Whitstable Landlord EICR Specialists

If you let property in Whitstable, the 2020 PRS regulations apply to you — five-yearly EICR, fresh inspection at the start of any new tenancy, copy to existing tenants within 28 days, and a copy to Canterbury City Council within seven days of any request. CJA Electrical works with private landlords and letting agents across Canterbury on landlord EICRs and the remedial work that sometimes follows.

What an EICR involves for Landlord

A landlord EICR is the formal evidence that the fixed wiring in your rented Whitstable property meets BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 — the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, Amendment 2. The inspection is part visual and part instrumented. We open up the consumer unit, examine accessories on every floor, walk the supply route, and check earthing and bonding. Then we test every circuit — dead testing for continuity, insulation resistance, and polarity, then live testing for earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. The output is a written report with observation codes against any findings: C1 for danger present, C2 for potentially dangerous, C3 for improvement recommended, and FI where further investigation is needed. A satisfactory report has no C1, C2, or FI observations.

When you need this in Whitstable

The 2020 regulations are the headline trigger but not the only one. Most Whitstable landlords we work with book an EICR for one of these reasons: - The previous certificate is approaching its five-year expiry - A new tenant is moving in and you need a current report before they take occupation - The property has changed hands and the previous owner’s certificate hasn’t transferred cleanly - Canterbury City Council has written asking for a copy and you don’t have one on file - A tenant has reported flickering lights, repeated tripping, or a warm socket - You’re moving from a rolling AST to a new fixed-term tenancy and want a clean compliance footprint

What the report contains

A complete landlord EICR has more than one page. The full deliverable is the EICR form itself with the inspection date, the inspector’s qualifications, the property address, observation codes against any findings, and the overall pass-or-fail outcome. Alongside that sits the schedule of inspection (what was checked, what could not be) and the schedule of test results (per-circuit numbers for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD operating times). Where the report comes back unsatisfactory, the 2020 regulations require the remedial work to be completed within 28 days — sooner if the inspector specifies. Once it’s done, a re-test confirms the affected circuits are satisfactory and a fresh report is issued.

Why book CJA Electrical for your Whitstable EICR

The pitch is straightforward: ten years on Canterbury domestic property, City & Guilds 2391 qualified inspector for the testing, and a written report in the standard EICR format. Same-week appointments are typical for Whitstable, the PDF comes back within 48 hours of the visit, and remedial work is quoted separately so you can decide whether to instruct. Fully insured (£1m public and product liability), and the report is one Canterbury City Council won’t push back on.

How the inspection runs

Booking flow: Phone call or WhatsApp triage — what kind of property, how many circuits, who has the keys. Quote out the same day. Confirmed appointment with the tenant or agent. Visit on the day. Report in the inbox within 48 hours. Remedials, if any are needed, quoted clearly with the option to decline. From first call to certificate in your inbox is typically four working days. Tighter is possible when the void week or the council deadline demands it.

What affects the price

Pricing is per property. The variables that move the number: how many circuits, consumer unit age and type, how easy the consumer unit and meter are to access, and the overall age of the wiring. Larger Whitstable properties or those with multiple consumer units take longer; smaller flats are quicker. Get in touch with the property details and the quote comes back the same day.

FAQs

Can Canterbury City Council fine me for not having an EICR?

Yes. Under the 2020 regulations, Canterbury City Council can issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 per breach for non-compliance, and serve a remedial notice forcing you to bring the installation up to standard within a defined period. The council can also request a copy of the certificate and must receive it within seven days of the request.

What does a C2 code mean and do I have to fix it?

C2 means potentially dangerous. The defect isn’t an immediate threat but it’s unsafe over the medium term — for example, a loose connection that could overheat, or earthing that doesn’t meet current standards. A C2 makes the report unsatisfactory, and the regulations require remedial work within 28 days of the inspection. Once it’s done, a re-test confirms the fix.

Do I need a new EICR between tenancies if the last one is in date?

You need to provide the new tenant with a copy of the current satisfactory report before they move in. You don’t need a fresh inspection if the existing certificate is still in its five-year window and the property hasn’t been altered since. If there’s been remedial work, a new circuit added, or a consumer unit swap, a fresh report is the safer answer.

How quickly do my Whitstable tenants need a copy of the report?

Existing tenants receive a copy within 28 days of the inspection. New tenants receive the report before they take occupation of the property. We can email the PDF direct to your tenant or to your letting agent for onward distribution.

Will the EICR cause much disruption for my tenant?

Less than people often expect. Most three-bed homes are tested in a morning or an afternoon. Power is off only briefly on each circuit in turn rather than for the whole visit, so a tenant working from home can usually carry on with most of their day. We confirm a slot in advance and give the tenant a clear picture of what to expect.

What happens if my Whitstable rental fails the EICR?

A failed EICR isn’t a disaster — it just means there’s at least one C1, C2, or FI observation. The report lists each item with its code. CJA Electrical can quote separately for the remedial work, and once it’s done a re-test confirms the installation is satisfactory and a fresh report is issued. The regulations require this within 28 days of the inspection.