Guides and tools
Practical, plain-English answers for landlords, agents, homeowners and buyers.
EICR codes explained
What C1, C2, C3 and FI mean and which ones fail a report.
Read the guideGuideLandlord regulations across the UK
The rules in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland side by side.
Read the guideGuideWhat happens during an EICR
How to prepare, how long it takes and what you receive.
Read the guideToolEICR due date checker
Enter the date of your last report and see when the next one is due.
Use the checkerGuideHow much does an EICR cost?
What an EICR costs in 2026, what changes the price, what is included and how to avoid surprise charges.
Read the guideGuideHow long is an EICR valid?
EICR validity explained: 5 years for rented homes, 10 for owner-occupiers and shorter for some commercial premises.
Read the guideGuideLandlord electrical safety certificate
What a landlord electrical safety certificate is, why it is actually an EICR, what the law requires in each UK nation and how to get one..
Read the guideGuideDo I need an EICR to sell my house?
Whether you need an EICR to sell a house, why buyers and solicitors ask for one, and when it is worth getting one before you list..
Read the guideGuideWhat fails an EICR?
The defects most likely to make an EICR unsatisfactory, from missing RCD protection to absent bonding, and what each one costs to put right..
Read the guideGuideWho can carry out an EICR?
What makes an electrician qualified and competent to carry out an EICR, which qualifications and schemes to look for, and the insurance landlords should check..
Read the guideGuideEIC vs EICR vs Minor Works
The difference between an Electrical Installation Certificate, an EICR and a Minor Works Certificate, and which one you need for each situation..
Read the guideGuidePAT testing for landlords
Whether landlords must PAT test appliances in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, what is tested and how often..
Read the guideGuideRCD protection explained
What an RCD does, why the Wiring Regulations require it for sockets and concealed cables, and how missing RCD protection is fixed..
Read the guideGuideConsumer unit replacement cost
How much a consumer unit or fuse box replacement costs, what affects the price, what is included and when you need one..
Read the guideGuideSigns of old or unsafe wiring
How to spot old or deteriorating wiring: rubber cable, round-pin sockets, rewireable fuses, scorch marks and more.
Read the guideGuideElectrical safety for short-term lets
Electrical safety rules for Airbnb, holiday lets and serviced accommodation, including Scotland's short-term let licensing requirements..
Read the guideGuideLandlord electrical safety checklist
A practical checklist for landlords: EICR dates, tenant copies, remedial deadlines, PAT testing, alarms and records..
Read the guideGuideHow to read the schedule of test results
What Zs, R1+R2, insulation resistance and RCD trip time mean on your EICR test schedule, with typical passing values explained in plain English..
Read the guideGuideWhat is included in an EICR?
What an EICR inspects and tests, what it does not cover, and why your report has an extent and limitations section..
Read the guideGuideEICR vs PAT testing
The difference between an EICR and PAT testing, what each one covers, who needs which and how to book both in one visit..
Read the guideGuideHMO licence electrical requirements
What electrical paperwork councils ask for when you apply for or renew an HMO licence, and how to get it ready in one visit..
Read the guideGuideSmoke and CO alarm rules for landlords
Smoke and CO alarm requirements for private landlords in England, Scotland and Wales, and how they fit with your EICR..
Read the guideGuideElectrical safety rights for tenants
What tenants are entitled to: a copy of the EICR, repairs within deadlines and safe appliances.
Read the guideGuideBathroom electrical zones explained
Bathroom zones 0, 1 and 2 under the Wiring Regulations, what can be installed in each, and why bathroom faults often appear on EICRs..
Read the guideGuideEarthing and bonding explained
What earthing and main protective bonding are, why missing bonding to gas and water pipes fails an EICR, and how it is fixed..
Read the guideGuideThe 28-day remedial work deadline
What landlords must do after an unsatisfactory EICR, how the 28-day deadline works, what counts as completion and what to send tenants and councils..
Read the guideGuideElectrical checks before buying a buy-to-let
What to check about the electrics before buying a buy-to-let, how to budget for remedial work, and when to commission an EICR before exchange..
Read the guideGuideElectrical safety after a flood or leak
What to do with your electrics after a flood or water leak, when it is safe to switch back on, and why an inspection is needed..
Read the guideGuideDo I need a full rewire?
How to tell whether a home needs a full rewire or just repairs and a consumer unit upgrade, and what an EICR tells you..
Read the guideGuideElectrical glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms on your EICR, from Zs to RCBO.
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