What Happens If Your EICR Expires? A London Landlord's Guide

An EICR is a formal inspection of all the fixed electrical wiring in a rental property — consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches and earthing. A qualified NICEIC or NAPIT electrician inspects and tests everything, grades any faults (C1 = immediate danger, C2 = potentially dangerous, C3 = improvement recommended), and issues either a satisfactory or unsatisfactory report.

Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must renew their EICR at least every **5 years**. HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) typically require renewal every **3 years**, and some local authority HMO licences require annual checks.

If you're not sure when your current EICR expires, it should be stated on the certificate itself as a "next inspection due" date.

An expired EICR exposes you to serious legal and financial risk:

Fines up to £30,000. Local authorities can issue a remedial notice requiring you to obtain a new EICR and carry out any remedial work within 28 days. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to £30,000 per property.

Voided landlord insurance. Many landlord insurance policies require a valid, satisfactory EICR as a condition of cover. An electrical fire without a current certificate in place could mean your insurer refuses your claim.

You cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice. Similar to the gas safety rules, landlords who have not provided tenants with a valid EICR (and confirmation that any C1/C2 faults have been remedied) cannot use the Section 21 accelerated possession route.

You cannot re-let the property. Between tenancies, you must have a valid EICR before a new tenant moves in, and you must provide them with a copy.

Act quickly — the sooner you book a new inspection, the sooner you're back in compliance and protected.

1. **Book a new EICR immediately.** At Landlord Compliance London, EICR inspections start from £77.99 for a studio (up to £209.99 for an 8-bedroom property), and the report is issued the same day.

2. **Notify your tenant.** You must provide your tenant with a copy of the new report within 28 days of the inspection.

3. **Carry out any C1 or C2 remedial work.** If the report is unsatisfactory, you have 28 days (or a shorter deadline if specified in the report) to complete all C1 and C2 remedial work and obtain a completion certificate from the electrician. Provide this to your tenant and your local authority if requested.

4. **Don't try to hide it.** If a tenant, letting agent or local authority asks for your EICR and you don't have a valid one, the consequences are likely to be worse than the cost of getting the inspection done.

EICR prices vary by property size. At Landlord Compliance London, our prices are fixed and include VAT:

• Studio: £77.99
• 1–3 bedrooms: £104.99
• 4 bedrooms: £114.99
• 5 bedrooms: £149.99
• 6 bedrooms: £169.99
• 7 bedrooms: £189.99
• 8 bedrooms: £209.99

We cover all 32 London boroughs and the M25. Reports are issued the same day by NICEIC/NAPIT certified electricians.

The EICR rules apply specifically to the private rented sector — they are not a legal requirement for owner-occupied sales. However, many buyers and their solicitors now request a valid EICR as part of due diligence. If you're selling a rental property, having a current satisfactory report available can speed up the sale and avoid last-minute requests for remedial work.