Last updated: August 2026. If you let residential property in London, electrical compliance is not optional — and in 2026 the rules bite harder than most landlords realise. First-cycle EICRs issued in the April 2021 rush are expiring right now, councils are actively requesting reports, and fines run up to £40,000 per breach. This checklist covers everything a London landlord needs to have in place, in one page. Work through it top to bottom and you’re covered.
What “compliant” actually means in 2026
The core law is the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. In force since April 2021 for all tenancies, it requires every privately rented home to have its fixed electrical installation inspected at least every 5 years by a qualified person, with a satisfactory report (EICR) held throughout the tenancy.
Two things changed the picture for 2026. First, the renewal wave: hundreds of thousands of EICRs were done in the scramble before the April 2021 deadline, and those 5-year certificates are expiring through 2026 — which means a very large share of all UK EICRs fall due for renewal this year. If your EICR is dated 2021, check the expiry date today and book your renewal around 6 weeks before it lapses, ahead of the peak-demand rush. Second, electrical safety requirements are being extended to the social rented sector, which means councils are staffing up enforcement teams — and private landlords are checked by the same officers.
It also matters what councils enforce versus what is merely good practice. The EICR duty, the 28-day remedial rule, and smoke/CO alarm rules are enforceable with civil penalties. PAT testing of every appliance, by contrast, is not a blanket legal requirement — but landlord-supplied appliances must still be safe, and HMO licence conditions often require testing. The checklist below separates the two.
The 2026 landlord electrical compliance checklist
1. EICR — current, satisfactory, and on file
- A satisfactory EICR dated within the last 5 years (or sooner if the report specified a shorter interval).
- Report given to existing tenants within 28 days of inspection, and to new tenants before they move in.
- If the council asks for it, you have 7 days to supply a copy.
- Any C1 or C2 observations (or FI — further investigation) fixed within 28 days, with written confirmation from the electrician sent to tenants and, if they requested the report, the council.
- C3 observations are advisory — you don’t have to act on them, but they’re worth pricing up while an electrician is on site.
We carry out EICRs across London from £140 (labour only) as NICEIC-approved contractors, with the report delivered the same week.
2. PAT testing — what’s actually required
Contrary to what some agents tell you, there is no law saying every rental appliance must be PAT tested annually. The legal duty is that any appliance you supply (fridge, washing machine, microwave, lamps) is safe when the tenancy starts and maintained safe. PAT testing is simply the accepted way to evidence that. Where it becomes effectively mandatory is in licensed HMOs, where most London licence conditions require periodic appliance testing. Our PAT testing is £5 per appliance with a £108 minimum charge, so a typical landlord appliance set is covered at the minimum.
3. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- At least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation — this has applied to all tenancies since the 2022 amendment regulations.
- A carbon monoxide alarm in every room containing a fixed combustion appliance (boilers, gas fires, wood burners — gas cookers excluded).
- Alarms must be repaired or replaced as soon as reasonably practicable once a tenant reports a fault.
- For new or rewired properties, BS 5839-6 points to mains-powered, interlinked alarms — battery-only alarms in a fresh installation will attract an observation on your next EICR.
4. Consumer unit (fuse board)
An old fuse board is not automatically illegal — the regulations don’t force an upgrade to the current 18th Edition of BS 7671. But on an EICR, missing RCD protection on socket circuits is typically coded C2 (potentially dangerous) in 2026 practice, which makes the report unsatisfactory and starts the 28-day remedial clock. Plastic consumer units under wooden stairs or on escape routes also attract codes. If your board pre-dates 2008, budget for an upgrade before your renewal EICR rather than after it fails. See our pricing page for current fuse board costs.
5. Emergency lighting (HMOs)
Single lets don’t need it. Larger licensed HMOs — typically three storeys or more, or where the escape route needs it per the fire risk assessment — usually carry a licence condition for emergency escape lighting, tested regularly with records kept.
6. Fixed heating and immersion circuits
Electric showers, storage heaters and immersion heaters are part of the fixed installation, so they’re covered by your EICR — but they’re also the circuits most likely to fail one. Ageing immersion heaters with perished flex and showers on undersized cables are two of the most common C2s we record in London rentals.
7. Landlord-supplied portable heating
If you provide plug-in heaters, they’re your responsibility. Cheap unbranded fan heaters are a leading cause of rental fires; supply alarmed, thermostat-controlled models and keep receipts as part of your safety file.
