Do Landlords Need an Electrical Certificate for a Garage?
If the garage or outbuilding forms part of a dwelling that you let to tenants under an assured or assured shorthold tenancy, the short answer is almost certainly yes — it needs to be covered by an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). But the detail matters, because the legal position depends on how the garage is used, how it's supplied with electricity, and whether it forms part of the let property. Get it wrong either way — assuming you need one when you don't, or assuming you don't when you do — and you're either wasting money or exposing yourself to enforcement action.
---
The Short Answer: It Depends on How the Garage Is Used
A standalone garage rented purely for vehicle storage, on a separate commercial licence, with no fixed electrical installation — no obligation under the residential landlord regulations. A garage that's part of a let house, has a lighting circuit and a couple of sockets, and tenants have access to it as part of their tenancy? That electrical installation needs to be inspected and certified just like the rest of the property. The same logic applies to outbuildings, workshops, garden rooms, and annexes.
---
What the Law Actually Says: The 2020 Electrical Safety Regulations Explained
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force for new tenancies from 1 July 2020 and covered all existing tenancies from 1 April 2021. They require landlords to ensure the electrical installation in their rented properties is inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, and that a satisfactory EICR is obtained and provided to tenants.
The key phrase in the regulations is "electrical installation in a property let under a specified tenancy." The regulations don't carve out garages or outbuildings by name. What matters is whether the electrical installation in question forms part of the property let under that tenancy. If it does, it's covered.
---
When a Garage or Outbuilding IS Covered by EICR Rules
An outbuilding falls under the 2020 Regulations — and therefore requires inclusion in a valid EICR — when:
- It forms part of the let property (i.e., the tenant has access to it under the tenancy agreement)
- It has a fixed electrical installation — circuits, sockets, lighting, consumer unit, or sub-circuit from the main dwelling
- It's a self-contained annexe used as living accommodation
- It's an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) and the garage or outbuilding is part of the licensed property
In practice, this covers the vast majority of rented houses with integral or attached garages, and most detached garages in rented residential gardens. If your property has a consumer unit in the garage, or a sub-circuit feeding the garage from the main board, an inspection that ignores that installation is incomplete — and potentially worthless.
---
When a Garage or Outbuilding Is NOT Legally Required to Have an EICR
A garage or outbuilding is outside the scope of the 2020 Regulations if:
- It has no fixed electrical installation whatsoever
- It's let separately from any residential dwelling, under a commercial or storage-only arrangement
- The tenancy itself is exempt from the regulations (certain long leases, for example)
If there's genuinely no electrical installation — no sockets, no lighting, no wiring at all — there's nothing to inspect. Keep a record of that fact. If the situation changes and someone fits wiring later, Part P Building Regulations may apply, and the installation needs to be notified and certified accordingly.
---
What Is an EICR and What Does It Check in an Outbuilding?
An EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report — is a formal inspection and test of a fixed electrical installation carried out against the requirements of BS 7671 18th Edition Wiring Regulations. For outbuildings, a competent electrician (registered with a scheme like NICEIC or NAPIT) will typically check:
- The condition and rating of any sub-circuit feeding the outbuilding from the main consumer unit
- Whether there's appropriate RCD protection on circuits serving the outbuilding (a requirement under current BS 7671 for most final circuits)
- The earthing arrangement — particularly important for detached structures where TT earthing is often used
- Cable condition, containment, and any visible deterioration
- Whether an SPD (surge protective device) is present or recommended
- Socket outlet condition and correct wiring polarity
- Any specific risks relating to use — damp, mechanical damage, proximity to water
The report will grade any deficiencies as C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous), or C3 (improvement recommended). C1 and C2 observations require remedial works before the installation can be considered satisfactory.
---
The Difference Between a Legal Requirement and Best Practice
The 2020 Regulations set a legal floor, not a ceiling. Even where an outbuilding isn't technically covered by the regulations — perhaps because it's a detached storage building with minimal wiring on a residential let — it's still good practice to have it inspected as part of a periodic inspection. If a tenant is injured due to a defective electrical installation in an outbuilding you own, "it wasn't required by the regulations" is not a defence against a civil claim or a breach of your general duty of care as a property owner.
---
Garages with EV Chargers: Additional Certification Considerations
EV charger installations in garages have their own certification requirements. Under Part P Building Regulations, a new EV charger installation in a domestic garage must be notified to the local authority unless it's carried out by a registered competent person scheme member (such as a NICEIC or NAPIT-registered electrician), who can self-certify.
