Quick answer
No. If you let a property in England on a tenancy covered by the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, you must have a valid EICR, and you must give a copy to a new tenant before they move in. That covers most assured shorthold tenancies and HMOs.
The exceptions
The regulations don't apply to some types of accommodation, including:
- lodgers who share accommodation with the landlord or the landlord's family
- long leases of seven years or more
- student halls of residence
- hostels, refuges and care homes
- social housing, which has its own rules
- holiday lets, which are covered by general safety law rather than these regulations
If your let doesn't fall into one of these, you need an EICR.
A new-build or new rewire
If the property has an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) less than five years old, from a new build or a full rewire, you can use it in place of an EICR until it is five years old.
The penalties
Councils can impose civil penalties of up to £30,000 for breaches of the regulations, and can carry out remedial work themselves and recover the cost from you. Not having a valid EICR can also cause problems with other tenancy procedures.
Getting an EICR quickly
If a tenant is due to move in, call us on 07359 115116. Most houses and flats take a few hours to test, and you receive the report by email. If anything needs fixing, the fixed-price remedial quote comes with it. Prices start at £149 including VAT. See landlord EICR.