Landlord EICR Requirements in Wales: A Practical Guide
If you let a house or flat in Cardiff—or anywhere else in Wales—you must make sure there is a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for the dwelling during each period of occupation. The rules sit within the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022 and apply to rented homes occupied under an occupation contract.
In practical terms, the fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years, or sooner if the previous report specifies an earlier re-inspection date. You must also give the contract-holder a copy of the report within the required timescale and provide written confirmation when investigatory or remedial work has been completed.
This guide explains the main landlord EICR requirements in Wales, what the report means and how to deal with remedial work. It is general information rather than legal advice; landlords and managing agents should check the current Welsh Government guidance for their particular property and contract.
Landlord EICR requirements in Wales: the quick checklist
For most landlords, the practical checklist is:
• keep a valid electrical condition report for every occupied rental dwelling;
• arrange inspection and testing at least every five years—or by any earlier date stated on the report;
• use a suitably qualified and competent person;
• check that the report’s address, outcome and next inspection date are correct;
• give the contract-holder a copy within 14 days of occupation;
• if a report expires during the occupation, give the new report within 14 days of the inspection;
• arrange C1, C2 and FI items without delay and retain evidence;
• give the contract-holder written confirmation of completed investigatory or remedial work within 14 days of receiving it.
Do not simply file the report after receiving it. Check whether the installation is recorded as satisfactory and note the re-inspection date. A report recommending an interval shorter than five years only remains valid until that earlier date.
Which rented properties in Wales need an EICR?
The Welsh rules require a valid electrical condition report for a dwelling during each period of occupation. They form part of the fitness for human habitation requirements under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act framework. In Wales, tenants are generally described in the legislation as contract-holders, and tenancies or licences covered by the Act are occupation contracts.
This is an important difference from online guidance written for England. Although both nations commonly use a five-year inspection cycle, the legal framework and some procedural details are not identical. Cardiff landlords should follow the rules and guidance for Wales rather than relying on an English landlord checklist.
Certain types of accommodation or occupation can fall outside the usual framework or be subject to additional rules. HMOs, supported accommodation and properties managed by public or specialist bodies may also have licensing, fire-safety or organisational requirements. If you are unsure whether an exception applies, seek advice from Rent Smart Wales, the local authority or a housing professional.
How often does a landlord need an EICR in Wales?
A landlord must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years. However, five years is a maximum interval—not an automatic expiry date for every report. If the inspector specifies a shorter interval, the next inspection must be completed by that earlier date.
Always read the recommendation for the date of the next inspection. Rent Smart Wales has warned landlords to look carefully for wording such as “five years or on change of tenancy”. There may be a property-specific reason for a shorter period, but older wording carried over from previous practices is not necessarily a legal requirement to test at every change of contract-holder. Ask the inspector to explain the recommendation if it is unclear.
A change of contract-holder does not, by itself, reset the report’s five-year clock. The key question is whether the existing report is still valid and whether anything has happened since the inspection that could have affected the installation. Damage, major alterations, a fire or flood, or concerns raised during a checkout inspection may justify earlier assessment.
When must the contract-holder receive the report?
The landlord must give the contract-holder a copy of the electrical condition report within 14 days of the occupation date. If the existing report becomes invalid during the occupation and a new periodic inspection is carried out, the new report must be supplied within 14 days of that inspection and testing date.
If investigatory or remedial work is completed, the contract-holder must receive written confirmation of that work within 14 days of the landlord receiving the confirmation. Keep a clear audit trail showing the report, any quotations or instructions, completion certificates and the date the documents were provided.
Providing the report is not merely an administrative extra. Rent Smart Wales notes that failing to give the contract-holder a copy is likely to mean the fitness for human habitation standard is not being met, even where the electrical installation itself is satisfactory.
What does a landlord EICR cover?
An EICR assesses the condition of the property’s fixed electrical installation. It normally covers the consumer unit, circuits, earthing and bonding, protective devices, accessible wiring and accessories, and test results relating to matters such as continuity, insulation resistance, polarity and fault protection.
It does not normally include portable appliances belonging to the landlord or contract-holder. Those may need separate inspection, maintenance or portable appliance testing depending on the equipment, risk and how the property is managed.
Gabe Electrical’s electrical testing service in Cardiff provides inspection and testing for landlords who need a clear record of the installation’s condition and any work required.
What do C1, C2, C3 and FI mean on a landlord EICR?
C1—Danger present: there is an immediate risk and urgent action is required. The inspector may make the danger safe before leaving.
C2—Potentially dangerous: urgent remedial action is needed.
