Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate
In England, landlords must have the electrical installations in their rental properties inspected and tested every five years by a qualified and competent person.
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Electrical safety in all tenancies
In England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require landlords to obtain electrical safety certificates. These certificates can only be issued by approved contractors like CSE Electrical.
All landlords, including councils and housing associations, must ensure that your home is safe and suitable for living throughout your tenancy.
Landlords must:
- Keep wiring and installations in good working order
- Have electrical installations inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified and competent person
As a tenant, you should:
- Report electrical faults immediately
- Allow access for repairs and safety inspections
- Ensure your own appliances are safe
You can perform a visual safety check, but never attempt to do your own electrical repairs.
How often is this inspection required?
Inspection frequency varies by property type. For instance, schools are inspected every five years, while swimming pools are checked annually. For a detailed breakdown, refer to our frequency table.
What is tested during the inspection?
Our electrician will test and inspect the fixed electrical installations in your property, including wiring, plug sockets, light fittings, fuse boxes, electric showers, and extractor fans. They will address any immediate hazards to ensure your safety before leaving.
They will not check movable items like TVs, white goods, kettles, or toasters unless your landlord requests a portable appliance (PAT) test. While PAT testing is not legally required for landlords, it is highly recommended to enhance your home's safety.
Electrical safety checks for Landlords and private rented homes
From 1 July 2020, private landlords must make sure that all hard wired installations are inspected and tested by a registered electrician.
The electrician will produce a report for the landlord. You should be given a copy.
The inspection should take place at least once every 5 years.
If your tenancy started on or after 1 June 2020
- the first check should have been done before you moved in
- you should have been given a copy of the report
Write to your landlord and ask for the most recent report if you've not received it. They must give you a copy within 4 weeks.
If your tenancy started before 1 June 2020, your landlord must have made sure that the first check was done by 1 April 2021.
If the property has been built or rewired in the last 5 years, your landlord can give you a copy of this certificate (EICR) instead and therefore will not need to organise a safety check.
Resident landlords with lodgers don't need to carry out these safety checks but can choose to if they want to make sure the home is safe.
BS7671 ELECTRICAL REGULATIONS
(Recommended intervals between periodic tests and inspections)
Type of installation - Maximum period between inspections and testing
- Domestic premises (general) = 10 yrs/Change of Occupancy
- Domestic premises (rented houses and flats) = 5 yrs/Change of Occupancy
- Residential Accommodation (HMO, halls of residence, nurses accommodation etc) = 5 yrs/Change of Occupancy (some local authorities ask for HMO properties to be tested every 3 yrs)
- Commercial premises = 5 yrs/Change of Occupancy
- Educational establishments = 5 years
- Industrial Premises = 3 yrs
- Offices = 5 yrs
- Shops = 5 yrs
- Cinemas = 1-3 yrs (local authorities license should stipulate frequency)
- Churches = 5 yrs
- Leisure Complexes (excl. swimming pools) = 3 yrs
- Restaurants and Hotels = 5 yrs
- Public Houses = 5 yrs
What about HMOs?
The 2006 Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations previously set specific duties for HMO landlords regarding electrical safety. These regulations have now been repealed and replaced by new safety standards.
For licensable HMOs, which house five or more tenants, the Housing Act 2004 has been updated. The new regulations now require a mandatory condition in HMO licenses: every electrical installation must be in good working order and safe for continued use.
In the case of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) – defined as a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one ‘household’ (for example a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen – where the HMO is the tenant’s only or main residence and they pay rent, then these Regulations also apply to HMOs.
