Landlord EICR London — 2020 Electrical Safety Standards Compliance
Short answer: Every private rented property in England must have a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every 5 years under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. HMOs need one annually. Non-compliance fines reach £30,000. F & A Electrical is NICEIC-approved, attends across all 32 London boroughs, and issues landlord-licensing-ready reports. Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453.
Landlord EICR price list — London 2026
| Property type | Price (inc VAT) | Renewal frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1-bed flat | £140 | 5 years |
| 2-bed flat | £170 | 5 years |
| 3-bed flat or terrace | £200 | 5 years |
| 4-bed house | £250 | 5 years |
| 5-bed+ house | £300–£400 | 5 years |
| Licensed HMO (3+ tenants) | £250–£500 | Annual |
| Portfolio batch (2+ properties) | 10–15% off per property | Per property |
Each price includes inspection, testing, full Electrical Installation Condition Report, NICEIC certification and same-day digital PDF copy — solicitor-ready, landlord-licensing-ready, council-licensing-ready.
The 2020 Regulations — what every London landlord must know
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020. They apply to every private tenancy in England — assured shorthold, licensed HMO, lodger let, and renewals. Key obligations:
- Satisfactory EICR every 5 years (or sooner if the previous EICR specifies)
- Issue the EICR to existing tenants within 28 days of inspection
- Issue the EICR to new tenants before they move in
- Issue the EICR to the local council within 7 days if requested
- Complete any C1, C2 or further-investigation remedial work within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so) and provide written confirmation of the work to tenants and council within 28 days of completion
- Use a qualified person — the inspector must hold appropriate qualifications and either belong to a competent-person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, STROMA, NAPIT) or be supervised by someone who does
Fail any of these duties and the local authority can serve a remedial notice, then a financial penalty up to £30,000. Repeat breaches stack.
London borough enforcement — who’s actively fining landlords
Enforcement is uneven across London. These boroughs run active landlord-licensing teams that proactively check EICR compliance:
- Hackney — borough-wide selective licensing since 2022; checks EICR at every renewal
- Tower Hamlets — selective licensing in designated wards (Weavers, Whitechapel, Spitalfields & Banglatown); some of the heaviest EICR enforcement in London
- Newham — borough-wide property licensing since 2013; renewed 2023; EICR mandatory at application
- Southwark — borough-wide additional HMO licensing; EICR + fire alarm cert required at application
- Brent — borough-wide selective licensing in 12 wards
- Lambeth — borough-wide additional HMO licensing
- Waltham Forest — borough-wide selective licensing in 21 wards
- Haringey — additional HMO licensing borough-wide; selective in Northumberland Park
- Enfield — borough-wide additional HMO licensing; selective in Edmonton
- Barnet — additional HMO licensing in 23 wards
Borough-by-borough EICR detail: Hackney · Tower Hamlets · Newham · Southwark · Brent · Lambeth · Haringey · Enfield · Barnet · Islington · Camden.
HMO EICR rules — annual inspection plus extras
If the property is a licensed HMO (3+ unrelated tenants forming more than one household, sharing kitchen/bath), the rules tighten:
- EICR every 12 months instead of 5 years
- Fire alarm system test certificate annually (Grade A or D system depending on property layout)
- Emergency lighting test annually for HMOs over 3 storeys or with shared communal escape routes
- PAT testing for landlord-supplied appliances annually (Mansell-style 5-year rule does not apply to HMOs)
F & A Electrical offers HMO compliance packages bundling EICR + fire alarm + emergency lighting + PAT into one annual visit — usually 20–30% cheaper than four separate visits.
Portfolio landlords — batch booking discount
Book 2 or more EICRs on the same trip and we drop the per-property rate by 10–15%. Multi-flat blocks, conversions and same-street terraces work especially well. We typically do:
- 2 properties on the same street: 10% off both
- 3+ properties in the same building or block: 15% off all
- Annual contract for 5+ HMOs: fixed price per property, locked for the contract year, with scheduled diary slots so you never miss a renewal
Send us a property list with addresses and postcodes — we’ll come back with a single fixed-price quote within the hour.
