What is a Landlord EICR certificate?
An electrical certificate, or Electrical Installation Condition Report, gives you details of the electrical safety of your property. A certified electrician inspects the electric installations within your building and checks whether they meet the required safety standards.
The inspector then completes a report outlining whether the electrics in your property are satisfactory. If your installation falls below the minimum standards, then you will be given recommendations to resolve any issues and improve electrical safety within your property.
Do landlords in London need an electrical certificate?
Landlords across the UK have a legal responsibility to ensure that electrical installations within their properties are safe. In June 2020, new regulations came into force requiring landlords to obtain a new Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least once every five years. Landlords must provide a copy of the electrical certificate to tenants and the local authority if requested.
Failing to comply with the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations can result in a financial penalty of £30,000 or more, as well as invalidated property insurance. In the event of injury or death, a landlord could face potential criminal charges.
What happens during an electrical inspection?
A certified electrician will visit your property and complete an in-depth inspection of all fixed electrical installations. This includes wiring, plug sockets, fuse boxes, and light fixtures. The inspection does not include electrical appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.
The inspection will look for potential electric safety risks and fire hazards. It will also check whether electrical installations are overloaded or if there is any defective electrical work.
The person conducting the electrical certificate will then give you a report detailing the outcomes of the inspection. This is usually sent within a couple of days after the inspection is carried out.
What can an Electrical Installation Condition Report indicate?
An EICR will detect if there are any electrical faults that could cause harm, such as shocks or burns, as a result of any alterations or damage to the electrical systems. Repairs could be needed as a result of flooding or water damage due to a leak.
The inspection will also check that all installations are safe to use and aren’t likely to become overloaded, as well as checking that protections are in place in case of fire or heat caused by a defective part of the system.
What happens if the landlord EICR highlights any faults?
If the report shows that no remedial work is required, then you don’t need to take any further action. If the codes C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) are within the report, then you must arrange remedial work to improve electrical safety within your property. You must also take immediate action if further investigation is recommended.
This remedial work can also be completed by Hexo Electrical Services. One of our qualified engineers will help to put a plan in place to solve the highlighted faults, and once the works have been completed another EICR will be done to confirm that all issues are resolved.
Why else are landlord EICR inspections useful?
Along with the legal obligations, regular EICR checks provide a number of benefits for landlords. Firstly, inspections will reveal faults within a property that may have become worse in the future, had they not been identified and resolved.
The EICR is therefore a preventative measure to reduce the likelihood of the property suffering more serious issues. This greatly minimises the risk of costly damage, so the landlord can avoid more expensive repairs.
By ensuring that the state of the property is well maintained, this also provides a safer and more habitable environment for any tenants. So, it should be within a landlord’s interest to make sure all necessary safety precautions are in place.
How much does a London landlord EICR certificate cost?
The cost of obtaining an electrical certificate will depend on factors such as the size of your property and the age of your electrical installations. Generally speaking, larger or older properties take longer to inspect and so the cost of the electrical certificate will be higher. You may also be charged more for an inspection if your electrics are difficult to access, for example.
For Landlords, Letting Agents and Property Managers we offer a bespoke service tailored to your requirements, so we can work with any number of your properties that need an EICR. Take a look at our prices page for an overview of landlord EICR certificate costs and get in touch with us to get a quote.
Why choose Hexo for London landlord electrical certificates?
At Hexo, we have many years of experience providing professional electrical inspection and testing services to residents and businesses in London and the surrounding areas. Our inspectors receive the highest standards of industry training and complete specialist training modules in electrical inspection and testing.
You will be in very safe hands when you choose Hexo for your EICR certificate in London. We have the skills and expertise to maximise the performance of electrical systems and ensure that your installations are safe and compliant.
Learn more about our electrical testing services and find out how much an electrical certificate will cost by contacting our friendly team today