If you let out a property in Birmingham, a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. Here is what the rules ask of you, how often the report needs renewing, and what to expect on the day, whether you own a single terrace in Selly Oak or a handful of flats in Erdington.
Private landlords must have the fixed wiring in each rented home inspected and tested by a qualified person, and must hold a report showing the result. This has applied to all private tenancies since April 2021, covering houses, flats and HMOs alike.
The EICR covers the fixed installation: the consumer unit (fuse board), wiring, sockets, light fittings, earthing and bonding. It does not cover appliances you supply, such as a fridge or kettle. Those are a separate matter, usually dealt with by portable appliance testing.
Birmingham adds a local layer. The council runs selective licensing in 25 wards and additional licensing for smaller HMOs across the city. Expect to be asked for a current, satisfactory report when you apply for a licence, and to keep one in place for as long as you hold it.
The legal maximum is five years between inspections. However, the inspector can set a shorter interval if the condition of the installation justifies it. Older properties with dated wiring, common in Victorian and inter-war housing across areas like Handsworth, Moseley and Kings Heath, are sometimes given three years or less.
The date that matters is the 'next inspection due' date written on your report, not simply five years from when you bought the property. A change of tenant does not by itself trigger a new inspection, provided the existing report is still in date, although a quick visual check between tenancies is sensible.
Every issue found is given a code. C1 means danger is present and needs immediate action. C2 means potentially dangerous. FI means further investigation is needed. Any one of these makes the report unsatisfactory. C3 is an improvement recommendation only and does not fail the report.
If the report is unsatisfactory, you have 28 days to get the remedial work or investigation done, or less if the inspector specifies a shorter period. You then need written confirmation from the electrician that the work is complete, and you must send that to your tenant and to the council within 28 days of the work being finished.
Common failures we see in Birmingham rentals include old fuse boards with no RCD protection, missing or undersized earth bonding to gas and water pipes, damaged sockets, and DIY alterations by previous owners. Many are fixed in a single visit. A full rewire is rarely the outcome.
For a typical one or two bedroom flat, expect to pay somewhere around £120 to £180. A three bedroom house is usually in the region of £150 to £250, and larger homes and HMOs cost more. The price depends on the number of circuits, the age and accessibility of the wiring, and whether the consumer unit is clearly labelled.
Allow two to four hours for most homes. The power will be off for much of that time, so give your tenants at least 24 hours' written notice and warn them to shut down computers. Be cautious of very cheap quotes: a proper inspection involves testing every circuit, and a report produced in 30 minutes is unlikely to stand up to scrutiny.
Remedial work is priced separately, so ask for an itemised quote against each coded fault before agreeing to anything.
The council can issue a financial penalty running into tens of thousands of pounds for a breach, and can arrange the remedial work itself and recover the cost from you. In a licensed area, a missing report can also put your licence at risk.
There is a practical side too. Without a valid report your landlord insurance may be harder to rely on after an electrical fire, and you have little evidence that you took reasonable care of your tenants' safety.
No. As long as the existing report is satisfactory and still within its 'next inspection due' date, you simply give the new tenant a copy before they move in.
A new or fully rewired property will have an Electrical Installation Certificate, which can be used in place of an EICR for the first five years. After that, a full inspection is needed.
It must be someone competent in inspection and testing, with the right qualifications and insurance. Ask to see evidence of their inspection and testing qualification and their registration with a recognised scheme before booking.