What happens if your EICR fails
An unsatisfactory EICR contains C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous) or FI (further investigation required) codes. You have 28 days from the report date to complete remedial work and obtain written confirmation. Typical remedial costs:
- Replace old wooden / Wylex 1990s-era consumer unit — £550–£950 fitted, NICEIC-certified. Clears most C2s in a single job.
- Install supplementary bonding (kitchen/bathroom) — £85–£200
- Replace broken RCDs — £85–£180 each
- Investigate hidden cable damage (FI item) — £150–£400 depending on access
- Replace cracked sockets and switches — £25 each fitted
- Rewire one circuit — £180–£450 depending on length and access
We quote all remedials on the spot at fixed prices — no day-rate creep. If the cost-to-fix is close to the cost-of-a-full-rewire (typically over £1,800 in remedials), we’ll be honest and suggest the rewire instead — see our rewire cost guide.
How to give your tenant the EICR — meeting the 28-day rule
The Regulations are specific about how you deliver the report. Acceptable methods:
- Email PDF copy with read-receipt requested (most common)
- Hand-deliver a printed copy and obtain a signed receipt
- Send by recorded delivery
- Upload to a tenant portal with delivery confirmation
“I posted it” or “I told them about it” is not compliant. Keep proof of delivery — councils will ask for it.
Common landlord EICR mistakes we see weekly
- Booking a PAT test instead of an EICR. Different tests, different reports — a PAT cert does not satisfy the 2020 Regs.
- Accepting a Minor Works Certificate as a “mini-EICR”. A Minor Works Cert covers individual circuit modifications only; it is not an EICR.
- Missing the 28-day remedial deadline because the electrician quoted slow. Get the remedial quote written down on inspection day so the clock starts.
- Forgetting HMOs are annual. A 5-year EICR on an HMO is non-compliant from day 366.
- Using a “PAT tester” or general handyman. The inspector must be qualified (City & Guilds 2391/2394/2395 or equivalent) and registered with a competent-person scheme.
- Trusting the previous landlord’s EICR without checking it. Acquired a property mid-EICR-cycle? Check the report and inspection date before the first tenancy.
FAQ — landlord EICR London
Do I need an EICR every time I change tenants?
No. The EICR runs on a 5-year cycle (annual for HMOs) regardless of how many tenancies start during that window. But you must give every new tenant a copy of the current EICR before they move in.
Do I need an EICR if I’m renting to family or friends?
If they pay you rent, yes — the 2020 Regulations apply. If it’s a genuine lodger arrangement where you live in the same property as the lodger, the rules don’t apply (but the Landlord and Tenant Act still does for repairs).
What if my agent already arranged one?
Get the PDF, check the inspection date, check the inspector’s name and NICEIC/NAPIT number, check the report is signed as “satisfactory”. Many landlord-letting-agent disputes start with a missing or unsatisfactory EICR copy.
Can I do the EICR myself?
No. Only a qualified electrician registered with a competent-person scheme can issue a valid EICR. Self-inspection is not compliant.
What if my property is empty between tenancies?
The EICR still expires on its 5-year (or 1-year HMO) date regardless of occupancy. Don’t let it lapse — councils check this at re-let.
What about short-term lets / Airbnb?
Short-term lets under 90 days are not currently covered by the 2020 Regulations, but most London boroughs have separate licensing rules that require equivalent EICR evidence. Camden, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea specifically enforce this.
Are you Insurance-Recognised?
Yes. NICEIC Approved Contractor, £5m public liability, 6 years’ NICEIC warranty on installation work. Every major UK landlord insurer accepts our certificates.
Book your landlord EICR — F & A Electrical London
Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453, or email info@faelectrical.co.uk. Send the property address, property type (flat/house/HMO) and a photo of the consumer unit — we’ll come back with a fixed-price quote within the hour, and we can usually attend within 48 hours across north, east, central and inner south London.
Related: EICR Cost London 2026 — by property size · Do I need an EICR? · What do C1, C2, C3 codes mean? · All London service areas.