EICR for Landlords: The 5-Year Rule, C1, C2, C3 and FI Explained
Published: 11 October 2026 · Position as at 9 October 2026 · Reading time: 10 minutes
An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. Each part of the UK requires periodic electrical inspections of the rented homes within its scope, at intervals of no more than five years. But the law behind it, the deadlines for giving copies to tenants and what follows if you get it wrong differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
One of the codes on the report also changes meaning from 15 October 2026. This guide explains the shared rule, the differences by nation, what the codes mean and where the position is still moving.
It is general information, not legal advice. Each nation has exclusions that we do not cover. Check the official sources at the end for each property you let.
The shared rule
In every nation, a competent person must inspect and test the electrical installation and record the result. The interval is no more than five years. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the report can set an earlier date, and that date counts. In Scotland the Act says there must be no more than five years between inspections.
The details below are selected points, not each nation's whole rule.
| Nation | Legal route | Copy to tenant | If it goes wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 | Existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection; new tenant before they move in | Council financial penalty, up to £40,000 |
| Wales | Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022, reg 6 | Within 14 days of the occupation date, or of a later inspection | Dwelling treated as unfit for human habitation while the requirement is unmet |
| Scotland | Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, ss 19A and 19B (Repairing Standard) | Most recent record before the tenancy starts, and any later one. The Act sets no number of days | Tribunal enforcement of the Repairing Standard. After a tribunal order, failing to carry out the repairs without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence |
| Northern Ireland | Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 | Existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection; new tenant before they move in | An offence; fine up to level 5 on the standard scale |
England
The Regulations apply to "specified tenancies" in England. In summary, that is a tenancy where the tenant occupies as their only or main residence and pays rent. Some are excluded under Schedule 1. A landlord must have the installation inspected and tested before the tenancy starts and at regular intervals. The government's guidance says a new inspection is not needed if one was done less than five years ago and the report requires no further work.
Copies go to existing tenants within 28 days, to the council within 7 days of a written request, and to new tenants before they move in. Landlords keep a copy until the later of the next due date and the next inspection.
If the report indicates a breach, or a potential breach, of the duty to meet the electrical safety standards and requires further investigative or remedial work, a qualified person must do it within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so. Written confirmation then goes to tenants and the council within 28 days of completion. A council can impose a financial penalty if it is satisfied, beyond reasonable doubt, of a breach. The maximum is £40,000. That is a ceiling, not a typical figure.
Wales
The landlord must ensure there is a valid electrical condition report for the dwelling during each period of occupation. It is valid for five years from the inspection date, or until the earlier date the report gives. A copy goes to the contract-holder within 14 days of the occupation date, or of a later inspection. Written confirmation of investigatory or remedial work goes to them within 14 days of the landlord receiving it. Regulation 6 sets no period for the work itself. We did not research other Welsh law on that.
Scotland
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 requires an inspection before the tenancy starts, no more than five years before, and then no more than five years apart. The tenant must receive a copy of the most recent record before the tenancy starts, and of any later one. The inspection must be done by a competent person. The landlord keeps a copy of the record for six years.
The Scottish Government's statutory guidance covers the codes. It says a C1 or C2 "must be rectified" to comply with the Repairing Standard. For a C3, remedial action is "not necessarily required", though landlords should consider it. An FI "should be investigated as soon as practically possible". The guidance also covers testing of landlord-provided appliances, which this article does not.
Northern Ireland
The 2024 Regulations came into operation on 1 April 2025. For a tenancy granted on or after that date, the first inspection is due before the tenancy commences. For tenancies granted before then, it was due by 1 December 2025. The landlord gives the report to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, to the council within 7 days of a written request, and to new tenants before they move in. Required further investigative or remedial work must be done within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, with written confirmation to tenants and the council within 28 days of completion. The Regulations do not apply to social housing landlords, and the Department for Communities says HMOs remain under the HMO licensing scheme.
