The April 2021 deadline for Landlords to have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRS) is quickly approaching.
So, what steps does a Landlord have to take? What are the consequences if this new legislation is not fulfilled? These are the questions that I will be answering below.
Let’s start with the basics:
What is an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a certificate that is produced after a property has been assessed for the safety of the electrical installations. This means the electrician will check the safety of Consumer Units / fuse boards, light fittings, sockets, light switches, plug sockets etc. for continuous use. These will need to meet the requirements of British Standard ‘BS 7671:2018’ which came into effect in January 2019.
If the report is ‘satisfactory’ it will be valid for 5 years even if a ‘Code C3’, which means improvement is recommend, is identified.
If the report is ‘Unsatisfactory’ it means that dangerous (Code C1) and/or potentially dangerous (Code C2) conditions have been identified and remedial works will need to be carried out to rectify these problems. It could also mean a ‘Code F1’ has been identified and Further Investigation will be required. You will not need to get another EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) produced as you should receive an EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) which confirms that the required works have been completed. You should then keep both of these certificates together. These will then also be valid for 5 years.
You are also required to give a copy of the EICR to any current or future tenants of the property before they move in or on the day of sign up. If the tenant is currently residing in the property, then you will need to send them a copy of the report within 28 days of the electrical inspection.
What do I need to do to fulfil the EICR regulations?
Since July 2020 a valid EICR needs to be produced to any new tenancies. However, the new regulations that come into place from the 1st April 2021 states that a valid EICR has to be produced for any existing tenants aswell.
If you do not fulfil these regulations surrounding EICRs a financial penalty of up to £30,000 can be issued by the local authority.
Why have these legislations come into place?
The main reason why the legislations have come into place is to ensure the electrics in your property are safe for your tenants. It has always been a good idea for a landlord to make sure their properties have a valid EICR. One of the reasons is the ‘Landlord and Tenants act’ of 1985 which stated that an EICR is ‘recommended’ at change of tenancy or at least every 5 years. Another reason why it has always been recommended is because, according to Government statistics, around 4 people a day are injured or killed due to home fires. These statistics are quite shocking but if every Landlord has a valid EICR on their properties hopefully these figures should decrease.
We hope this helped to answer some of the questions you had concerning the new regulations. If you still need any more information, please contact us and we will be more than happy to help.