EICR Requirements for New Tenancies
Ashley*, a local estate agent, contacted our advice service seeking clarity on electrical safety compliance. Specifically, he wanted to know whether a new Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) must be legally commissioned whenever a new tenancy agreement begins.
There is frequent confusion among landlords and letting agents regarding whether the arrival of a new tenant resets the timeline for mandatory electrical safety checks, potentially leading to unnecessary expenses.
Our advice
Our adviser clarified the regulations surrounding EICRs to Ashley, highlighting the following key rules:
- An EICR is valid for five years. An electrician can complete this report.
- This includes instances where a new tenancy starts within those five years. The previous EICR would still be valid until the five years have elapsed.
- It would not be necessary to get a new EICR until the five years have elapsed, regardless of whether a new tenancy has started in the same property
- If a new electrical fault develops within the first five years, the landlord would then need to ask an electrician to bring the property back to the required standards. Any report on the works carried out would then be attached to the existing EICR.
- The Department for Communities has produced guidance notes on what is required: The Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 | Department for Communities
- NI Direct has information on how to find a qualified electrician to carry out the EICR or any further required work: Finding an electrician | nidirect
*Name has been changed to protect privacy