The landlord's plain-English guide to EICRs
By the ProVolt team27 August 2026 6 min read
How often you need one, what the codes mean, and how to avoid surprise remedial bills.
Landlords in England need a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report at least every five years, and a copy must be given to tenants. Many lettings agents now ask for one at every change of tenancy.
Observations on the report are coded. C1 means danger present and is made safe on the spot. C2 means potentially dangerous and must be fixed. FI means further investigation is needed. C3 is a recommendation only.
An unsatisfactory report isn't a disaster — it simply means remedial work is needed, usually within 28 days. We always quote that work separately so you can compare, and we never pad reports with unnecessary codes.
To keep costs down, make sure we can reach the consumer unit, every room and the loft, and let tenants know we'll need to switch the power off for a short time.