Electrical problem guide
Landlord or agent needs an EICR for a tenancy, licence or renewal in London
Landlord or agent needs an EICR for a tenancy, licence or renewal? Here's what it usually means — and how we help across London.
London EICR electrician for tenancy, licence or renewal
Your agent wants the electrical certificate before the next tenancy. Or the licence renewal asks for a current report, and you're trying to work out whether the paperwork you've already got is enough. Start with the existing EICR: its date, outcome and recommended next inspection date tell you what needs checking.
An electrical installation condition report should give you more than a document to forward. You need to understand what was tested, any limits on the inspection and what the observations mean. That's worth comparing when you're choosing who does the job.
What it might mean
The five-year inspection cycle for a private rented tenancy may be coming round. A new let could also have prompted the request, although changing tenants doesn't reset the inspection cycle. An HMO application, additional licensing or selective licensing renewal might require a current satisfactory report. Or a council or tenant may have requested the existing paperwork. If the council asks for that report, you must provide it within seven days.
The property's condition could affect what happens next. Older conversions in East London and South West London may contain mixed-age wiring, rewireable fuses or consumer units without RCD protection. We've inspected this kind of stock across London for years, and the testing matters: age alone doesn't tell you what the report will find.
How urgent is it?
It's planned work with a deadline.
If the last inspection is overdue or the tenancy start is approaching, arrange testing now so there's room to deal with the findings. With a current report and time before renewal, you can compare inspection scopes and organise access.
An unsatisfactory outcome can require remedial work or further investigation within 28 days of the inspection, or sooner if the report specifies. C1 means danger present; C2 means potentially dangerous. Those findings need action within the applicable timescale, with dangerous conditions needing immediate attention.
Breaches of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 can attract civil penalties of up to £40,000 per breach. A licence application may also stall without the required report. Leaving the inspection until the deadline gives you little room for repairs.
What you can safely check
Find the previous EICR and read the dates and outcome. Look through any C3 improvement recommendations as well; earlier observations help the engineer understand what needs reviewing. They don't automatically become C2 findings simply because time has passed.
Compare the inspection date with your tenancy plans and licence requirements. Booking while the property's empty can make access easier and problems cheaper to put right.
Make the consumer unit, relevant gas and water pipework for bonding checks, and loft wiring accessible. Don't remove electrical covers, disturb connections or attempt circuit tests yourself. Inspection and certification need a competent electrician.
What we check
We start with the property type, size and earlier report, then agree the extent of inspection and sampling. A converted flat, an HMO and a landlord's communal supply can involve different inspection boundaries. Communal installations in purpose-built blocks have their own periodic inspection cycle.
Your EICR is carried out by a NICEIC-registered engineer. We inspect and test against BS 7671, then record the findings in the EICR with its schedule of test results and coded observations. C3 means improvement recommended; FI means further investigation.
An EICR London landlords can use to plan their next steps needs a clear scope and understandable findings. If work is required, we explain what needs attention and provide a written remedial quotation. The report and quotation let you see the findings and proposed work separately.
How it's fixed
The starting point is the inspection, testing and report covered by our eicr certificate service. We confirm the fixed inspection price before attendance; HMOs and larger properties are quoted according to scope. That inspection price doesn't include repairs.
If the outcome is unsatisfactory, we can carry out the remedial work and explain the priorities. Quotes for those repairs are free and carry no obligation. PAT testing can also be arranged alongside the EICR if appliance checks are needed.
Leave room before the deadline
Call before your tenancy begins or licence submission is due if the report has expired or testing is still outstanding. An inspection date needs to leave room for the remedial window if defects are found.
Know where your rental's electrics stand
Book an EICR in London and receive your report by email, with the test results and codes explained so you can understand what needs attention. If you're weighing up options for a North London rental, we'll clarify the testing scope before booking. Should repairs be necessary, you'll receive a clear written quotation for that work, helping you decide what happens next.
Ready to arrange EICR testing?
Call with your letting or licensing deadline and the details of your West London property, and we'll agree what the inspection needs to cover. You'll know the fixed charge before attendance, receive an emailed PDF recording the results, and have any necessary remedial repairs priced in a separate written quote. That repair quotation is free, so you can review the proposed work before deciding how to proceed.