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Home / Landlord EICR
Landlord EICR certificates that keep you the right side of the law.
Since 1 April 2021, every rented home in England must hold a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report. Polarity handles the inspection, the paperwork and the deadlines — so your portfolio stays compliant and your certificates never lapse.
The 2020 Regulations
The law, in plain English.
The 2020 Regulations have covered private tenancies in England since 2020–2021. From 1 November 2025 they also applied to new social tenancies, and from 1 May 2026 to existing social tenancies. Electrical installations must be inspected at least every five years, or sooner where the report requires it.
- Inspection at least every five years. A qualified and competent person must inspect and test the fixed electrical installation — sooner if the report specifies.
- A satisfactory report is the standard. The installation must meet BS 7671, the national safety standard for electrical installations.
- Records must be kept and passed on. The report is supplied to tenants, prospective tenants and the local authority on the timescales the Regulations set out.
- Social landlord equipment checks. Electrical equipment supplied as part of a social tenancy must also be inspected and tested at least every five years, with records provided to the tenant.
- Non-compliance carries real cost. Local authorities can impose financial penalties of up to £40,000 for a breach.
5 yrsMaximum EICR validity
28 daysTo supply the report
£30kMaximum penalty per breach
1,900Rented units we manage
Your obligations
A landlord compliance checklist.
Get one item wrong and the whole tenancy is exposed. These are the duties the Regulations place on you as a private landlord in England.
- Test at least every five years. Arrange inspection and testing by a qualified person, and repeat before the report expires.
- Existing tenants — 28 days. Give a copy of the report to each occupying tenant within 28 days of the inspection.
- New tenants — before they occupy. Provide the current report to any new tenant before they move in.
- Prospective tenants — 28 days of request. Supply the report within 28 days of a written request from anyone considering the tenancy.
- Local authority — 7 days of request. If the council asks, provide a copy within seven days.
- Retain and hand on. Keep the report and supply it to the person carrying out the next inspection and test.
- Act on an unsatisfactory result. Where the report records a C1, C2 or FI, complete the remedial or further investigative work within 28 days — or sooner if the report specifies.
- Get written confirmation. Obtain and retain written confirmation that the remedial work brings the installation up to standard.
Compliance timeline
What happens, and by when.
STEP 01
Book & inspect
A qualified engineer inspects and tests the fixed installation against BS 7671, photographing every observation.
STEP 02 · 48h
Report issued
You receive the signed EICR within 48 hours, coded and plain-English, with a fixed remedial quote if anything is unsatisfactory.
STEP 03 · 28 days
Remedials done
Any C1, C2 or FI is corrected within 28 days — sooner if specified — and you receive written confirmation the work meets the standard.
STEP 04
Distribute & retain
Reports go to tenants and, on request, the council within the legal windows. We store every certificate and set the five-year renewal.
When a report fails
Unsatisfactory? The 28-day clock starts.
A report is unsatisfactory the moment it records a C1 (danger present), a C2 (potentially dangerous) or an FI (further investigation required). The Regulations give you 28 days from the inspection to complete the work — or less, if the report specifies a shorter period.
- Handled in-house. Our directly-employed engineers correct C1, C2 and FI items — no waiting on a second contractor, no missed deadline.
- C1 made safe on the day. Where there is immediate danger, we isolate and make safe on the spot and notify you the same day.
- Written confirmation supplied. You receive the confirmation the Regulations require, ready to hand to tenants and the local authority.
Across the UK
The rules differ across the nations.
The 2020 Regulations cover England, while landlords elsewhere face separate requirements. We inspect and certify throughout our published London and South East service areas.
England
2020 Regulations
Fixed-installation EICR at least every five years, with the report supplied to tenants, prospective tenants and the local authority on the statutory timescales.
Scotland
Repairing Standard
Landlords must arrange an EICR — and portable appliance testing (PAT) — at least every five years under the Repairing Standard.
Wales
Renting Homes Act
The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2022 places electrical safety duties on landlords, requiring the installation to be inspected and kept in a safe condition.
Houses in multiple occupation
HMOs carry extra obligations.
