Is your time running out to book Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs)? Demand is set to increase exponentially this year, and waiting until the last minute will prove to be a grave error for property managers, who face a contractor shortage amid the rise.
Why should EICRs be renewed?
EICRs are essential safety checks for electrical installations. It is against the law not to renew them.
For this process, the electrician performing the EICR examines each circuit and electrical installation in a property. Those considered a risk will be listed as observations and given an individual grade.
They are:
C1 – danger present. These immediately threaten life, which means they should either be rectified or cut the power. This could apply to exposed live wires, for example.
C2 – potentially dangerous. This has an allowance of 28 days to be rectified. For example, if an RCD doesn't trip in time.
C3 – improvement recommended. These problems could become larger issues by the next EICR report.
FI – further investigation is required without delay. For example, if the reading comes back as non-optimal, the contractor doesn't have time to investigate the cause thoroughly.
If any installation or installations within the property are given a C1, C2, or Code FI grade,
then the property as a whole will be given an unsatisfactory report. If the property is
deemed unsatisfactory, the landlord must complete remedial works
within 28 days.
If no observations or only C3 observations are made, the property will be given
a satisfactory report, and no further action is legally required.
Failure to complete renewal can result in legal penalties, including fines and potential prosecution, as having a valid EICR is a legal requirement for rental properties.
Why should EICRs be renewed as soon as possible?
The demand for EICRs is set to peak in 2026—at which point it will become incredibly difficult to obtain an electrician to carry out these works. This doesn't mean that those with a deadline in 2025 will get off lightly. Demand will ramp up throughout this year, too.
Past reforms for EICRs took effect in 2020, with a deadline for new tenancies to be completed that year and existing tenancies to have undertaken the work by 2021. This meant that all properties in the UK had to have a valid EICR by April 2021, which caused a scramble to get labour in the run-up to that. Property managers can expect to see a repeat of this incident in 2026 unless they get their EICR renewals booked now.
Failure to act now could lead to:
- Non-compliance: Missing the deadline for EICR renewals can result in legal repercussions and potential fines.
- Increased costs: As demand beats supply, the cost of securing an electrician is likely to increase.
- Safety risks: Delaying essential electrical safety checks puts tenants at risk and could lead to serious incidents.
Why is it becoming more challenging to book EICRs?
Anticipated rise in demand
The following graph illustrates the anticipated rise in demand for EICR services over four years. As renewal deadlines approach, demand is expected to peak in 2026.
The statistics
There are currently around 4.6 million residential rental properties in the UK. To complete all EICRs in one year, 12,602 must be completed daily. If this were to be stretched across two years, it would be 6,301 daily.
Experts in the industry predict there will be insufficient contractors to complete this, and properties will start falling into non-compliance.
Final thoughts
The clock is ticking for property managers to secure EICRs. The looming deadline in 2026, coupled with a predicted surge in demand and a potential shortage of qualified electricians, paints a challenging picture.
Don't wait until it's too late. Proactive planning and immediate action are crucial to ensure properties meet safety standards and avoid the impending rush.
Want more assistance? Fixflo's Contractor Marketplace works as a back-pocket tool to help with this.
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