EICR: codes, deadlines and penalties
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is required at least every five years, and the regulations attach six separate deadlines to it. Penalties run to £30,000 per offence. Two things catch landlords out: the 7-day rule, and believing a C3 is a failure.
The 7-day rule is the one that catches people
Almost every clock in this regime is 28 days — except one. If the local authority asks for a copy of your EICR, you have 7 days to provide it. Landlords breach this simply by assuming it matches everything else.
What the codes mean
| Code | What it means | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present. Risk of injury. | Immediate. The inspector may make it safe before leaving the property. The installation is unsatisfactory. |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous. | Remedial work required. The installation is unsatisfactory. |
| FI | Further investigation required, without delay. | Investigate. The installation is unsatisfactory until resolved. |
| C3 | Improvement recommended. | No action legally required — a C3 alone does NOT make the report unsatisfactory. |
A C3 is not a failure.Landlords are regularly quoted for work to “clear” C3 observations in the belief the certificate isn't valid otherwise. A report carrying only C3s is satisfactory. That work is discretionary — often sensible, never compulsory.
Every deadline
| Obligation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Existing tenant | Within 28 days of the inspection |
| New tenant | Before they occupy the property |
| Prospective tenant | Within 28 days of their request |
| Local authority | Within 7 days of their request |
| Remedial work or further investigation | Within 28 days — or sooner if the report says so |
| Written confirmation the work is done | To tenant and local authority within 28 days |
Verified against GOV.UK guidance on 5 August 2026. Note the final row: supplying written confirmation that remedial work is complete is a separate duty from supplying the report, and it goes to both the tenant and the council.
What it costs to get wrong
Up to £30,000 per offence. Local authorities can also serve a remedial notice and, if you don't comply, arrange the work themselves and recover the cost from you. Because the penalty is per offence rather than per landlord, a portfolio with several lapsed certificates compounds fast.
The failure mode is almost never refusing to do the work — it's losing track of expiry dates across several properties, then discovering a lapse when a council writes to you with a 7-day clock running. RentFig's compliance tracker logs each certificate against its property and emails you before expiry, which is the entire problem solved.
FAQ
How often do I need an EICR?
At least every five years, carried out by a qualified person. The report itself sets the date for the next inspection, and that date can be sooner than five years if the inspector judges it should be — in which case their date governs, not the five-year default.
What do C1, C2, C3 and FI mean?
C1 means danger is present with a risk of injury, and the inspector may make it safe before leaving. C2 means potentially dangerous. FI means further investigation is required without delay. Any of those three make the report unsatisfactory and require action. C3 means improvement is recommended — it is not a failure and does not oblige you to do the work, though it is often worth doing.
How long do I have to fix problems?
28 days from the inspection, or any shorter period the report specifies as necessary. Then you must supply written confirmation that the work has been completed — along with the report — to your tenant and to the local authority within 28 days. The confirmation step is a separate duty and is the one landlords most often forget.
What's the 7-day rule?
If the local authority requests a copy of the EICR, you have 7 days to provide it — not 28. It is the shortest clock in the regulations and the easiest to breach simply by not noticing the difference. Everything else in the regime runs on 28 days, which is exactly why this one catches people.
What are the penalties?
Up to £30,000 per offence. Local authorities can also serve a remedial notice, and if you don't comply they can arrange the work themselves and recover the cost from you. Because the penalty is per offence, a portfolio with several non-compliant properties multiplies quickly.
Does a C3 mean I've failed?
No. This is a common and expensive misunderstanding — landlords are sometimes quoted for remedial work to clear C3 items in the belief the certificate is invalid without it. A report with only C3 observations is satisfactory. C3 work is discretionary: sensible to consider, not legally required.
Does an EICR cover appliances?
No. An EICR covers the fixed electrical installation — wiring, sockets, consumer unit, fixed equipment. Portable appliances you supply are a separate matter, usually handled by PAT testing, which is not itself a statutory requirement but is a sensible way of discharging your general safety duty.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information for UK landlords, not legal or financial advice. Law and practice change — always confirm the current position, and take advice on anything that matters.