Landlord EICR in Meopham

CJA Electrical does landlord EICR work across Meopham and the wider Gravesham area — private landlords with one or two rentals, accidental landlords renting out a former main residence, and letting agents managing multi-property portfolios. The 2020 PRS regulations set the cycle (every 5 years and at the start of any new tenancy) and the consequences for non-compliance (civil penalties up to £30,000 from Gravesham Borough Council). The work runs out of Rochester and Meopham sits within a 30-minute reach.

What Landlord EICR actually is

A landlord EICR is the same fundamental inspection as any EICR — a visual check of the consumer unit and accessible accessories, plus dead and live testing on every circuit — but commissioned to satisfy the 2020 PRS regulations. The output is a written report against BS 7671:2018+A2:2022, with observation codes (C1/C2/C3/FI) on anything that doesn’t meet the regulations. What’s specific to the landlord version is the documentation flow: the certificate must be supplied to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, to new tenants before they take occupation, and to Gravesham Borough Council on request within 7 days. Reports formatted to the standard BS 7671 layout are accepted across the industry.

When you need Landlord EICR in Meopham

Two specific triggers apply to landlord EICRs: every five years on a rolling cycle, and at the start of any new tenancy. For most Meopham 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

The two pieces of paperwork that matter on a landlord EICR are the certificate itself (signed against BS 7671:2018+A2:2022) and the schedule of test results (the appendix recording each individual circuit’s test measurements). Both go to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection and to the council within 7 days of any request. Standards-wise, landlord EICRs aren’t held to a different technical bar than owner-occupied EICRs — same Wiring Regulations, same observation codes, same testing tolerances. The difference is the regulatory wrapper: defined cycle, defined paper trail, defined penalties.

Testing schedule and remedials

What gets tested on a landlord EICR: every circuit running off the consumer unit (lighting, sockets, immersion, cooker, shower, boiler), every accessible accessory (sockets, switches, light fittings, fan isolators), the consumer unit itself (visual inspection of devices and connections), and the main earthing and bonding at the intake. Common findings on Meopham rental property: ageing consumer units missing RCD protection on lighting circuits; loose backbox screws on tenant-occupied properties (where wear and tear has shifted faceplates); unprotected cable runs in lofts where tenants have been into the loft for storage; cracked switch plates from impact damage. Most are C2 or C3 — fixable, not catastrophic.

Why Meopham property owners book CJA Electrical

Three things matter on landlord EICR work: turnaround (certificate inside 48 hours so the agent or landlord can move on the next step), format (BS 7671 Appendix 6 layout that Gravesham Borough Council accepts), and remedial pricing (clear line-by-line quotes against the report so the landlord can decide what to action). All three are why agents and landlords across Gravesham keep coming back. Operationally, the things that matter on letting work — fast scheduling, agent-friendly comms, certificates direct to the agent if requested — are all covered as standard.

How the work runs

First contact: phone call, email, or WhatsApp to confirm the property details (address, size, rough age of consumer unit) and the access route (direct with tenant, or via agent). Most quotes are confirmed on that initial call as a fixed price. Booking: tenant access arranged via the agent or directly with the tenant. We work around tenant schedules — most testing visits land in a single morning or afternoon. Re-test appointments after remedials are scheduled at the same time for continuity. Reporting: PDF inside 48 hours, supplied to the landlord, the agent, or both. If unsatisfactory, remedial work is quoted line-by-line against the report observations, and a re-test is booked once the work is done.

What affects the price

The two factors that move Meopham landlord EICR pricing are circuit count (more circuits = more testing time) and access (single visit with full tenant cooperation versus multiple return visits). For straightforward domestic rental property with cooperative tenant access, the price is well-established and quoted up-front. What we don’t do: deposits, hidden charges, or fees beyond the quoted price. The fixed price is what’s invoiced on completion. Remedials are separate so the EICR price is the EICR price.

FAQs

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.

Can the certificate be sent direct to my agent?

Yes. The PDF can go to you, your letting agent, your council, or all of the above. Gravesham Borough Council accepts the standard BS 7671 Appendix 6 format, as do all the major letting agents and managing agents we’ve worked with.

What if the report is unsatisfactory?

An unsatisfactory report just means there are C1 or C2 observations that need clearing before the property is compliant. CJA Electrical can quote separately for the remedial work, and once it’s done a re-test confirms the installation is satisfactory. A fresh certificate is issued documenting the post-remedial state.

Do I need a fresh EICR every time I get a new tenant?

Not necessarily. The 2020 regulations say a satisfactory EICR must be in place at the start of any new tenancy. If the existing certificate is current (less than 5 years old) and the property hasn’t been altered since, that certificate is valid for the new tenancy too. A fresh EICR is only legally required if the existing one is expired, missing, or unsatisfactory.

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.