Quick answer
No. There's no legal requirement to have an EICR when you buy or sell a house in England. However, an EICR is recommended when you move into a property, and for an older home it is one of the most useful checks you can do, because a standard survey doesn't test the electrics.
What a survey doesn't tell you
A homebuyer survey is visual. The surveyor might note an old consumer unit or recommend that "the electrical installation should be tested by a qualified electrician". That sentence is a referral, not a test. An EICR actually tests every circuit, measures earthing and insulation, checks RCD protection, and gives you a coded list of anything that needs doing.
When it is worth booking before you complete
- the property was built before the 1990s and there's no record of a rewire
- there's an old fuse box or a consumer unit without RCDs
- the surveyor has flagged the electrics
- there are DIY extensions, outbuildings or garden supplies
- you plan to let the property, since you will need an EICR anyway
If the EICR finds C1 or C2 items, the fixed-price remedial quote gives you a figure to negotiate with.
Selling: should I get an EICR first?
It isn't required, but a recent satisfactory EICR answers buyers' electrical questions and can stop a renegotiation after their survey. The property information form asks about electrical work and certificates, so have your paperwork ready.
Buying a rental property with tenants in place
If you are buying a property with sitting tenants, ask for the current EICR and the written confirmation of any remedial work. As the new landlord, you are responsible for compliance from completion. See landlord EICR.
Cost
A home EICR costs £149 for a flat or 1-bed house, £179 for a 2–3 bed and £229 for a 4–5 bed, including VAT. See EICR prices.