Southwark · England
EICR (Electrical Safety Report) in Southwark
From enquiry to certificate: EICR (Electrical Safety Report) for landlords in Southwark, handled by professionals holding the registration the law requires, with pricing confirmed before you commit.
Straight answer
Every 5 years at most, rental property in England, Scotland and Wales needs its fixed electrical installation inspected, tested and signed off as satisfactory — the EICR. It covers the wiring itself, not plug-in appliances, and for a landlord in Southwark it is the first document agents, insurers and councils ask for on electrical safety.
Booking
What happens when you enquire
We're building coverage in Southwark through our national onboarding programme, and we won't pretend otherwise with a fake availability calendar. Send the property details and we'll confirm by email whether we can cover the job, and the price, before anything is committed.
Paperwork
Copies, deadlines and remedial evidence
Diarise two dates from every report: the next-inspection date the electrician writes in, and — if the result was unsatisfactory — the 28-day remedial deadline that applies in England. The report plus the electrician's written confirmation of completed remedials together form your evidence; one without the other leaves a gap.
Credentials
Who you're letting in
The report is only as good as the person signing it. We book qualified electricians working to BS 7671 — typically registered with a recognised scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT — with test instruments in calibration and insurance in place. Ask any inspector for their qualifications and scheme card; competent ones expect the question.
The inspection
What the electrician actually tests
Testing runs circuit by circuit. The electrician opens the consumer unit, checks protective devices, earthing and bonding, then dead-tests each circuit — continuity, insulation resistance — before live tests such as earth fault loop impedance and RCD tripping times. Power goes off in stages while this happens. Observations are graded C1, C2, C3 or FI, and those grades, not opinion, decide whether the report is satisfactory.
Pricing
What an EICR costs
EICR pricing tracks the size and age of the installation: more circuits mean more testing time, and older consumer units or piecemeal past alterations slow things down. Remedial work, if needed, is always a separate, itemised cost — never assume it's included. The range shown is national guidance; your confirmed price comes before booking.
The local picture
Letting in Southwark: the practical points
For a landlord in Southwark, the practical rhythm is: report on file, next-due date diarised, remedials (if any) evidenced in writing. Keep it where you can produce it fast — for your agent, your insurer, or London Borough of Southwark — because England's 7-day council deadline leaves no time to hunt through old email.
The law
Your legal duty, in plain English
In England the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 require a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years, with local authorities like London Borough of Southwark able to fine up to £30,000 per breach. Scotland folds the same 5-year cycle into the Repairing Standard; Wales requires it under the Renting Homes framework. Northern Ireland currently imposes no equivalent general duty on private lets.
Private landlords must have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified and competent person, give the report to tenants within 28 days (and to new tenants before they occupy), supply it to the council within 7 days if asked, and complete any remedial work within 28 days.
Private landlords must have an electrical safety inspection at least every 5 years, covering the installation and appliances the landlord provides.
Landlords must obtain an electrical condition report at least every 5 years and give contract-holders a copy.
There is no blanket 5-yearly EICR duty for private tenancies in Northern Ireland at present, though periodic inspection remains strongly recommended and may be required for HMOs.
Penalties stated are statutory maximums or court-set; London Borough of Southwark is the local housing authority for Southwark.
FAQ
Common questions about the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
Are EICR rules stricter for HMOs?
The 5-year cycle applies to HMOs in England the same as other lets, and mandatory HMO licence conditions require electrical safety. London Borough of Southwark may attach additional testing or evidence conditions to an HMO licence, so read your licence schedule carefully.
Do tenants get a copy of the EICR?
In England, yes: existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, new tenants before occupation, and prospective tenants within 28 days of a request. London Borough of Southwark can also demand a copy, which must be supplied within 7 days.
Does an EICR cover portable appliances too?
No. The EICR covers the fixed installation only. Appliances you supply with the tenancy — kettles, washing machines, lamps — are checked separately, usually through PAT testing, which is good practice rather than a blanket legal requirement in England and Wales.
Is an EICR legally required for rentals in Southwark?
In England, yes: private landlords must have a satisfactory EICR renewed at least every 5 years. Scotland requires an EICR as part of the Repairing Standard. In Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2022 regime requires electrical safety testing at least every 5 years. Northern Ireland currently has no equivalent general duty for private tenancies, though safety obligations still apply.
Who can carry out an EICR in Southwark?
A qualified and competent person — in practice an electrician who tests against BS 7671, typically registered with a scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT. Landlords should ask for evidence of qualifications, scheme membership and insurance before booking.
What is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a formal inspection of a property's fixed wiring — consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches and light fittings — against the national wiring standard BS 7671. It records the installation's condition and classifies any defects.
Nearby
Letting elsewhere close by? See: Lambeth · Lewisham · Tower Hamlets · Westminster · all of London
Sort your EICR (Electrical Safety Report) without the phone-tag: tell us about the property and we'll take it from there. Request pricing for Southwark
Sorting your EICR (Electrical Safety Report) in Southwark?
Tell us the property and we'll confirm coverage and price by email before anything is committed.