EICR Compliance File for London Landlords: Checklist

Is an “EICR Compliance File” an Official Document?

An EICR compliance file is best treated as a practical record-keeping system rather than a separate electrical certificate. The important documents are the reports, confirmations and evidence required or useful for showing that the landlord has managed the inspection and any follow-up work correctly.

For London rental properties, the relevant electrical safety duties are the England-wide requirements. Current GOV.UK electrical safety guidance for landlords requires covered electrical installations to be inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, with an earlier inspection where the report specifies one.

What Should You Keep Before the EICR?

Start with the most recent electrical report. Check its inspection date, outcome and the date stated for the next inspection rather than assuming that every report automatically runs for a full five years.

A landlord preparing for an EICR for rental property should ideally bring together the existing electrical records before the appointment.

• the current or previous EICR;
• any earlier EICR that remains relevant to previous observations;
• records or certificates for remedial electrical work completed after the previous inspection;
• an Electrical Installation Certificate or other appropriate electrical certification where relevant work has been completed;
• the next-inspection date stated on the current report;
• appointment and tenant-access correspondence.

What Records Matter During the Inspection?

The previous report should be available to the inspector carrying out the new inspection. It provides the earlier condition record and can show whether observations or recommended follow-up work were previously identified.

The inspection concerns the fixed electrical installation. GOV.UK describes this as including items such as wiring, socket-outlets, light fittings and the consumer unit, along with permanently connected equipment forming part of the installation.

The electrical safety standards referenced by the regulations are based on BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations. The landlord's compliance file does not need to reproduce those technical requirements; it should retain the reports and supporting records produced for the property.

It is also sensible to keep the appointment confirmation and any correspondence about entry to the property. These records become particularly important where the inspection cannot proceed because access has not been provided.

What Should Be Added to the File After the EICR?

The new EICR becomes the main electrical condition record for the property. Keep the complete report, not simply the first page or a message confirming that the inspection took place.

Key report-delivery deadlines

• Existing tenants must receive the report within 28 days of the inspection and test.
• A new tenant must receive the latest report before occupying the property.
• A prospective tenant who requests it must receive a copy within 28 days of the request.
• If the local council requests the report, it must be supplied within 7 days.

Keeping evidence of delivery is a practical way to show when these steps were completed. Store it beside the report rather than leaving the correspondence scattered across different email accounts.

What Should Be Kept if the EICR Is Unsatisfactory?

An unsatisfactory report needs a clear documentary trail. C1 and C2 observations require remedial work, while an FI observation requires further investigation. C3 indicates that improvement is recommended but does not, by itself, require remedial work for the report to be satisfactory.

Where remedial or investigative work is required, the regulations normally require it to be completed within 28 days of the inspection, or within a shorter period stated in the report.

Keep the following together:

• the original unsatisfactory EICR;
• the quotation or agreed scope for the required work where retained as part of the property records;
• the appropriate electrical certificate or record produced for the completed work;
• written confirmation from the qualified person that the required work has been completed;
• evidence showing when the relevant documents were supplied to the tenant and local council.

GOV.UK states that the report and written confirmation following the required remedial or investigative work must be supplied to the tenant and local council within 28 days of completion.

Should Electrical Certificates From Other Work Stay in the Same File?

Yes, where they relate to the rental property's fixed electrical installation. Keeping relevant installation certificates with the EICR history makes it easier to understand what changed between inspections.

An EIC should not be confused with an EICR. An EIC records qualifying new electrical installation work, while an EICR reports on the condition of an installation already in service.

If qualifying electrical work has been completed between condition reports, retaining the electrical certification for new work alongside the EICR can provide useful continuity for the next inspection.

What if the Tenant Does Not Allow Access for the EICR?

Keep clear evidence of the steps taken to arrange access. Government guidance states that a landlord may be able to show they have taken reasonable steps to comply where a tenant prevents entry.

Useful records can include:

• emails or messages requesting access;
• proposed appointment dates;
• tenant responses or cancellations;
• rearranged appointment details;
• communications with the electrician or managing agent about access;
• previous safety reports or other relevant property records while access is being arranged.

GOV.UK specifically advises landlords to keep copies of communications with tenants where they are trying to arrange entry. This makes access correspondence an important part of the compliance record when an inspection has been delayed.

What if Remedial Work Cannot Be Finished Within 28 Days?

The legal starting point is still the 28-day deadline, or a shorter period stated in the report. Current government guidance recognises that legitimate practical constraints can sometimes prevent work from being completed within that period.

Examples given in the guidance include specialist work, dependence on a third party such as an electricity supplier, or tenant circumstances that require additional planning.

Where this happens, the compliance file should contain a clear record of the arrangements being made, communications with the relevant parties and evidence of the steps taken to complete the work. This does not replace the requirement to deal with the identified work; it records the landlord's efforts and the reason for the delay.

How Long Should a Landlord Keep an EICR?

The report must be retained until the next inspection and test is required or, if later, actually carried out, unless it has already been superseded by a more recent report.

The retained report must also be supplied to the person carrying out the next inspection. For practical property management, it makes sense to keep the associated remedial certificates and relevant correspondence with the report so the electrical history remains together.

A simple digital folder for each property can work well. File names can include the property reference, document type and date, provided the documents themselves remain complete and easy to retrieve.

A Simple EICR Compliance File Checklist

• Current EICR
• Previous EICR where relevant
• Next-inspection date
• Relevant EIC or Minor Works documentation
• Remedial or further-investigation records
• Written confirmation of completed remedial work
• Evidence the report was supplied to the tenant
• Evidence of any response to a council request
• Tenant access and appointment correspondence where relevant
• Records explaining delays to required remedial work where applicable

The purpose is not to create unnecessary paperwork. It is to keep the report, follow-up electrical records and evidence of the required actions in one place so the property's inspection history can be checked without reconstructing it later.