Private landlords in England and Scotland are required to carry out five-yearly checks on the electrical installations in their rental properties
Answered by Rupert, Electrical Safety Expert
Private landlords in England and Scotland are required to carry out five-yearly checks on the electrical installations in their rental properties. This will also be a legal requirement in Wales from July 2022.
We recommend the same for any landlords in Wales and Northern Ireland as these checks protect your tenants and properties from electrical accidents.
When an inspection is carried out on the installation, the electrician will issue an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), which will highlight any electrical hazards that need to be addressed. The classification codes on the report are:
C1 - Danger present, risk of injury (immediate remedial action required)
C2 - Potentially dangerous (urgent remedial action required)
C3 - Improvement recommended
FI - Further investigation required without delay
If Codes C1 or C2 are recorded on the form, remedial action must be taken within 28 days. If the inspector identifies that further investigation is required, this must also be undertaken.
However, you do NOT need to take immediate action for a C3 recommendation. However, following the recommendation(s) would improve the electrical safety of your property.