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What Happens If You Don’t Have a Valid EICR?

As a landlord, failing to obtain a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) isn’t just risky—it’s illegal. The consequences can include fines, invalid insurance, and loss of tenancy rights. If your EICR is out of date in 2025, here’s what you need to know.

New to EICRs? Start with our guide: What Is an EICR and Why Landlords Must Care in 2025.

The Legal Requirement

Since 2020, all private landlords in England must have a valid EICR carried out every 5 years, or at the start of a new tenancy. This is set out in the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.

If your certificate is missing or expired, you are in breach of the law—regardless of whether a tenancy is new or ongoing.

Not sure when your last inspection was? Read our guide on checking if your EICR is due.

Fines of Up to £30,000

If your local council discovers that you don’t have a valid EICR, they can issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000 per breach. This applies even if your property has not experienced any incidents or complaints.

The size of the fine depends on factors like:

  • Whether the breach was deliberate or accidental
  • If remedial works were ignored
  • How long you’ve been non-compliant
  • Whether you have previous warnings

Insurance Risks

Most landlord insurance policies include clauses requiring the property to meet current safety standards. If you don’t have a valid EICR, any claims involving electrical faults may be rejected.

This could leave you personally liable for fire damage, tenant injury, or loss of rental income—all because of a missing certificate.

Eviction and Legal Disputes

Without a valid EICR, you may not be able to issue a valid Section 21 notice to evict tenants. Courts increasingly check that landlords have fulfilled their legal safety duties—including electrical testing—before approving possession claims.

Remedial Notices from Your Council

If your council requests a copy of your EICR and you fail to provide it within 7 days, they can issue a remedial notice. If you then ignore the notice, the council has the power to:

  • Send in contractors to carry out electrical repairs
  • Charge you for the work
  • Fine you on top of the repair costs

You can read more about enforcement in our EICR regulations guide.

Protect Yourself with CIR Electrical

We help landlords across Manchester avoid risk and stay compliant with our simple, flat-rate service. Our EICRs cost just £160 including VAT, regardless of the size of your property.

  • NAPIT-registered electricians
  • Reports delivered within 48 hours
  • Remedial advice and support included

Need help booking? Here’s how our flat-rate service works.

Book Your EICR Before It’s Too Late

We’re here to help you avoid unnecessary fines, insurance disputes and legal stress.

📞 Call CIR Electrical on 0161 959 2321
💬 Or message us on WhatsApp

One report. One flat fee. Zero compliance headaches.