How long does an EICR last for a rental property?

An EICR for a rental property in England lasts up to five years — or less, if the electrician writes an earlier date on the report. The five years run from the day of the inspection, not from the start of a tenancy or the day the report reached you, and a new tenancy doesn’t restart them. If the report is unsatisfactory, it only does its job once the remedial work is done and confirmed in writing.

That’s the short answer. This guide explains where the rule comes from, what can shorten it, what doesn’t extend it, and how to plan your dates so a report never runs out between tenants. If you own and live in your home, our guide to how long an EICR is valid covers the ten-year recommendation instead.

The rule for landlords in one line

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector and Social Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 say a landlord must have every electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified person before a tenancy starts, and then at intervals of no more than five years — or by an earlier date, if the most recent report sets one. The government’s guidance for landlords puts it simply: the installation must be checked at least every five years.

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) isn’t a certificate with a fixed shelf life. It records the condition of the wiring, the consumer unit (fuse board), the sockets, the switches and the fixed electrical equipment on the day they were tested. The law, and the date the inspector writes on the report, decide how long you can rely on it.

How long an EICR lasts for each kind of let

The government’s guidance lists the lets the regulations don’t cover: shared accommodation with the landlord or the landlord’s family, long leases (including shared ownership) or tenancies of seven years or more, student halls of residence, hostels and refuges, care homes, hospitals and hospices, other accommodation relating to healthcare, and mobile homes, caravans and boats.

When the five years start — two worked examples

A satisfactory report. The electrician inspects your two-bed flat on 10 March 2026. The report is satisfactory and recommends the next inspection within five years — so the next one is due before 10 March 2031. A new tenant moves in on 1 September 2027. You give them a copy of the report before they move in, and you don’t need a new inspection. If the report had recommended three years, the deadline would be 10 March 2029 instead.

An unsatisfactory report. The inspection on 10 March 2026 finds a C2 — potentially dangerous. The remedial work must be done within 28 days of the inspection, by 7 April 2026, or sooner if the report says so. Once it’s done, you send written confirmation from the electrician, with the report, to your tenants and the council within 28 days of finishing the work. The next inspection date doesn’t move: it still counts from 10 March 2026. Our guide to an unsatisfactory EICR walks through each step.

What makes an EICR last less than five years

• The inspector writes an earlier date. The next inspection date is a professional judgement based on the age, condition and use of the installation. Ageing wiring, a heavily used HMO, or problems the inspector wants rechecked can all justify a shorter interval — the IET, which publishes the wiring regulations, says a shorter interval needs to be justified, and the report gives the reasons. For a landlord, that earlier date is the legal deadline.
• The result is unsatisfactory. A report with C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) items isn’t a clean bill of health for five years — and neither is one with an FI (further investigation) that the report asks you to follow up. It only covers you once the work and any investigation are done and confirmed. EICR codes explained sets out what each code means, including how FI changed on the April 2026 report forms.
• Something changes. A flood, a fire, a leak near the electrics, or warning signs such as scorch marks and RCDs that keep tripping all mean the old report no longer describes the installation. Get it checked.

What doesn’t reset or extend it

• A new tenancy. The guidance says there is no requirement to inspect and test again before re-letting if the last inspection was less than five years ago and didn’t ask for further work. Give the new tenant a copy of the latest report before they move in.
• Fixing the faults. Remedial work puts the installation right, but the next inspection date on the original report stays the same.
• Partial work. A new consumer unit, a new circuit or a partial rewire gets its own certificate. The rest of the installation still runs on the old report and its date. Only a newly built or completely rewired home starts again with an EIC — see does a new-build home need an EICR?
• A new owner or a new agent. The report stays with the installation. If you buy a let property, ask the seller for the current report and any written confirmations of remedial work — the duties pass to you as the new landlord.

The law vs industry guidance on a change of tenant

Industry guidance goes further than the law. The IET recommends inspecting rented homes and HMOs every five years or on a change of occupancy, and Electrical Safety First lists “when a property is being prepared for letting” as a time to inspect. The government’s guidance recommends landlords make visual checks between tenancies, and says they may choose to arrange a full inspection earlier than the five years if they have concerns.

So the law doesn’t make you re-test for every new tenant — but if your report is close to its date, the empty weeks between tenants are the easiest time to renew it. No one has to be home, every room is open, and any repairs can be done before the next tenant moves in.

Flats, HMOs and licensing in London

Flats in a block. The regulations cover the installation in the flat you let. The communal stairs and corridors aren’t covered by them, though the council can still act on those areas under other housing law.

HMOs. The five-year maximum is the same, but HMOs usually have more circuits, shared kitchens and landings, and fire alarm and emergency lighting circuits — and the inspector may set a shorter interval for a busy house. Councils commonly ask for a current EICR with an HMO licence application or renewal, so check your date before the licence comes up. Our HMO electrical safety guide covers the extra rules.

Licensing schemes. Many London boroughs run additional or selective licensing for ordinary lets, and their application forms often ask for electrical evidence. Our London landlord licensing guide shows each borough’s scheme and what its council asks for.

Who gets a copy, and how long to keep it

• Existing tenants: within 28 days of the inspection.
• New tenants: before they move in.
• Someone hoping to rent: within 28 days of asking in writing.
• The council: within seven days of a written request.
• The next electrician: a copy of the last report helps them compare results.

Keep each report until the next inspection is due or has been done, with any written confirmations of remedial work alongside it. Our landlord’s guide to EICRs covers every duty in order.

What happens if your EICR runs out

Letting a home without a current report is a breach of the regulations. The council can serve a remedial notice, arrange urgent work itself with your tenant’s consent and recover the cost, and impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000. You have a defence if you took all reasonable steps — for example, if a tenant refused access and you kept a record of every attempt. Our guide to landlord EICR fines explains how councils enforce the rules.

Your EICR’s expiry date will go on the landlord register

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, private landlords will register each rented property on a new database. The government’s Housing Hub says registration for London properties opens on 15 July 2027, with a deadline of 14 October 2027, and a fee of £65 per property each year. For each property you’ll give a copy of the EICR (or EIC) and its expiry date — the next inspection date on your report. The dates could still change, so check before you register.

A simple plan so your EICR never lapses

1. Find the date. Open the report at the section headed “Recommendation for next inspection” — our sample EICR report shows where it is.
2. Set a reminder two to three months before the date, so there’s time to arrange access and any repairs.
3. Use the gap between tenants if the date is close.
4. Keep everything together — the report, the schedules of test results and any remedial confirmations.
5. Agree who books it. If an agent manages the property, decide in writing whether they or you arrange the next inspection. Our guide for letting agents covers how that usually works.

Key points

• An EICR for a rental property lasts up to five years, or until the earlier date on the report.
• The five years count from the inspection date.
• A new tenancy, remedial work or partial rewiring doesn’t restart the clock.
• An unsatisfactory report only covers you once C1 and C2 items, and any further investigation it asks for, are dealt with within 28 days and confirmed in writing.
• From July 2027, London landlords will put each report’s expiry date on the new landlord register.

Book your next EICR before the date

If your report is due in the next few months, book now so the inspection fits around your tenants. We test every circuit, email the report as a PDF with a clear next inspection date, and arrange access with your tenant or agent — you don’t need to be there. Any flat or house with one consumer unit costs £90 inc VAT (£75 + VAT); HMOs are priced on a quick call.

Get your price, see our landlord EICR and HMO EICR services, or call 07500 202010.