EICR Cost 2026: Prices by Property Size and Region
An Electrical Installation Condition Report costs £120 to £260 for most flats and houses in 2026, rising to £280 to £420 for a five-bedroom house or HMO and 25 to 35 percent more in London. Every private rental in England needs a satisfactory report less than five years old, faults must be fixed within 28 days, and the penalty for not having one is up to £30,000. Reports done in the 2020 to 2021 rush are now expiring, which is why prices firmed up this year. This guide gives the price by property and region, what the codes on the report mean, what the fixes cost, and how to pay less.
In this guide
EICR prices by property size Prices by region What the electrician actually does C1, C2, C3 and FI: what the codes mean What remedial work costs The rules: five years, 28 days, £30,000 How to pay less Who can do an EICR Frequently asked questionsEICR prices by property size
Electricians price an EICR by the number of circuits and consumer units, which tracks the size of the property. A one-bedroom flat with a single six-way board takes about two hours; a four-bedroom house with two boards, an outbuilding and an electric shower takes half a day. These are the ranges we collected in September 2026 for the Midlands, the North and the South West, which sit at the national base price. Use the certificate cost calculator to adjust for your region and to add the gas check and EPC.
| Property | Typical circuits | Time on site | EICR price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | 4 to 6 | 1.5 to 2 hours | £120 to £170 |
| 2-bed flat | 6 to 8 | 2 hours | £140 to £200 |
| 2-bed house | 6 to 8 | 2 to 2.5 hours | £150 to £220 |
| 3-bed house | 8 to 10 | 2.5 to 3 hours | £180 to £260 |
| 4-bed house | 10 to 14 | 3 to 4 hours | £220 to £320 |
| 5-bed house or small HMO | 12 to 18 | 4 to 5 hours | £280 to £400 |
| Large HMO, 7 or more people | 16 or more, often two boards | Half a day or more | £350 to £500 |
Prices include VAT and the written report. Minor repairs during the visit (a loose socket, a missing blank) are often included; anything coded C1 or C2 is quoted separately.
The spread within each row is mostly the electrician's overhead. A sole trader working from a van and booking direct will be at the bottom of the range; a national certificate company with a call centre, or an agent's contractor with a mark-up, at the top. The report is the same document either way, provided the person is competent (see who can do an EICR).
Prices by region
| Region | Against the base price | 3-bed house |
|---|---|---|
| London | +25 to +35 percent | £230 to £340 |
| South East and East of England | +10 to +15 percent | £200 to £290 |
| Midlands, North West, Yorkshire, South West | Base | £180 to £260 |
| North East | -5 to 0 percent | £170 to £250 |
| Wales | Base | £180 to £260 |
Scotland requires an EICR every five years under the Repairing Standard rather than the 2020 English regulations, and its prices sit close to the North of England. The English rules in this guide do not apply there, but the report itself is identical.
What the electrician actually does
An EICR is an inspection and test of the fixed wiring: the consumer unit, the cables in the walls, the sockets, switches, light fittings and any fixed appliances such as a shower or cooker point. It does not cover plug-in appliances (that is PAT testing) and it does not cover the gas boiler, though the electrical supply to it is included. The electrician visually inspects a sample of accessories, tests earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity and earth fault loop impedance on each circuit, and checks that RCD protection trips within the required time. Power is off for part of the visit, so the tenant needs notice.
The report lists every observation with a code and states whether the installation is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Satisfactory means you are compliant for five years or until the electrician's recommended date, whichever is sooner. Unsatisfactory starts a 28-day clock.
C1, C2, C3 and FI: what the codes mean
| Code | Meaning | Result | Common examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present | Unsatisfactory; the electrician will make it safe on the spot | Exposed live conductors, a broken socket with live parts accessible |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Unsatisfactory; fix within 28 days | No RCD protection on sockets or bathroom circuits, missing earth bonding to gas and water pipes, damaged cables |
| FI | Further investigation required | Unsatisfactory until investigated | Unidentified circuits, readings that could not be obtained |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | Satisfactory; no action required | Older plastic consumer unit, no RCD on lighting circuits, missing circuit labels |
Most arguments about EICRs are about C2 versus C3. The current guidance (Electrical Safety First's Best Practice Guide 4) gives the electrician some discretion, and a stricter one can turn a £200 report into a £1,000 job. A plastic consumer unit is C3 on its own. Missing RCD protection on sockets that could supply outdoor equipment is usually C2. If you think a code is wrong, ask for the reasoning in writing and, if necessary, get a second opinion from another registered electrician; the regulations require a report from a qualified person, not a specific one.