What the codes mean
The English, Welsh and Northern Irish Regulations do not use the codes C1, C2, C3 or FI. They come from the industry standard, BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations), which the Regulations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Scottish statutory guidance, refer to, and the report format that goes with it. Official guidance describes them:
| Code | Government guidance (England, Northern Ireland) | BS 7671 Amendment 4, as quoted by NICEIC |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | "Danger present. Risk of injury." | "danger present. Immediate remedial action is necessary" |
| C2 | "Potentially dangerous." | "potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action is necessary" |
| C3 | "Improvement recommended." | "improvement is recommended" |
| FI | "Further investigation required without delay." | "further investigation is advised" |
The English guidance says a C1 or C2 means remedial work is required and the report will state the installation is unsatisfactory for continued use. A C3 does not require work. The Northern Ireland department page says the same, and that where an FI is identified the landlord "must also ensure this is carried out".
What changes on 15 October 2026
The IET says the previous edition of BS 7671 remains valid until 15 October 2026. NICEIC says that from that date, EICRs must be carried out to Amendment 4 (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026).
Observations on the report are now split in two. C1 and C2 affect the overall outcome. C3 and FI do not. The IET says "a C3 or FI classification code does not result in an unsatisfactory outcome", and FI changes from "without delay" to "advised".
This is the standard inspectors follow. It is not legislation. We have not read the standard itself and rely on the IET and NICEIC. The sources we read do not say whether a report already issued under the earlier edition is affected. Ask the electrician who issued it.
Where the standard and the law do not yet line up
The official guidance we read in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and a 2025 Rent Smart Wales newsletter, still describe FI in the earlier terms. We saw no update for Amendment 4.
The legal hooks differ. In England and Northern Ireland, the duty to get further work done applies where two things are true. The report indicates a breach, or a potential breach, of the duty to meet the electrical safety standards, and the report requires further investigative or remedial work. The Welsh Regulations name BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 and we found no update. The Scottish guidance expects an FI to be investigated as soon as practically possible.
What an FI on an Amendment 4 report means for your duties in each nation is not settled in the sources we read. We cannot tell you how it applies. As operational advice, not a statement of what the law requires: raise any FI with your electrician and record what you decided and when. If you are unsure, take advice.
A draft amendment to the English Regulations would remove the words "further investigative" from the Regulations and refer to Amendment 4, from 30 November 2026 if approved. It has not been made. On 9 October 2026 legislation.gov.uk still labelled it a draft, and a House of Lords Grand Committee debate was listed for 13 October. Until it is made, it changes nothing.
Keep one record for each property
None of this is a legal requirement, but a record per property makes the duties above easier to meet. Keep together:
- the property's nation
- the report and its inspection date
- the next inspection date the report gives
- the codes recorded and which edition of BS 7671 the inspector used
- any remedial work, its date and the written confirmation
- when you sent copies, and to whom
Track the date in the report. Do not count five years forward from memory.
Where PropertyCertify fits
PropertyCertify helps centralise landlord compliance documentation. It can extract key information from uploaded compliance documents and classify them. It helps track compliance certificate expiry dates and helps identify missing or incomplete compliance records. It provides property-level and portfolio-level compliance visibility. PropertyCertify supports landlords with rental properties in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
For an uploaded EICR, it can extract the observation codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) and the BS 7671 edition recorded on it. Support for the Amendment 4 report format is coming soon. It records what the report states. It does not interpret the codes, replace a qualified electrician, give legal advice, or certify that you are compliant. It helps you organise and understand your own records.
If you would like to see how centralised tracking works, see how PropertyCertify helps landlords organise their compliance records.
Check the sources
England
- Electrical Safety Standards ... Regulations 2020, legislation.gov.uk
- Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance, MHCLG, published 1 November 2025
- Draft Amendment Regulations 2026, legislation.gov.uk, and its parliamentary progress, UK Parliament
Wales
- Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 6, legislation.gov.uk
Scotland
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, section 19A and section 19B, legislation.gov.uk
- Repairing Standard: statutory guidance for private landlords, Scottish Government, published 31 January 2024
Northern Ireland
- Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024, legislation.gov.uk
- Department for Communities guidance page
Standard and report codes
- Understanding BS 7671:2018 + Amendment 4:2026, NICEIC
- Updates to 18th Edition and Further investigation, Wiring Matters issue 110, IET
- Rent Smart Wales landlord update, Spring 2025, Rent Smart Wales
All sources were read on 9 October 2026. This article reflects the position on that date. Dates and requirements may change. If you are unsure how any of this applies to your property, take advice from a qualified professional.