Penalties: what non-compliance costs
| Breach | Enforced by | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| No valid EICR / remedials not done in 28 days | Local authority (civil penalty) | £40,000 per breach |
| Smoke / CO alarm breaches | Local authority | £5,000 per breach |
| HMO licence condition breaches | Local authority | Unlimited fine / £40,000 civil penalty |
| Council arranges remedial work itself | Local authority | Full cost recovered from landlord |
Penalties are per breach, per property — a portfolio landlord with three non-compliant flats faces three separate penalties. Several London boroughs also run banning-order and rent repayment routes for repeat offenders.
Common failures we actually see
From our own EICR work across Hackney, Islington, Haringey and Tower Hamlets, the failures that come up again and again: no RCD protection on socket circuits (the single most common C2), DIY additions by previous owners — spurs off spurs, unsleeved earths, junction boxes buried in walls, deteriorated flex on immersion heaters, bathroom lighting without proper IP-rated fittings, and missing supplementary bonding in older bathrooms. None of these are exotic. Most are fixable in a single visit if they’re caught at inspection rather than after an incident.
HMO-specific requirements
HMOs carry everything above plus licence conditions that vary by borough: mandatory periodic appliance testing, emergency lighting on escape routes, interlinked fire detection to a higher BS 5839-6 grade, and in some boroughs annual electrical safety declarations. Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Islington all operate additional or selective licensing schemes in 2026, so a compliant HMO in one borough can be non-compliant a mile away. If you run an HMO, our HMO EICR guide covers the detail, including how licensing inspections actually run.
What happens in a council inspection
Most landlords never see one — until a tenant complains. The sequence is usually: the tenant contacts environmental health, the council writes requesting your EICR (7-day deadline), and an officer may inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Electrical hazards are a category the HHSRS scores directly. If you can produce a satisfactory EICR and evidence of remedials on request, the matter usually ends there; if you can’t, the council can serve an improvement notice, arrange the work itself and bill you, or move straight to a civil penalty. The paperwork is the protection — a satisfactory report answered within 7 days closes most cases before they start.
Keep this checklist
Work through the seven items above once a year and at every tenancy change, and keep everything in one safety file: current EICR, remedial confirmations, alarm test records, appliance receipts and PAT records if applicable. That single folder is the difference between a five-minute council enquiry and a £40,000 one.
Download the 2026 landlord electrical compliance checklist (PDF) — print it, work through it, and call 07407 627542 for the EICR.
Landlord electrical compliance — FAQ
How often does a rental property need an EICR?
Every 5 years for a standard single let (or sooner if the report says so). Licensed HMOs in most London boroughs need one every 12 months.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement for landlords?
Not for single lets — the duty is that supplied appliances are safe. For licensed HMOs, annual PAT is usually a licence condition.
What happens if my EICR is unsatisfactory?
You have 28 days (or less if the report says so) to complete the C1/C2 remedials and obtain written confirmation. The certificate is then satisfactory and you’re compliant.
Do I need to give tenants a copy of the EICR?
Yes — before occupation for new tenants, within 28 days of the inspection for existing tenants, and within 7 days to the council on request.
Who can carry out a landlord EICR?
A qualified, competent electrician. Using a registered NICEIC contractor is the accepted way to demonstrate competence.
How much does compliance cost per property per year?
For a single let: an EICR from £140 (labour only) every 5 years plus alarm checks — averaging well under £100 a year. A licensed HMO runs more because testing is annual; bundling the tests into one visit keeps it 20-30% cheaper.
Book your compliance check
F & A Electrical is an NICEIC-approved contractor based in Tottenham, covering all of London. EICRs from £140, PAT testing £5 per appliance, minimum charge £108 (£90 + VAT) — all prices labour only. One visit can cover your EICR, alarm checks and PAT testing together.
Call 07407 627542 or request a quote online. Landlords with multiple properties: ask about portfolio scheduling — grouping inspections saves on call-outs.
Wondering about the visit itself rather than the price? See how long an EICR takes — typical timings by property type, how long the power is off, and when you get the certificate.
What happens if you don’t comply? Councils can now fine up to £40,000 per breach — see our full guide to EICR fines for London landlords in 2026.
Confused by conflicting figures online? Read our definitive answer: is the EICR fine £30,000 or £40,000 in 2026?
New for 2026: Renters’ Rights Act 2026: what changed for London landlord electrics — s21 abolition, the £40,000 per-breach penalty and the new enforcement system explained.
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.
Not sure whether the person quoting you is actually allowed to sign the report? See who can carry out an EICR and whether it has to be NICEIC.