Landlord EICR in Higham

For Gravesham landlords, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 made the 5-yearly EICR legally non-negotiable. Every privately rented home in England needs a satisfactory report at least every five years, plus a fresh one at the start of any new tenancy. CJA Electrical does the inspection, the report, and (separately) any remedial work to clear an unsatisfactory report.

What Landlord EICR actually is

For rental property, the EICR is both a safety inspection and a compliance document. The safety side is what gets tested — the same inspection-and-test process as any EICR. The compliance side is what landlords actually need: documentary evidence, in a format Gravesham Borough Council accepts, that the installation meets BS 7671 at the date of inspection. The 2020 PRS regulations require a satisfactory report (no C1 or C2 observations) every five years and at the start of each new tenancy. Reports referencing C3 observations alone still pass. Unsatisfactory reports (C1 or C2 present) trigger a 28-day deadline for remedial work to be completed and a fresh certificate to be issued.

When you need Landlord EICR in Higham

Two specific triggers apply to landlord EICRs: every five years on a rolling cycle, and at the start of any new tenancy. For most Higham private rented property, that means the 5-year cycle is the main scheduling driver, with new-tenancy testing slotting in when properties change tenants between cycles. Beyond the regulatory triggers, common voluntary triggers we see in Gravesham: a portfolio acquisition (new landlord taking over property where the existing certificate is questionable), a major refurbishment (recircuiting, consumer unit replacement), insurance renewal where the underwriter has asked for a current certificate, and council action where a tenant complaint has triggered an enforcement visit.

Standards and what compliance looks like

Two regulatory references apply: BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the technical standard the inspection works to) and the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (the law requiring the inspection in the first place). BS 7671 sets out what gets tested, what passes, what fails, and how observations are coded. The 2020 PRS regulations set the cycle, the documentation requirements, and the consequences for non-compliance. Reports formatted to BS 7671 Appendix 6 are accepted by Gravesham Borough Council and across the private rented sector industry.

Testing schedule and remedials

The testing process on a landlord EICR is the same as any other — visual inspection first, then dead testing (continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, ring final continuity), then live testing (earth fault loop, RCD operation). What’s different on rental property is just the access logistics: we coordinate with the agent or tenant to schedule a single visit when they can be in, work around the brief power-downs during dead testing, and leave the property exactly as we found it. Most Higham rental property comes in as a half-day visit for a typical three-bed home, with the report supplied as a PDF inside 48 hours of testing completing. For larger HMOs or multi-occupancy conversions, the on-site time can extend to a full day.

Why Higham property owners book CJA Electrical

CJA Electrical works with private landlords and letting agents across Gravesham. Higham sits within the 15 -minute working radius of our Rochester base, so scheduling around tenant availability is straightforward and re-tests after remedial work happen quickly. What landlords and agents tell us matters: same-week appointments, certificates inside 48 hours, reports formatted to satisfy Gravesham Borough Council requests, and remedial work quoted clearly so the budget decision is straightforward. Same person on site, same person signing the certificate, no subcontracting.

How the work runs

Booking, inspection, certificate, remedials. Booking is a quick call or message to the office, normally with the agent or landlord providing the property and tenant contact details. Standard properties are quoted on the call as a fixed price; unusual ones get a brief site visit before the quote firms up. Inspection is normally inside the working week. Half a day on site for most domestic property. Tenants don’t need to stay in for the whole visit — just to provide access at the start. Certificate goes out as a PDF inside 48 hours, formatted to BS 7671 Appendix 6. Agents typically distribute to the landlord and tenant from there; we can also supply directly to either party as needed.

What affects the price

Pricing is transparent. A fixed price for the inspection, testing, and report, set on a brief scoping call with the agent or landlord. Separate quoting for any remedial work based on the report observations. Larger HMOs, multi-occupancy conversions, or properties with multiple consumer units get a capped quote after a quick site visit. The cap means certainty on the maximum cost going in. Re-tests after remedials are included in the original inspection price for the affected circuits.

FAQs

Will the inspection disrupt my tenant?

Minimally. The on-site time is half a day for a typical three-bed home. Brief power-downs during dead testing are a few minutes per circuit. The tenant doesn’t need to stay in for the whole visit — just to provide access at the start. We work quietly and leave the property exactly as we found it.

How fast can I get a certificate if I need one urgently?

Same-week is standard. If a tenant move-in or insurance renewal deadline is tight, we can usually fit an inspection in within 24-48 hours of booking. Reports are turned around same-evening or next-morning where the deadline calls for it — just let us know up front.

Do I need a separate certificate for each property in my portfolio?

Yes. Each rental property needs its own EICR — addresses, circuit details, and observations are property-specific. For portfolio landlords with several properties due at the same time, we can schedule the visits efficiently and bulk-deliver the certificates so the agent has the full portfolio in hand at once.

What about EICRs for HMOs?

HMO landlord EICRs follow the same 5-yearly cycle as ordinary rented homes, but typically also align with the HMO licence cycle issued by Gravesham Borough Council. HMOs often have shared common-parts circuits (corridor lighting, fire alarm interface, escape route lighting) that get tested separately. We work to whatever the council specifically requires for the licence renewal.

Do I have to do an EICR every 5 years on a rental?

Yes. Since June 2020, every privately rented home in England must have a satisfactory EICR every 5 years and at the start of each new tenancy. The certificate must be supplied to tenants within 28 days of the inspection and to Gravesham Borough Council on request within 7 days.

What happens if I don’t have a current EICR?

Gravesham Borough Council can serve a remedial notice requiring you to bring the installation into compliance within a fixed timescale, and can issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 for non-compliance. Insurers may also refuse to honour claims related to electrical incidents on properties without current certification.

How is tenant access arranged?

Either through your letting agent or directly with the tenant — whichever is easier for you. We coordinate the visit a few days in advance, confirm the appointment with the tenant, and work around their schedule for the testing visit itself. Most testing visits take a single morning or afternoon.