HMO EICR in London

A shared house works its electrics harder than a family home. More people, more appliances, more circuits and a shared kitchen that's rarely quiet — plus a council that looks closely at electrical safety when you apply for or renew your licence. Here's what the rules say, what an HMO inspection covers, and how we make it straightforward.

Does your HMO need an EICR?

Yes. HMOs are covered by the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector and Social Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, like any other private let. That means:

• an inspection and test by a qualified person before a tenancy starts and at least every five years, or sooner if the report says so;
• a copy of the report for each existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection, and for new tenants before they move in;
• a copy for the council within seven days if it asks in writing;
• any remedial work or further investigation the report requires finished within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so), with written confirmation and the report sent to your tenants and the council within 28 days of finishing.

The old five-yearly rule in the HMO Management Regulations 2006 was deleted on 1 June 2020, so the 2020 regulations now set the standard. Councils can impose financial penalties of up to £40,000 for breaches. Our landlord EICR page covers the rules in more depth.

HMO licensing and your EICR

• Mandatory licensing applies to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households (since 1 October 2018). Purpose-built blocks of three or more self-contained flats are excluded.
• Additional and selective licensing. Some London councils license smaller HMOs, or other private lets, too. Our London area pages summarise each council's scheme and link to its licensing page.
• Licence conditions. Every HMO licence requires you to keep the electrical appliances you supply safe, and to give the council a declaration about their safety if it asks. PAT testing is the simplest way to back that declaration up.

Councils commonly ask for a current EICR with a licence application or renewal, so check your council's requirements before you apply. Our guide to HMO electrical safety explains how the rules fit together.

What an HMO EICR covers

An HMO inspection covers the whole fixed installation, not just the parts you can see from the hallway:

• every consumer unit — HMOs often have more than one, such as a board for each floor or a separate landlord's supply for the communal areas;
• every letting room — sockets, lights and any fixed heaters;
• shared kitchens and bathrooms — cooker circuits, extractor fans, electric showers and water heaters;
• hallways, landings and stairs, including communal lighting;
• the circuits that feed your fire alarm and emergency lighting — the systems themselves are tested under their own standards, and you can book emergency lighting testing alongside your EICR;
• earthing and bonding — the main earth and the bonding to gas and water pipes.

Every circuit is tested for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. An RCD is the safety switch that cuts the power in a fault.

Getting into every room

We need to reach the sockets and lights in each letting room. We arrange access with your tenants or agent, and warn tenants that the power will be off for short periods. Any room we can't get into is recorded on the report as a limitation, which can mean a return visit — so give tenants plenty of notice.

How an HMO inspection works

1. Tell us about the house — the number of letting rooms, floors and consumer units, and any licence deadline.
2. We confirm the price on the phone before anything is booked.
3. We arrange access with you, your agent or your tenants.
4. We inspect and test. The power goes off for short periods while circuits are tested. An HMO takes longer than a small flat because there's more to test, and we'll give you an idea of timing when we confirm.
5. Anything dangerous is dealt with on the spot. A C1 is reported to you straight away and, with your agreement, made safe — usually by switching off the affected circuit.
6. You get the report by email as a PDF, ready for your tenants and the council.

Your report — and what happens if it fails

Every observation is coded. On the latest report forms (BS 7671 Amendment 4, 2026), a C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) makes the report unsatisfactory. A C3 means improvement recommended, and an FImeans further investigation is advised. Older-format reports count an FI as unsatisfactory too, so our advice is to deal with every C1, C2 and FI within 28 days.

Shared houses often give the electrician more to look at: extension leads doing the job of missing sockets, damaged accessories in busy kitchens, circuits without RCD protection, and alterations made without a certificate. If anything needs work, we explain it in plain English and quote item by item. You're free to use any qualified electrician — or see our EICR remedial work service.

How to prepare your HMO

• Give tenants notice of the date, and warn them the power will go off for short periods — anyone working from home will want to plan around it.
• Sort out keys for letting rooms, meter cupboards and any locked cupboard that holds a consumer unit.
• Warn whoever looks after your fire alarm. Some panels show a fault while the power is off, so it helps if your alarm company and tenants know in advance.
• Send us your last EICR and your licence conditions if you have them. They help the electrician plan the visit.

What affects the price

HMO prices depend on the house. The things that make a difference are:

• the number of letting rooms and floors;
• how many consumer units there are;
• the size of the communal areas;
• access — for example, whether every room can be reached on one visit.

Tell us about the property and we'll confirm the price on the phone before anything is arranged. Remedial work is always quoted separately. EICR prices explains how our pricing works.

Why HMO landlords book with us

• Price agreed first — confirmed before anything is booked, with VAT shown.
• Tested properly — every circuit to BS 7671, including shared areas.
• Tenant access handled — we arrange it with your tenants or agent.
• Paperwork ready to send — a PDF report for your tenants and the council.
• Plain English — codes explained, with no obligation to use us for any fixes.
• Insured — £5m public liability insurance.
• London-wide — all 32 London boroughs and the City of London.

Get your HMO EICR booked

Get your price — tell us about the house and your licence deadline, pick a preferred date, and we'll call to confirm. Or call us on 07301 010244 to talk it through.