EICR & PAT Testing for London Rental Flats: Landlord Guide

Which electrical check applies to which part of a rental flat?

The clearest way to separate EICR and PAT testing is by the electrical system being assessed. An EICR examines the fixed electrical installation. Appliance inspection and testing concerns electrical equipment supplied for use in the property.

The distinction depends on the actual electrical installation and equipment, not simply on the room in which an item is located. For example, a plug-connected appliance and permanently connected fixed equipment should not automatically be treated as the same inspection scope simply because both are in the kitchen.

What EICR requirements apply to a London rental flat?

London rental flats fall under the electrical safety rules applying in England. For a tenancy within scope, the landlord must ensure that the electrical installation is inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years and must obtain a report setting out the result and the next inspection date.

Landlords arranging an EICR for a rental property should use the next-inspection date stated in the current report rather than simply adding five years to the previous inspection date. An earlier inspection can be required.

When must the EICR be supplied?

• An existing tenant must receive the report within 28 days of the inspection and test.
• A new tenant must receive the latest report before occupying the premises.
• A prospective tenant who requests the report must receive it within 28 days of the request.
• The local council must receive the report within 7 days of requesting it.

The re-letting rule is covered in more detail in the guide explaining whether a new EICR is needed for every tenant .

What does PAT testing mean for a private landlord?

For private landlords, supplied electrical appliances must be safe. That responsibility is separate from the statutory EICR inspection of the fixed electrical installation.

PAT testing is the commonly used term for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment. Depending on the equipment and its condition, safety management may include visual inspection, electrical testing or both.

An automatic annual PAT cycle should not be presented as a universal national requirement for every private rental appliance. The appropriate approach should reflect the equipment itself, how it is used, its condition and any other requirements applying to the particular property.

For landlords who want a structured inspection and testing record for supplied electrical equipment, PAT testing for landlord-supplied appliances is separate from the EICR carried out on the fixed installation.

What if the EICR says further electrical work is needed?

If the EICR identifies remedial or further investigative work as necessary, that requirement belongs to the fixed electrical installation rather than to PAT testing. The necessary work must normally be completed within 28 days of the inspection and test, or within any shorter period specified as necessary in the report.

After the required work is completed, the landlord must obtain the appropriate report and written confirmation from the qualified person. The relevant documents must then be supplied to the tenant and local council within the applicable 28-day period after completion.

The important management point is to follow the actual report result and required action rather than trying to treat appliance-test records as evidence that a fixed-installation defect has been resolved.

How are social landlord appliance checks different?

Social landlords in England now have a specific statutory duty covering electrical equipment they provide under the tenancy. This is an important difference from the position described above for an ordinary private landlord.

Landlord-provided electrical equipment in social housing must be checked by a qualified person at least every five years. The qualified person decides whether visual inspection, testing or both are necessary to determine whether the equipment is safe for continued use.

The resulting document is an In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment record. For older social housing tenancies granted before 1 December 2025, the current transitional arrangements require the first installation inspection and landlord-provided equipment check to be completed before 1 November 2026.

What if the London property is an HMO or licensed rental?

If the flat or property is subject to an HMO or other property licence, the landlord should check the actual conditions attached by the relevant London borough. Local authorities can attach conditions to property licences, so the national electrical-safety requirements should not automatically be treated as the complete compliance picture for every licensed property.

The practical approach is to check the licence issued for the specific property and the current guidance from the relevant borough before deciding what appliance inspections, records or other electrical-safety evidence need to be maintained.

What electrical records should a landlord keep?

Fixed-installation and appliance records should remain distinguishable so that a future tenant, managing agent or electrician can see what each document actually covers.

• the current EICR;
• the relevant previous EICR for the next inspection;
• the next-inspection date;
• evidence showing when the EICR was supplied where required;
• records and written confirmation for required remedial or investigative work;
• an inventory of landlord-supplied electrical appliances where useful;
• appliance inspection or PAT records where checks have been carried out;
• relevant access correspondence if an inspection or required work has been delayed.

Practical EICR and appliance safety checklist for landlords

1. Identify the tenancy. Confirm that the rental arrangement falls within the relevant England electrical-safety requirements.
2. Check the current EICR. Confirm the report outcome and the next inspection date stated on it.
3. Check for outstanding fixed-installation action. Do not treat an inspection as complete from a compliance-management perspective if the report still requires remedial or investigative work.
4. Separate fixed electrics from supplied equipment. Do not assume an EICR automatically covers every electrical appliance supplied with the tenancy.
5. List landlord-supplied appliances. A simple inventory makes it easier to identify which items remain the landlord's responsibility.
6. Check appliance condition. Visible damage or deterioration should be addressed when identified.
7. Use inspection and testing where appropriate. PAT or another suitable equipment-checking process should match the equipment and the applicable property requirements rather than being treated as an arbitrary annual paperwork exercise.
8. Check licence conditions where relevant. For HMOs and other licensed rentals, review the conditions applying to the specific property and borough.
9. Keep the records separate but together. Store the EICR history and appliance records in the same property file while making clear which installation or equipment each document covers.

Can EICR and PAT testing be arranged at the same time?

They can be coordinated around the same period where that is practical, especially for a furnished rental or before a tenancy change, but they remain separate scopes of inspection.

The decision should start with what actually needs checking. If the fixed installation is due for periodic inspection, an EICR is the relevant report. If landlord-supplied electrical equipment also needs inspection and testing, that equipment can be assessed separately without treating the two processes as interchangeable.