Additionally, if you're a landlord fitting an EV charger or tenants are requesting one, it's worth knowing that the IET Code of Practice for EV Charging Equipment Installation gives detailed guidance on how these systems should be designed, protected, and documented. A garage EICR alone doesn't substitute for the specific EV charger installation certificate — these are separate documents.
It's also worth noting that if an EV charger has been retrofitted to a garage without proper certification, that will likely show up as a C2 or potentially a C1 on an EICR, depending on the deficiency.
---
What Happens If You Ignore Electrical Safety in an Outbuilding?
Local authorities in England have powers under the 2020 Regulations to take enforcement action against non-compliant landlords. That can include remedial notices, civil penalties of up to £30,000, and in serious cases, prohibition orders. The regulations also allow tenants to apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a rent repayment order in some circumstances.
Beyond regulatory penalties, the practical risk is straightforward: an uninspected electrical installation in a garage or outbuilding can develop faults over years — corroded connections, deteriorated cables, inadequate earthing — that increase the risk of fire or electric shock. Outbuildings are often damp, subject to temperature swings, and prone to occasional rodent damage to cables. They're not low-risk environments.
---
How Energy North Carries Out EICR Inspections for Landlords in the North East
At Energy North Ltd, we carry out landlord EICR inspections across County Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Teesside, and the wider North East. When we inspect a property with a garage or outbuilding, we treat it as part of the installation unless there's clearly no electrical supply to it — we don't issue a report that covers only part of what's been let to a tenant.
Our electricians are qualified to BS 7671 18th Edition and work to the IET guidance on periodic inspection and testing. We'll tell you clearly what's required by law, what's best practice, and what remedial works — if any — need to be done. We provide reports in a format you can pass directly to tenants and retain for your records.
Inspection fees vary depending on the size and complexity of the installation — a standard two-bedroom terrace with an attached single-skin garage will be a different job from a larger HMO with a detached workshop. We give straightforward quotes before we start, not after.
---
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a rented garage attached to a house need its own EICR, or is it covered by the main property certificate?
It depends on how the garage is wired. If the garage is supplied by a sub-circuit from the main consumer unit in the house, a single EICR covering the whole installation — house and garage — is the norm, and that's usually the correct approach. The inspection should explicitly cover the garage circuits. If the garage has its own consumer unit or distribution board (which is less common in domestic properties but does happen), your electrician may include that within the same EICR or note it as a separate intake point. What you want to avoid is an EICR that simply ignores the garage circuits — that's an incomplete inspection.
My tenant only uses the garage for storage and it has no electricity — do I still need a certificate?
No. If there's genuinely no fixed electrical installation in the garage — no sockets, no lighting, no wiring — there's nothing to certify. The 2020 Regulations apply to electrical installations. Make sure that situation is accurately noted if anyone queries your EICR, and be aware that if a future tenant or contractor adds wiring without proper certification under Part P, you could have a compliance issue on your hands.
I rent out a self-contained annexe above a garage in County Durham — is that treated the same as a flat for EICR purposes?
Yes, essentially. A self-contained annexe let on an assured or assured shorthold tenancy is a "specified tenancy" under the 2020 Regulations, and the electrical installation serving it must be inspected and a valid EICR held. This applies whether the annexe is above a garage, a converted outbuilding, or a purpose-built extension. If the annexe and the main dwelling are on separate tenancy agreements, each property should have its own EICR covering its own installation.
How often does a landlord need to renew an electrical certificate for an outbuilding in England?
The 2020 Regulations require an EICR at least every five years, or at the start of each new tenancy if sooner. That five-year cycle applies to the whole installation, including any outbuildings covered by it. Some installations — older wiring, known deficiencies — may be recommended for inspection at shorter intervals; the EICR itself will specify the next recommended inspection date.
Can the same electrician inspect the house and the outbuilding on one EICR, or do they need separate reports?
In most domestic landlord situations, a single EICR covering the whole installation — main dwelling and any associated outbuildings fed from the same consumer unit — is entirely appropriate and is the standard approach. Separate reports might be issued if there are genuinely separate electrical supplies or if the outbuilding is on a distinct commercial arrangement. For most landlords, a single report covering the full extent of what's been let is what you want.
---
If you're a landlord in the North East and you're unsure whether your garage or outbuilding is properly covered by your existing EICR — or if you need an inspection arranging from scratch — you can get in touch with the team at [Energy North Ltd](https://energynorth.uk). We'll give you a straight answer and a clear quote, no obligation.