Licensed HMOs have long required a mandatory electrical safety check at least every five years, and PAT testing on landlord-supplied appliances is expected as standard. We provide HMO-ready documentation and can bundle PAT with the EICR in a single visit.
- Five-yearly fixed-wiring inspection. Mandatory for licensed HMOs, with a certificate the local authority will accept.
- PAT on supplied appliances. Landlord-provided white goods and portable equipment tested, logged and labelled.
- Licence-ready evidence. Documentation formatted for HMO licence applications and renewals.
Built for landlords
Compliance you never have to chase.
Whether you hold one flat or three hundred, Polarity runs your electrical compliance as a managed service — so nothing slips, and no certificate lapses.
- Portfolio management. Every property, certificate and renewal date on one schedule you can see at a glance.
- A named compliance manager. One point of contact for portfolios of five properties or more — no call centre.
- Automatic renewal reminders. We track every five-year deadline and book the re-test before it expires, so you stay compliant without lifting a finger.
- Remedial work handled in-house. C1, C2 and FI items corrected by our own engineers, inside the 28-day window.
“I let 61 flats across the North West and used to dread the compliance emails. Polarity took the lot, chased every renewal and cleared two unsatisfactory reports inside the 28 days. Not one certificate has expired since — and I finally sleep at licence-renewal time.”
Transparent pricing
Fixed landlord rates.
Indicative domestic prices including VAT. Portfolio discounts apply from five properties; multi-let and HMO rates quoted per site.
Studio & 1-bed
£109 inc. VAT
- Up to 6 circuits
- Digital EICR in 48h
- Renewal reminders included
2–3 bed home
£139 inc. VAT
- Up to 12 circuits
- Digital EICR in 48h
- Free minor remedials on-site
- Priority next-day slots
4+ bed / HMO
£189 from, inc. VAT
- Unlimited circuits
- HMO-ready documentation
- Bundled PAT test option
Landlord questions
Straight answers on the Regulations.
Not sure where your property stands? Call 0330 043 8871 or email hello@polaritycompliance.co.uk and speak to a qualified engineer.
Ask a questionHow often does a rented property need an EICR?
At least every five years, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter interval. The rules cover private tenancies and, since 1 May 2026, existing social tenancies in England. A shorter interval stated on the report must be followed.
Who am I required to give the report to, and by when?
Existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection; new tenants before they occupy; prospective tenants within 28 days of a written request; and the local authority within 7 days if it asks. You must also retain the report and give it to the next inspector.
What happens if the report is unsatisfactory?
An unsatisfactory result means a C1, C2 or FI observation was recorded. You must complete the remedial or further investigative work within 28 days — or sooner if the report states — and obtain written confirmation that the installation now meets the standard. We handle this in-house.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for a breach of the Regulations, and may arrange remedial action themselves in urgent cases and recover the cost. Compliance is considerably cheaper than the fine.
Do the same rules apply in Scotland and Wales?
No. The Regulations described on this page apply in England. Scotland and Wales have separate rented-property safety regimes, so landlords should follow the rules for the nation where the property is located.
Do HMOs have different requirements?
Licensed HMOs require a mandatory electrical safety check at least every five years, and portable appliance testing is typically expected on landlord-supplied appliances. We provide licence-ready documentation and can carry out the EICR and PAT in a single visit.
Will I be reminded before my certificate expires?
Yes. Every property on our managed service carries its renewal date, and we automatically book the re-test before the five years are up — so a Polarity certificate never lapses without warning.
Book today
Get your rented property legally compliant.
Fixed pricing, a next-day slot and a certificate in 48 hours — with every renewal tracked for you. No call-out charges, no surprises.
Book a landlord EICR
Service coverage
Available across London and surrounding counties.
Postcodes and neighbouring areas
We serve London postcode districts plus AL, BR, CB, CM, CO, CR, CT, DA, EN, GU, HA, HP, IG, IP, KT, LU, ME, MK, NR, PE, RG, RH, RM, SG, SL, SM, SS, TN, TW, UB and WD areas.
Coverage extends into neighbouring districts where scheduling permits. Enter the full postcode when booking so we can confirm attendance and pricing.