Landlord EICR in Sevenoaks

For Sevenoaks 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 Sevenoaks District 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 Sevenoaks

The legal cycle: every 5 years, plus the start of any new tenancy. The practical cycle: book a couple of months early so any remedials don’t bring you up against the deadline. Sevenoaks District Council can serve a remedial notice requiring work within a fixed timescale if a property is found non-compliant during enforcement; civil penalties up to £30,000 apply for landlords who ignore the notice. For new-build or fully recircuited property, the first 5-yearly EICR is due 5 years after the original Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) was issued — not 5 years after the property was let. That distinction occasionally catches landlords out on properties that were rented mid-way through the original install warranty.

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 Sevenoaks District Council and across the private rented sector industry.

Testing schedule and remedials

On site, landlord EICR testing is non-disruptive — the work is quiet, brief power-downs are limited to 5-10 minutes per circuit, and the testing equipment is non-destructive. Tenants typically don’t need to be home for the whole visit, just to provide access at the start. Testing follows the standard BS 7671 sequence: inspection of the consumer unit and accessories first, then dead testing (continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, ring continuity) on each circuit, then live testing (earth fault loop, RCD operation) once the supply’s restored. Each circuit’s results are recorded individually on the schedule of test results.

Why Sevenoaks 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 Sevenoaks District 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 Sevenoaks 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

Step one — the booking. We need property details (address, bedrooms, rough age of installation, any known issues) and the contact for tenant access (agent or tenant direct). Quote confirmed on that call for standard property; site visit first for unusual installations or HMO conversions. Step two — the testing visit. Half a day for most Sevenoaks three-bed rental property; longer for HMOs and larger conversions. Brief power-downs during dead testing flagged in advance to the tenant. Property left exactly as found. Step three — the report. PDF inside 48 hours, supplied to landlord and agent. Remedials, if needed, quoted separately. Re-test scheduled once remedials are complete.

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

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.