If you rent out a home in England, the law requires a qualified electrician to inspect the electrics at least every five years. The inspection produces an Electrical Installation Condition Report, known as an EICR. Here is what landlords in Newcastle, Northumberland and across the North East need to know.
The rules in brief
Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must:
Have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years
Give a copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days
Give a copy to new tenants before they move in
Supply the report to the local council within seven days if asked
Complete any required remedial work within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so
Understanding the codes
Every issue on an EICR is given a code, so you know how urgent it is.
C1: Danger present. Made safe immediately.
C2: Potentially dangerous. Remedial work required.
FI: Further investigation needed.
C3: Improvement recommended. Advisory only.
Any C1, C2 or FI makes the report unsatisfactory. A C3 on its own does not fail the report.
Common failures we see
Across Newcastle and Northumberland, the issues we find most often are older consumer units without RCD protection, missing or inadequate earthing and bonding, and damaged sockets or switches. Most are straightforward to put right, and we quote for any remedial work straight away.
Getting ready for your inspection
Make sure we can reach the consumer unit and every room, and let your tenants know the power will be off for short periods while we test each circuit.
Need a landlord EICR in the North East? Book your inspection or call 07525 792 529.
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