What is an EICR?

There are a few hoops you need to jump through as a landlord. These hoops have been set up for the health and safety of your tenants and to also help you prove that you handed the property over in safe condition at the beginning of the tenancy. 

One of these essential and legal requirements is the EICR. But what is it and how often should you, as a landlord, be carrying them out to give you peace of mind? 

What does EICR stand for?

EICR stands for ‘Electrical Installation Condition Report‘. You may have heard of EICR previously as it was known as ‘Fixed Wire Testing’. 

If you’re thinking you can carry out the report yourself after watching a few youtube videos, unfortunately, you’d be wrong. The EICR needs to be conducted by a skilled professional who understands the nature of what to detect and what is considered a hazard. 

What is the skilled professional looking for when doing an EICR?

During the report, your skilled electrician will be looking for potential hazards caused by electrical faults, faulty wiring or below parr electrical work. They also monitor damaged and deteriorating electrical work and fixtures within the property. 

The purpose of the EICR is to ensure your asset and tenants especially are safe by looking at the electrical works around the property. The report helps prevent any fire risks or electric shocks.

Is an EICR a legal requirement?

You might be wondering if it’s actually a legal requirement to conduct an EICR. The answer is a firm ‘yes’. 

You have an obligation as a landlord to protect the safety of electrical harm against your tenants. 

Furthermore, by complying with the EICR testing, you should have confidence that you’ve presented the property in the best and safest working order at the point of taking out landlord insurance and the beginning of a tenancy. 

Is there a fine for not having an EICR? 

Under the Housing Act 2004, Landlords who fail to conduct an EICR (and any work it recommends) before a new tenancy commences will face a fine of up to £30,000. 

Your local authorities will be responsible for enforcing these rules so complying and scheduling your regular reports is a must.  

How often does an EICR need to be done?

Getting to know the rhythms of when to conduct certain reports and health and safety checks is essential to keeping your tenants safe. 

You should be looking to conduct an EICR every five years. Furthermore, we advise you also get a professional to carry an EICR in between every tenancy. It’s very normal for things to change, move and face small bits of damage during a tenancy. Having the report issued means that your property is certified before anyone new enters.

The same rule of a check every 5 years applies if you’re a landlord of an HMO (home of multiple occupancies). 

What is an EICR cost?

When buying your rental property, you should take into consideration the outgoings required by law. EICR is certainly one of them. 

The certificate costs around £125 to £300, excluding the additional costs of electricians and repair work. Electricians can charge £45 an hour or £200 a day.

If you’re looking for a new landlord insurance policy, get in touch with our expert team today and find the best quote for you. CIA compares deals across the market to ensure you’re getting the best deals every time.

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