Quick answer: the Renters’ Rights Act did not remove the requirement for landlords to have an EICR — it made skipping one far more expensive. Every privately rented home in England still needs a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and since 1 May 2026 the maximum civil penalty for electrical safety breaches is £40,000 per breach, up from £30,000. Councils can issue that penalty without going to court, and they can issue it more than once.
Do landlords still need an EICR after the Renters’ Rights Act?
Yes. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 remain fully in force. Nothing in the Renters’ Rights Act repealed or relaxed them. What the Act changed is enforcement: bigger penalties, more empowered tenants, and a compliance system that makes an out-of-date or missing EICR much easier for a council to spot.
If your last EICR was done for the original 1 April 2021 deadline, it expires during 2026 — see our EICR renewal guide for exactly how the 5-year clock works.
What actually changed on 1 May 2026
| Area | Before | After the Renters’ Rights Act reforms |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum civil penalty for electrical safety breaches | £30,000 | £40,000 — per breach |
| Section 21 “no-fault” evictions | Available | Abolished — tenants can report electrical faults without fear of retaliatory eviction |
| Tenancy type | Fixed-term ASTs | Periodic tenancies — compliance duties run continuously, not per fixed term |
| Landlord database | None | National private-landlord database being phased in — compliance records visible to councils |
| Tenant complaints | Council or court | New PRS ombudsman being phased in — free for tenants to escalate |
| Housing standards | HHSRS only | Decent Homes Standard extended to private rentals; hazard-response duties (Awaab’s Law) following |
The £30,000 figure still circulates on older advice pages, which causes real confusion — we’ve written a definitive answer on whether the EICR fine is £30,000 or £40,000. Short version: £40,000 since 1 May 2026.
The five electrical duties — and why “per breach” matters
Under the 2020 Regulations a landlord must:
- Meet BS 7671 standards in every privately rented property;
- Hold a valid EICR — an inspection by a qualified, competent person at least every 5 years (sooner if the last report says so);
- Give the report to tenants — existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, new tenants before they move in, prospective tenants within 28 days of a request;
- Give it to the council within 7 days of a written request;
- Complete remedial work within 28 days where the report finds C1, C2 or FI faults, then supply written confirmation to tenants and the council within 28 days of the work.
Each of those is a separate duty, and each failure is a separate breach carrying its own penalty of up to £40,000. A landlord with no EICR who then ignores a council request isn’t facing one fine — they’re facing a stack of them. Our EICR fines guide for London landlords breaks down how councils calculate the amounts.
What this means in London specifically
Around 30% of London households rent privately — more than a million homes — so London councils run some of the most active enforcement teams in England. In our North and North-East London patch (Haringey, Hackney, Islington, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Camden, Barnet, Newham, Tower Hamlets), three things stand out in 2026:
- The renewal wave. EICRs done for the April 2021 existing-tenancy deadline expire through 2026. Councils know this, and several London boroughs are writing to landlords about renewal dates.
- Licensing checks. Boroughs with selective or additional HMO licensing routinely demand the current EICR at application and renewal — an expired report can hold up the licence itself.
- Empowered tenants. With Section 21 gone, a tenant reporting a dodgy fuse board or scorched socket to the council risks nothing. Expect more council EICR requests — remember, you have 7 days to produce the report once asked.
What compliance costs in London (labour-only)
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| EICR, standard rented flat or house | from £140 |
| EICR, HMO | from £180 |
| Remedial work (C1/C2/FI fixes) | from £108 minimum charge (£90 + VAT) |
| PAT testing (furnished lets, good practice) | £5 per appliance |
All prices are labour-only; materials are charged separately at cost. Full breakdown on our EICR cost guide. Set against a £40,000-per-breach penalty, a £140 inspection is the cheapest insurance a London landlord can buy.
If your EICR comes back unsatisfactory
An unsatisfactory report isn’t a fine — it’s a 28-day countdown. C1 and C2 observations (and FI items) must be fixed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, with written confirmation sent to tenants and the council. We’ve covered the whole process in what happens if your EICR is unsatisfactory. As NICEIC-registered electricians we do both the inspection and the remedial work, so London landlords can go from “unsatisfactory” to certified inside the 28-day window.
Renters’ Rights Act EICR — FAQs
Do I still need an EICR every 5 years?
Yes. The 5-year cycle from the 2020 Regulations is unchanged. The Act changed the penalties, not the inspection duty.
Is the maximum fine £30,000 or £40,000?
£40,000 per breach, since 1 May 2026. Pages quoting £30,000 predate the Renters’ Rights Act reforms.
Can my tenant demand to see the EICR?
Yes. Existing tenants must get it within 28 days of the inspection, new tenants before occupation, and prospective tenants within 28 days of asking. Tenants can also simply complain to the council, which can require you to produce it within 7 days.
Does this apply to HMOs?
Yes — and HMO licence conditions add further electrical requirements on top. Our landlord electrical compliance checklist covers EICR, licensing, smoke alarms and appliance duties in one place.
Do the reforms apply to existing tenancies?
Yes. From 1 May 2026 the reformed rules apply across existing and new tenancies alike — there is no grandfathering for older agreements.
Book a landlord EICR anywhere in North & NE London
F & A Electrical is NICEIC-registered, rated 9.32/10 from 242 reviews, with EICRs from £140 (labour-only) and typical 48-hour turnaround across our North and North-East London coverage area — Tottenham, Haringey, Hackney, Islington, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Camden and surrounding boroughs. Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453 for a same-week slot, or use the quote form for a fixed labour price.
Failed report under the new regime? Budget the fixes with our EICR remedial work cost guide — most lists clear from £108 labour-only.
Related: Do I need an EICR for an Airbnb or short-term let in London? — when the 2020 Regulations apply and when insurers, councils and the Fire Safety Order expect one anyway.
Leasehold flat? Our leasehold flat and communal-area EICR guide explains where your flat’s certificate ends, who pays for the block’s EICR, and what to do when the landlord’s supply fails your report.