How long does an EICR take: inspection time and certificate turnaround

A standard two or three-bedroom rental house or flat typically takes two to three hours. A one-bedroom flat with modern consumer unit and straightforward wiring can be completed in under two hours. A four or five-bedroom house with older wiring, a split consumer unit or multiple outbuildings will often take three to four hours.

The electrician must test every circuit individually. For a typical domestic installation that means lighting circuits, ring and radial power circuits, the cooker circuit, any immersion heater, and any circuits serving outbuildings or garages. Each circuit requires a dead test (isolating the circuit and checking resistance and insulation) and a live test (checking earth loop impedance, prospective fault current and RCD protection response times).

Expect the engineer to arrive with a calibrated test instrument, a torch, and a printed schedule of circuits they plan to test. They will need access to the consumer unit (fuse board), all socket outlets, ceiling roses and light switches. Clearing furniture away from sockets in advance saves time.

A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) with five or six bedrooms and shared facilities typically takes four to six hours because it has more circuits, more socket outlets, and often older or mixed-era wiring from successive conversions.

Period properties with original Bakelite fittings, round-pin sockets or rubber-insulated wiring require more careful testing and tend to generate more observations and code-C2 (potentially dangerous) items on the report. Budget an extra hour.

Some electricians split large HMO inspections across two visits to avoid fatigue affecting test accuracy. If your property has more than fifteen circuits, ask the contractor in advance whether they plan one visit or two.

Most qualified electricians issue the EICR report on the same day or within 24 hours using digital test software. The report is a standardised form listing every circuit tested, the test results, and any observations coded from C1 (danger present) to C3 (improvement recommended) plus FI (further investigation required).

Booking platforms such as Checkatrade or Bark typically show EICR providers who issue same-day digital certificates as standard. If an engineer takes more than three working days to send the report, follow up: delays often mean the report is still being typed up from handwritten notes, which is a sign of a less organised provider.

Keep the digital copy in a safe place. You must give a copy to your tenant within 28 days of the inspection and to your council or local authority within seven days if they request it. You must also give a copy to any prospective new tenant before they occupy the property.

If the report contains a C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) observation, the installation is classified as unsatisfactory. You must carry out and confirm completion of remedial work within 28 days of the inspection (or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period). A C3 observation is a recommendation; it does not make the report unsatisfactory and you are not legally required to act on it, although it is good practice.

The remedial work is typically carried out by the same electrician or another qualified contractor. Once complete, they issue a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or a further EICR confirming the fault has been cleared. You must send that confirmation certificate to your tenant within 28 days of the original EICR and to the council within seven days if requested.

Local councils can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for failing to carry out remedial work within the required period. If you receive an unsatisfactory report, start the remedial booking immediately rather than waiting for the 28-day deadline.

For private rented properties in England and Wales, an EICR is valid for a maximum of five years. The five-year clock runs from the date on the certificate, not from when you received it. If the report recommends a shorter period (for example, 'recommended interval: three years' due to older wiring), that shorter period is what you must comply with.

A new EICR is also required when there is a change of tenancy and the existing certificate is more than five years old, when significant work has been done to the electrical installation, or when the property has suffered flood or fire damage that may have affected the wiring.

The legislation in Northern Ireland and Scotland differs from England and Wales. Scotland requires an EICR before a new tenancy under the Repairing Standard (no five-year cap but must be current). Northern Ireland has its own inspection requirements under the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

Provide the electrician with any existing circuit charts or electrical drawings from previous inspections. Even an out-of-date chart speeds up the process because the engineer can see how many circuits to expect and can spot any undocumented additions.

Tell the tenant in advance that the engineer will need brief access to every room to check sockets and light fittings. They do not need to be present throughout, but someone should be available to open the property and point out the consumer unit location.

Ensure the consumer unit is accessible. If it is in a locked cupboard, have the key ready. If it is in a communal area of a block of flats, coordinate with the managing agent or freeholder before booking.

If you are booking close to an existing certificate's expiry, allow at least four weeks to complete the inspection and any remedial work before the deadline. Booking in the final week leaves no margin for a re-inspection.