Guide
Electrical installation condition report cost for landlords: the rules
Updated
A landlord in England must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years, give the tenant a copy of the report within 28 days and fix anything it finds within 28 days. A council can fine a landlord up to £40,000 for a breach.
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The duty in England
- How often
- At intervals of no more than 5 years, or sooner if the last report says so (regulation 3, SI 2020/312).
- Copy to the tenant
- To each existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection, and to a new tenant before they move in (regulation 3).
- Copy to the council
- Within 7 days of a written request (regulation 3).
- Repairs
- Within 28 days, or the shorter period the report specifies (GOV.UK guidance).
- Penalty
- Up to £40,000 for a breach; offences committed before 1 May 2026 fall under the earlier civil penalty guidance (GOV.UK guidance, section 6).
Source: UK EICR Price Index: every row, with its source
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Wales a landlord must hold a valid electrical condition report, which lasts 5 years from the inspection unless it asks for an earlier one (the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 6). In Scotland the Repairing Standard guidance expects an inspection at least every five years (Scottish Government statutory guidance). Northern Ireland made its own regulations under section 10 of the Private Tenancies Act 2022 (Department for Communities).
What it costs a landlord
Spread over the five years a report lasts, the median published starting price of £120 (UK EICR Price Index) is £24 a year, against a penalty of up to £40,000 for not having one.
Source: UK EICR Price Index
This page summarises the rules as the government publishes them. It is not legal advice about your own tenancy.