How often does an EICR need renewing?

Short answer: at least every five years. That is the maximum gap the law allows between electrical inspections on a rented home in England, and it is the one most landlords need in their calendar.

Or skip the working-out. The Beige Landlord Renewal Dashboard holds your EICR date, and every other compliance date, and emails you before each falls due. The rest of this page is the detail.

What an EICR actually is

An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. A qualified, competent electrician inspects and tests the fixed wiring of the property, the sockets, the consumer unit, the circuits, and writes up what they found and anything that needs fixing. It covers the installation itself, not your tenant's toaster.

The five-year rule, and when it is sooner

Since the rules came in on 1 June 2020, private landlords in England have had to get this done at least every five years. Five years is the ceiling, not a target. Your report can specify a shorter interval if the electrician thinks the installation warrants it, and if it does, that shorter date is the one that binds you. It is also good practice to check the electrics between tenancies rather than letting a single five-year clock run regardless of who is living there.

The paperwork and the deadlines

Once the inspection is done you have to give a copy of the report to your existing tenant within 28 days. A new tenant gets it before they move in, and a prospective tenant who asks gets it within 28 days of asking. If the report flags work as needed, that work has to be completed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, and you then confirm it in writing.

What happens if you let it slip

If a local authority finds you have not complied, it can arrange the work itself and fine you up to £30,000. That is a strong reason not to lose track of the date.

For the whole picture, see our UK landlord compliance deadlines guide, or let the Beige Landlord Renewal Dashboard keep the dates for you.

Last reviewed: July 2026. General information, not legal advice.