In January this year, the government revealed plans for introducing new legislation which would see mandatory electrical safety checks for landlords. Although there is still no set date for when the law will come into action, landlords are still responsible for obtaining an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for their rental property.
Here is everything you need to know about EICR and how you can get yours for your property.
An EICR essentially tells you whether the electrical installations within your rental property are deemed safe.
As all electrical installations can deteriorate with age and use, it is vital that you obtain an EICR to ensure that your tenants are kept safe. If an electrical accident were to occur as a result of an electrical defect, landlords could be liable for penalties.
The report gives insight into factors such as potential fire hazards, electric shock risks, overloading of electrical circuits, and any electrical defects that may otherwise go unnoticed.
For rental properties, the electrical installations should be inspected either every five years, or whenever a new tenant moves into a property, whichever comes first.
All electrical inspections must be carried out by a qualified and registered electrician.
There are two types of EICRs - periodic inspection and a visual condition report.
A periodic inspection report includes a thorough inspection and testing of all electrical installations within the property.
A visual condition report, on the other hand, does not include the testing of electrics. Instead, it involves a concise look for elements such as broken plug sockets and damaged wires.
As a result, a visual condition report shouldn’t be a replacement of the periodic inspection report. This type of inspection should only be used for electrical installations that have either recently been tested or at regular intervals between the last date of your EICR and up until when you’re next one is due.
You’re EICR will contain details of any electrical deterioration, defects and potential hazards.
If EICR listed your property as ‘unsatisfactory’, then you will have to act immediately to rectify the electrical risks that have been highlighted.
There are three codes for the action required as a result of the findings in the EICR:
It is also worth noting that codes 1 and 2 will result in a failure of the EICR test.
When your property fully passes its EICR inspection, you’ll receive an EICR Certificate of Safety.
While it’s not a legal requirement for landlords to have an EICR, landlords still have a responsibility to ensure all electrical installations are safe throughout a tenancy in their property.
It is also often a mandatory requirement of taking out landlord insurance for your property too.
There are numerous benefits for having an EICR.
Firstly, it ensures the safety of your tenants, as well as your rental property. You may also be able to save costs in the long run as you can address any potential issues before they arise.
Landlords can use our electrical inspection service to obtain an EICR for £220. The service includes polarity and earth fault loop tests on electrical sockets, testing the residual current device (RCD) and checking the correct protective bonding is being used.
We also offer an Electrical Safety Certificate for £108. This is where we have a qualified electrician test up to five appliances in your rental property and includes visual wiring checks.
If you’d like a quick, affordable and easy solution to managing your rental property, check out our ‘Good Landlord’ subscription. For just £12 a month you can manage your entire property throughout platform as well as rent collection and property licence monitoring.
Confused over your electrical safety requirements? Make Ur Move online letting and property management platform explains the difference between Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and Portable Appliance Testing (PAT).
