From the 1st April 2021, it will become a legal requirement for landlords of rental properties in England, with existing tenants, to have a formal electrical safety check.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) will be required. The landlord is responsible for making sure that the person who completes the check is suitably competent, and who is a member of an accredited organisation, i.e NICEIC
The Landlord must provide a copy of the EICR to any new or existing tenant. The EICR will conclude as either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.
If the report concludes ‘unsatisfactory’ the report will outline the electrician’s observations, and each observation will be classified as follows:
NICEIC coding :
CODE C1 ‘Danger Present’ Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required.
CODE C2 ‘Potentially Dangerous’ Urgent remedial action required.
CODE C3 ‘Improvement Recommended’
CODE FI ‘Further Investigation Required’
As a landlord, you will be able to see what works MUST be done to ensure the installation is safe, or to note which items are recommended to be done to improve the installation.
An EICR must be completed every five years.
** An Electrical Installation must be inspected & tested (EICR) prior to the start of a new tenancy, and this has been effective since 1st July 2020.