What remedial work costs
About a third of rented homes fail their first EICR, mostly on RCD protection and bonding in properties wired before 2008. The fixes are cheaper than landlords fear.
| Remedial job | Typical cost | Usual code |
|---|---|---|
| Main earth bonding to gas and water | £80 to £150 | C2 |
| Add an RCD or RCBO to one circuit | £120 to £200 | C2 |
| Replace a damaged socket or switch | £40 to £80 each | C1 or C2 |
| Replace the consumer unit with a metal RCBO board | £400 to £800 | C2 (if no RCDs), C3 otherwise |
| Rewire a kitchen circuit | £300 to £600 | C2 |
| Full rewire, 3-bed house | £3,500 to £6,000 | Multiple C2 |
| Re-test and updated report after the work | £0 to £80 |
Costs include VAT, September 2026. A full rewire is rare from an EICR alone; it usually follows rubber or lead-sheathed cable found in pre-1960s houses.
The regulations require you to obtain written confirmation from a qualified person that the work is done, and to give it to the tenant and, if asked, the council within 28 days. Many electricians simply issue a fresh satisfactory EICR after the work, which resets the five years.
The rules: five years, 28 days, £30,000
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply to every private tenancy in England since 1 April 2021 (new tenancies from 1 June 2020). In summary:
- Have the installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified and competent person, and obtain a report.
- Give a copy to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, to new tenants before they move in, to prospective tenants within 28 days of a request, and to the council within 7 days of a request.
- If the report says unsatisfactory, complete the remedial work within 28 days (or the shorter period the report specifies) and get written confirmation.
- Keep the report until the next one and give it to the next inspector.
Councils can serve a remedial notice, do the work and recover the cost, and impose a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per breach. Under the Renters' Rights Act the same certificates will be uploaded to the landlord database from 15 December 2026, so a missing EICR will be visible before a property can be marketed. Put the expiry date in the compliance calendar and book the new one two months early.
How to pay less
- Bundle it. Booking the EICR with the gas safety check and EPC through one provider saves 10 to 15 percent and one tenant visit.
- Book direct. An agent's contractor often carries a 15 to 25 percent mark-up. Find a registered electrician yourself and give the agent the certificate.
- Portfolio rates. Two or more properties in the same town booked together get 5 to 10 percent off; ten get 15 to 20.
- Avoid the rush. Reports issued in the 2020 to 2021 compliance wave expire in 2025 to 2026, and late autumn is the busy season. Book in a quiet month.
- Fix the obvious first. Missing bonding and a plastic board without RCDs are the two most common C2s. If you know the property has them, ask for a price for the report and the fix together rather than paying for a fail and a re-test.
- Do not skimp on the report itself. A £70 EICR done in forty minutes is a sample of a sample. If it misses something that later hurts a tenant, the report will not protect you.
Who can do an EICR
The regulations say a qualified and competent person. In practice that means an electrician registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA, or one who can show the qualifications in the government guidance (an inspection and testing qualification such as City and Guilds 2391 or 2394/2395, and the current wiring regulations, BS 7671 18th edition). Check the registration on the scheme's website before booking; the Electrical Competent Person register searches all the schemes at once. The quote form on the calculator only goes to registered electricians.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an EICR cost in 2026?
£120 to £170 for a one-bedroom flat, £180 to £260 for a three-bedroom house and £280 to £400 for a five-bedroom house or small HMO outside London. Add 25 to 35 percent in London and 10 to 15 percent in the South East. Remedial work is extra.
How often does a landlord need an EICR?
At least every five years, and a satisfactory report must be in place before each new tenancy. The electrician can set a shorter interval on the report for older installations.
What happens if the EICR is unsatisfactory?
You must have the C1, C2 and FI items fixed within 28 days, get written confirmation from a qualified person, and give it to the tenant within 28 days and the council within 7 days if asked. Common fixes cost £80 to £800; a consumer unit change is the usual big one.
Is a C3 code a fail?
No. C3 means improvement recommended and the report is still satisfactory. You do not have to act on C3 items, though a plastic consumer unit or missing RCDs on lighting are worth budgeting for before the next report.
What is the fine for no EICR?
A civil penalty of up to £30,000 per breach from the council, which can also arrange the work and recover the cost. The Renters' Rights Act adds rent repayment orders, and from 15 December 2026 the database records the certificate.
Does an EICR cover the boiler or appliances?
No. The boiler needs a gas safety check by a Gas Safe engineer every year, and appliances you supply (fridge, washing machine, kettle) fall under PAT testing, which is good practice rather than a legal requirement for most lets but is usually a licence condition for HMOs.
Sources
GOV.UK guidance on the 2020 regulations; the regulations on legislation.gov.uk; Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide 4 on classification codes; price lists and quotes from registered electricians and national certificate providers, September 2026. See the methodology.