisfactory EICR from a qualified person. The rules are short, and they are enforced by the council rather than by tenants.
- Have the inspection done at least every 5 years, and before a new tenancy begins.
- Give the tenant a copy of the report within 28 days of the inspection, and give new tenants a copy before they move in.
- Give the council a copy if they ask for one.
- Where the report is unsatisfactory, complete the remedial work or further investigation within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, and give the tenant written confirmation that it is done.
- Keep the report until the next inspection, and pass a copy to whoever inspects next time.
The penalty for getting it wrong is a civil fine of up to £40,000 per breach, set by the local authority. Older articles still quote a lower figure, but £40,000 is what the regulations say.
The certificate is often called a landlord safety certificate, an electrical safety certificate or a landlord EICR. All three mean the same document. For a full explanation of what the inspection involves and how the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes work, read our EICR in Swale page; this page concentrates on the landlord's side.
The deadlines, in order
| Event | What you must do | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| New tenancy | Hold a satisfactory EICR and give the tenant a copy | Before the tenant moves in |
| Inspection completed | Send the report to existing tenants | Within 28 days |
| Unsatisfactory report | Complete remedial work or further investigation | Within 28 days, or sooner if the report says |
| Remedial work done | Send written confirmation to the tenant | Within 28 days of completion |
| Report expires | Book the next inspection | Before the 5-year date |
A satisfactory report inherited from a previous landlord or with a purchase still counts, provided it is less than 5 years old and covers the whole installation. Ask us to look over a report you have inherited before you rely on it.
What a landlord certificate costs
| Job | Price (inc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Landlord EICR, flat or house up to 3 bedrooms | £150–£250 |
| Landlord EICR, 4–5 bedroom house | £250–£350 |
| Consumer unit (fuse box) replacement, if required | £500–£700 |
| Mains interlinked smoke or heat alarm, per alarm | £90–£140 |
The inspection fee covers the visit, the testing, the report and the summary page for your tenant file. If the report is unsatisfactory, the remedial quote is itemised against each observation number so you can see what is compulsory and what is a C3 recommendation you may choose to leave.
Portfolios are priced per property at the same rates, and the full list, including sockets, fault finding and rewiring, is on our prices page.
Landlords in Swale: the numbers
About 19% of homes in Swale are privately rented. That is roughly 13,500 properties, each of which needs a new EICR every 5 years, and the local authority is the largest in Kent by households at around 71,200.
Two local trends drive most of our landlord work. The first is the run of office-to-flat conversions in the town centre, which come with new wiring but still need a first EICR before the flat is let and a fire alarm system that suits shared corridors. The second is the borough's 690 or so HMOs, of which only 199 are licensed; shared houses carry extra licence conditions, covered on our HMO electrical compliance page.
Where the rental sits in the borough shapes the report. A rental in one of the borough's 41 conservation areas or 2,000+ listed buildings may need consent before remedial work that involves chasing walls, so allow time for that within the 28 days. Our electrician in Swale page has more on each neighbourhood.
What letting agents need from us
Agents managing a block of tenancies want the same thing from an electrician every time: no chasing. Here is how we work with letting agents.
- One point of contact for the booking, and we arrange access with the tenant ourselves, giving them a two-hour arrival window and a local 01795 number.
- The report as a PDF, usually within 24 hours, named with the property address and the inspection date so it files correctly first time.
- A one-page summary showing satisfactory or unsatisfactory, the next inspection date and the observation count, which is all most tenants and landlords want to read.
- A remedial quote in the same email, itemised by observation, so the landlord can approve it without a second visit.
- Written confirmation after remedial work, in the form of an EIC or minor works certificate, so the file shows the 28-day duty was met.
- A reminder before the 5-year expiry, if you want one, so the next report is booked before the old one lapses.
We carry £5m public liability insurance, are NICEIC approved and Part P registered, and every job carries a 12-month workmanship guarantee. Agents can have copies of those documents for their own compliance file.
Remedial work and re-inspection
An unsatisfactory report gives you 28 days to put right every C1, C2 and FI item. A C1 is dealt with while we are still at the property, normally by isolating the dangerous part until it can be repaired. C2 items and further investigation are quoted in writing and booked as a separate visit.
C3 observations do not have to be fixed. They are improvements, and a report with only C3s is satisfactory. Many landlords choose to clear them anyway, because the same item tends to become a C2 as the regulations tighten and it is cheaper to do it while an electrician is already on site.
After the work is complete you need written confirmation from a qualified person that it has been done. An Electrical Installation Certificate (for a new consumer unit or circuit) or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (for smaller repairs) provides that confirmation, and we send it to you and, if you wish, straight to the tenant. A fresh EICR is not needed to prove the remedial work.
You are not tied to us for the remedial work. If another electrician does it, ask them for the same certificate, keep it with the original report, and check that the observation numbers on the report match the work on the certificate.
If a tenant will not give access, keep a written record of every attempt. The regulations recognise a landlord who can show they took all reasonable steps to comply, and a dated email trail is the evidence that shows it.
What else a landlord needs
Electrical safety is one of several duties, and we can deal with the ones that involve wiring.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2022 require at least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or wood burner. We fit mains interlinked alarms at £90–£140 each; see smoke alarm installation.
- Part P. If remedial work means a new circuit or a replacement consumer unit, it is notifiable under the Building Regulations. As a registered competent person we self-certify and you receive the Building Control compliance certificate without involving the council.
- Portable appliances. There is no law that says a landlord must PAT test the kettle and the fridge, but you must supply appliances that are safe. Our PAT testing page explains when it is worth doing.
- Gas. The gas safety record is a separate document from a Gas Safe registered engineer. We do not do gas work, and an EICR does not cover the boiler.
- HMO licences. Five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities means a mandatory licence, with its own fire alarm and emergency lighting conditions.