FI—Further investigation: an issue cannot be fully assessed within the inspection and further investigation is required without delay.
C3—Improvement recommended: the installation is not necessarily unsafe, but improvement would enhance safety.
A report containing a C1, C2 or FI observation will normally be recorded as unsatisfactory. A C3 observation on its own does not make the report unsatisfactory. Landlords should read every observation and discuss the findings with the inspector rather than relying only on the summary box.
For a fuller explanation, see our guide to EICR codes C1, C2, C3 and FI.
What happens if the landlord EICR is unsatisfactory?
If the report is unsatisfactory, speak to the inspector promptly and arrange the necessary investigation and remedial work. C1 observations require immediate attention; C2 and FI observations also need urgent action. Unlike much English guidance, the Welsh regulations should not be summarised as a universal “28-day rule”. The practical requirement is to address safety defects without delay and keep evidence of what has been done.
The work required depends on the observations. It may involve a focused repair, replacement of damaged accessories, improved protective measures, further testing or more extensive renewal. An unsatisfactory result does not automatically mean the property needs a complete rewire.
After the work, obtain the appropriate written confirmation or certification and give a copy to the contract-holder within 14 days of receiving it. Keep it with the original EICR so there is a complete record. Our guide to what happens after an unsatisfactory EICR explains the next steps in more detail.
Can an Electrical Installation Certificate be used instead?
For a newly built dwelling, a valid Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) may be used in place of an EICR. However, once the dwelling is let, Rent Smart Wales advises that the certificate is valid for a maximum of five years for this purpose—even if the certificate initially recommends a ten-year interval.
Certification for later electrical work does not automatically replace the need for a valid report covering the dwelling. Keep all Electrical Installation Certificates and Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates because they help demonstrate what has changed since the last inspection, but check that the document you rely on meets the Welsh requirements.
Preparing a Cardiff rental property for inspection
An EICR involves both visual inspection and instrument testing. Circuits will need to be isolated at stages, so agree access with the contract-holder and warn them that power, internet equipment, alarms and appliances may be interrupted. The electrician may also need reasonable access to the consumer unit, sockets, lighting points and outbuildings supplied from the property.
Before the appointment, provide any previous EICR, installation certificates, details of alterations and known faults. Make sure locked rooms, cupboards and external areas are accessible. If part of the installation cannot be inspected or tested, the report should record the limitation, and that may reduce how much reliance can be placed on it.
Landlords should arrange access in accordance with the occupation contract and Welsh housing law. Give appropriate notice and do not assume the electrical safety obligation removes the contract-holder’s rights concerning entry.
What are the consequences of not complying?
Electrical inspection and reporting form part of the requirement to keep a rented dwelling fit for human habitation. Non-compliance can affect the landlord’s legal position, including whether rent is payable for a period when the dwelling is unfit and whether certain possession procedures are available. The consequences depend on the circumstances, so obtain legal advice if a report has expired, documents were not served or serious defects remain outstanding.
The safest approach is a documented system: record every property’s expiry date, book inspections early, keep reports and certificates together, and retain proof that copies were supplied to the contract-holder. Allowing time before expiry also makes it easier to arrange remedial work without a last-minute compliance gap.
Official guidance is available from Welsh Government and Rent Smart Wales.
Frequently asked questions
Does a landlord need a new EICR for every new tenant in Wales?
Not automatically. A valid report can continue to be relied on until its stated re-inspection date, provided there has been no event or alteration that calls its continued validity into question. Check any wording on the report and ask the inspector if a change-of-tenancy recommendation is unclear.
How long is a landlord EICR valid in Wales?
It is valid until the earlier of the recommended next inspection date or five years from the inspection. A report specifying a shorter interval expires sooner.
Does the landlord have 28 days to complete remedial work?
Do not apply the English 28-day rule as though it were the wording of the Welsh regulations. In Wales, C1, C2 and FI findings should be dealt with without delay, with immediate action where danger is present. Follow the inspector’s advice and keep written evidence.
Is PAT testing included in an EICR?
No. An EICR concerns the fixed electrical installation. Portable appliances are a separate matter.
Book a landlord EICR in Cardiff
If you manage a rental property in Cardiff or the surrounding area, Gabe Electrical can inspect and test the fixed electrical installation, explain the observations clearly and provide the report you need for your records and contract-holder.
To discuss a landlord EICR, visit our Electrical Testing page or call 07894 349680. If remedial work is required, we can explain the priorities and provide a practical route towards bringing the installation up to a satisfactory condition.