Landlord electrical safety certificate cost in London 2026: what affects the price
What affects the cost of landlord certificates
| Certificate | Property | What changes the price | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EICR (landlord electrical safety certificate) | 1 to 3 bedroom, 10-way board | Number of circuits, age of the wiring, access | 5 years |
| EICR | 4 bedroom | More rooms to inspect, number of circuits | 5 years |
| EICR | Up to 6 bedrooms | Number of circuits, a second board, HMO layout | 5 years |
| EICR | Commercial or mixed use | Priced per circuit | 5 years, or as the report states |
| Fire alarm certificate, BS 5839-6:2019 | 1 to 4 bedroom house or flat | Number of storeys and alarms | Annual check recommended |
| Fire alarm certificate, BS 5839-6:2019 | HMO up to 6 bedrooms | HMO size and number of alarms | Annual |
| PAT testing | 1 to 3 bedroom property, all appliances tested and labelled | Number of appliances supplied | 12 to 24 months, risk based |
Book the EICR and the fire alarm certificate together and they are done in one visit. That saves a second trip, and the wiring is then covered for five years. Ask for a free quote and tell us the number of bedrooms, the number of ways on the consumer unit and whether the property is an HMO. That is enough for an exact price.
Which certificates a landlord actually needs
EICR, mandatory. Every private rented home in England, every five years, under the 2020 regulations. This is the "landlord electrical safety certificate" people search for.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, mandatory. At least one smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation and a CO alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, working at the start of every tenancy. A BS 5839-6 certificate proves the system is correctly designed and tested; for an HMO the council will expect it.
PAT testing, not mandatory but expected. There is no law that says "PAT every year", but a landlord must keep supplied appliances safe, and a PAT record is how you prove it. Most agents ask for one.
Gas safety (CP12) and EPC are separate legal duties and are not electrical, but they share the same calendar, so we list them in the calendar below.
The 2020 regulations in plain English
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply to every new tenancy from 1 July 2020 and every existing tenancy from 1 April 2021. A landlord must have the fixed installation inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every five years, obtain a report, and act on it. Lodger arrangements where the landlord lives in the property, social housing and long leases of 7 years or more are outside the rules. Everything else, including HMOs, is inside.
Deadlines and the 28-day rules
| Duty | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Give the report to existing tenants | Within 28 days of the inspection |
| Give the report to a new tenant | Before they occupy the property |
| Give the report to a prospective tenant who asks | Within 28 days of the request |
| Give the report to the local authority | Within 7 days of a written request |
| Complete C1, C2 and FI remedial work | Within 28 days, or sooner if the report says |
| Written confirmation of remedial work to tenants and council | Within 28 days of completing the work |
| Next inspection | Within 5 years, or the shorter interval on the report |
Fines and enforcement in London
A local authority can issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for each breach, and can arrange remedial work itself and recover the cost. London boroughs with licensing schemes ask for the EICR as part of every licence application and renewal, so a missing report surfaces quickly. It is also a standard document in deposit disputes and Section 21 challenges. Against that, an EICR every five years is the cheapest insurance a landlord buys.
What if the EICR is unsatisfactory
A single C1, C2 or FI observation makes the report unsatisfactory and starts the 28-day clock. Typical items in London are a missing RCD on socket circuits, usually fixed by adding RCBOs, a consumer unit with no RCD protection at all, which needs a new board, a cracked socket or switch, and missing earth bonding to gas or water. The cost depends on which items are found, how many there are and the materials needed. Energy North quotes every item on the report so you can approve the work from the PDF, and issues the confirmation of completion tenants and councils ask for.
A five-year compliance calendar
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Before every new tenancy | EICR in date, alarms tested, copies given to the tenant |
| Every 12 months | Gas safety CP12 (if gas), alarm check, PAT on supplied appliances |
| Every 5 years | New EICR, fire alarm certificate refreshed |
| Every 10 years | EPC renewal (and by 2028 a minimum rating of C is expected for new tenancies) |
| After any electrical work | Keep the certificate with the EICR file |
Letting agents and portfolios
If you manage several properties, the expensive part is not the certificates, it is the admin of chasing dates. Put every property on one calendar with the EICR expiry, book inspections in batches by area, and keep the PDFs in one folder that tenants and the council can be sent from in minutes. Energy North offers portfolio pricing on EICRs booked together across North, East and West London, and every certificate is emailed the same day.
When you compare quotes for a portfolio, check that each one is fixed per property, includes VAT and the certificate, comes with the full test schedule, and says how remedial work will be quoted. Then you are comparing like with like.
Where this guide applies
This guide is written for London. It covers the boroughs we work in most, Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden, Islington, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Redbridge, Westminster, Ealing, Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, and the rest of Greater London. Outside the M25 quotes are usually a little lower because labour and parking cost less.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a landlord electrical safety certificate in London?
It depends on the property: the number of bedrooms, the size of the consumer unit and the number of circuits, the age of the wiring and whether it is an HMO. Energy North gives a free quote on request. The certificate is the EICR and is valid for five years.
Is an EICR a legal requirement for landlords?
Yes. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, every private rented home in England needs a satisfactory EICR at least every five years.
What is the fine for not having an EICR?
The local authority can issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for each breach and can carry out the remedial work and recover the cost.
Do landlords need a PAT test?
It is not a specific legal requirement, but landlords must keep supplied appliances safe and a PAT record is the accepted way to prove it. Energy North does PAT testing and can quote it together with the EICR.
Do I need a fire alarm certificate as a landlord?
Smoke alarms on every storey and CO alarms in rooms with combustion appliances are mandatory. A BS 5839-6 certificate proves the installation is correct, and HMO licensing normally requires it. Energy North issues fire alarm certificates for houses, flats and HMOs and quotes on request.
What happens if my landlord EICR is unsatisfactory?
You have 28 days to complete the C1, C2 and FI items and confirm this in writing to tenants and the council. Most items are small repairs; a new consumer unit is the most common larger one.
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Related guides
- How much does an EICR cost in London?
- Consumer unit replacement cost in London
- How much does an electrician cost in London?
- Emergency electrician cost in London
Guide checked 21 October 2026. Energy North does not publish set prices because costs change. Ask for a free quote for your property; other electricians may quote differently. Nothing on this page changes the legal duties described, which come from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 and BS 7671.