A tenant refusing access for an EICR is the single most common reason a London landlord ends up with an out-of-date report, and it is the one situation the law explicitly allows for. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 say a landlord is not in breach of the duty to have the installation inspected if they can show they have taken all reasonable steps to comply. The catch is that “reasonable steps” has to be evidenced, in writing, in a particular order. This page sets out exactly what to do, what to keep, and how we handle the appointment itself so that a difficult tenant does not turn into a £40,000 penalty. NICEIC registered, 9.32/10 from 242 reviews, EICRs across North and East London from £140 labour-only.
What the law actually requires
Three pieces of law fit together here. The 2020 Regulations require every private landlord in England to have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified and competent person, to give the tenant a copy of the report within 28 days, and to supply it to the council within seven days of a request; since 1 May 2026 the maximum penalty is £40,000 per breach. The same Regulations provide the defence: a landlord who can prove they took all reasonable steps to comply is not treated as in breach. Separately, section 11(6) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 gives the landlord (or a person authorised by them in writing) the right to enter the property at reasonable times of day to inspect its condition and state of repair, on at least 24 hours’ written notice to the occupier. Most assured shorthold and periodic tenancy agreements repeat that clause and add a specific one about gas and electrical safety inspections. Finally, the tenant has the right to quiet enjoyment, which is why you cannot simply let yourself in: the electrician cannot enter against the tenant’s express refusal, and neither can you.
The steps, in order
| Step | What to do | When | Keep as evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Book the EICR and offer the tenant a choice of two or three dates and time windows, in writing (email or text is fine) | 8–6 weeks before the current report expires | Copy of the message, date sent |
| 2 | Send formal written notice of the agreed (or proposed) appointment, citing the tenancy clause and the 2020 Regulations, giving at least 24 hours — in practice 7 days | At least 7 days before the visit | Letter or email, proof of delivery |
| 3 | If the tenant declines or does not respond, send a second notice with a new date, explaining that the inspection is a legal requirement, takes 1–3 hours and needs the power off briefly | Within 7 days of the first refusal | Second letter + any reply |
| 4 | Attend on the date with the electrician. If access is refused at the door, the electrician records the attempted visit | Appointment day | Our written “no access” note with time, who answered, what was said |
| 5 | Send a third and final letter stating that access has been refused on [dates], that the landlord has taken all reasonable steps, that the tenant’s refusal is a breach of the tenancy, and offering one further date | Within 7 days of the failed visit | Letter, proof of posting |
| 6 | Write to the council’s private sector housing team (Haringey, Hackney, Newham, Enfield, Waltham Forest etc.) explaining the position and enclosing the correspondence, before the current report expires | Before expiry | Council acknowledgement |
| 7 | If refusal continues, take advice on an injunction for access or, in a persistent case, on possession grounds for breach of tenancy | After step 6 | Solicitor’s advice |
The order matters. A council or a First-tier Tribunal looking at a penalty appeal will expect to see that the tenant was given real choices, real notice and a clear explanation of why the inspection matters, and that the landlord went to the door at least once with the electrician rather than relying on letters alone. Three documented attempts over roughly six weeks is the pattern that has consistently been accepted as reasonable; a single unanswered text has not.
Notice wording that works
Keep it short and factual. Something like: “Under clause [X] of your tenancy agreement and the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, I am required to have the electrical installation inspected every five years. Our NICEIC electrician, F & A Electrical, will attend on [date] between [time] and [time]. The inspection takes around [1–3] hours and the power will be switched off for short periods. If this date is not convenient please reply with an alternative within the next seven days. This inspection is a legal requirement and I am obliged to record any refusal of access.” Send it by email and by first-class post to the property; if the tenant communicates by WhatsApp, send it there too. Do not threaten possession in the first letter and do not give less than 24 hours’ notice — both undermine the “reasonable steps” record.
