First Mandatory EICRs Expire: Are You Covered?

If your Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) was completed when the checks first became mandatory, it will now have lapsed. Many landlords arranged EICRs in the run up to the law taking effect across 2020 and 2021. Since EICRs are valid from a maximum of 5 years, certificates obtained just ahead of these deadlines have now expired.  

Landlords whose mandatory EICR has lapsed will need to urgently arrange an up-to-date electrical report for their tenants’ safety. However, there’s an added incentive to get your paperwork in order. It’s legally required, and in 2026’s rental landscape, the penalties for non-compliance have increased. 

Electrical Installation Condition Reports were introduced to the private rented sector in 2008, but were not initially mandatory. They became a legal requirement for new tenancies in England since 1 July 2020, and existing tenancies as of 1 April 2021, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. Landlords are also required to issue the report to tenants before they move into the property or within 28 days for existing tenancies. As of 2025, the rules have been extended to social housing landlords. 

Landlords whose EICRs expired in 2025 or spring 2026 should have already arranged a new inspection by a qualified electrician to stay compliant. If your EICR has lapsed or you don’t already hold one, you risk a fine of up to £40,000 from your local council.  

Consult your most recent electrical certificate to confirm its expiry date, and arrange an inspection as a priority if it has expired, or is about to. It’s also worth noting that the electrical standards an installation needs to meet have been tightened in recent years. Landlords should be prepared to arrange time-sensitive investigations or repairs to bring installations to a satisfactory standard in line with the EICR’s findings.  

Your letting agent’s property management service can help to arrange for an electrician to carry out the EICR and any remedial works that may be required. 

Read more on the Property118 site. 

Find the full Electrical Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 guidance here.