What we do on the day
We treat access problems as part of the job, not an extra. When a landlord tells us at booking that the tenant is reluctant, we contact the tenant directly the day before to confirm the time, and again on the morning of the visit. On site we explain what the inspection is, how long it takes and that the power goes off for a few minutes at a time, which resolves most refusals at the door. If the tenant still refuses, we do not argue; we note the time, who answered and what was said, photograph the front of the property with a timestamp, and email the landlord a short signed no-access note the same day for their file. For a genuine no-access visit within our normal area we charge the £108 minimum rather than the full EICR price, and we credit it against the report when the inspection goes ahead within 60 days. Where the tenant allows access to some rooms but not others — a locked bedroom in an HMO is the usual case — we complete the inspection with those circuits and areas recorded as a limitation on the report, which is still a valid EICR provided the limitation is agreed and stated, and we return for the missing part at the minimum charge.
EICR prices for tenanted properties in London
| Property | Price (labour-only) | Time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat, up to 6 circuits | from £140 | 1–1.5 hours |
| 2–3 bed flat or house, 7–10 circuits | from £170 | 1.5–2 hours |
| 3–4 bed house, 11–14 circuits | from £200 | 2–2.5 hours |
| Licensed HMO, 5+ bedrooms | from £300 | 2.5–4 hours |
| No-access visit (tenant refuses at the door) | £108, credited against the EICR within 60 days | — |
| Return visit for a room or circuit excluded by limitation | £108 | up to 1 hour |
| Remedial work for C1/C2 items | from £108 — remedial cost guide | quoted with the report |
All prices are labour-only, materials at trade cost; the full ladder is on the EICR cost guide. Reports are emailed the same day so the 28-day tenant copy and the seven-day council deadline are never a problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter with my own key if the tenant ignores the notices?
No. The right of entry under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is a right to enter with notice, not a right to force or override a refusal. Entering against an express refusal risks a harassment complaint under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and would damage rather than help your position. If the tenant is simply absent and has not refused, the notices have been served and the tenancy agreement allows entry for safety inspections, many landlords do proceed with a witness; take advice on your particular agreement before doing so, and never change locks or move belongings.
Does “all reasonable steps” mean I can never be fined?
It means the council must not impose a penalty where you can prove the steps were taken. The proof is the point: dated copies of every notice, evidence of delivery, the electrician’s no-access record and your letter to the council. Landlords who lose penalty appeals on this point almost always lose because the file is thin, not because the tenant was cooperative.
What if the tenant refuses because they think the EICR will be used to evict them?
Explain in writing that the report is a safety inspection required of every landlord in England, that a copy goes to them within 28 days, and that any C1 or C2 items found are the landlord’s responsibility to fix within 28 days at the landlord’s cost. A retaliatory eviction following a repair request is already restricted, and since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force section 21 no-fault notices are no longer available, so the fear is usually unfounded and saying so calmly resolves most cases.
My current EICR expires next week and the tenant has only just refused — what now?
Send the formal notice today with two dates inside the next seven days, tell the council’s private sector housing team in writing before the expiry date that access has been refused and enclose the notice, and book us for the first date. The Regulations penalise a landlord who has not taken reasonable steps, not one whose report lapses by days while a documented access process is under way. Get the process on paper before the expiry, not after.
Does the same apply to a lodger or a family member living rent-free?
The 2020 Regulations cover tenancies that grant one or more persons the right to occupy as their only or main residence and pay rent; a resident landlord’s lodger and a family member living rent-free are outside them, though an EICR is still the right thing to have. HMO licence conditions, however, apply regardless of who is refusing access, so for a licensed HMO the process above should be followed exactly.
Tenant blocking the EICR? Tell us at booking and we will handle the tenant contact, attend with you, and give you the no-access record you need if it comes to that. EICRs from £140 across Haringey, Hackney, Islington, Enfield, Waltham Forest, Camden, Newham and Tower Hamlets — see the landlord compliance checklist, tenants’ rights and landlord responsibilities and HMO EICRs. Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453, or email info@faelectrical.co.uk.