Landlord EICRs in Waltham Forest and Redbridge: what licensing means for you

Every private landlord in England needs an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at least every five years, and must give a copy to tenants. In Waltham Forest and Redbridge, both councils also run property licensing schemes for privately rented homes, and a valid electrical safety report is one of the documents a licence typically asks for. If you let property in either borough, keep your EICR in date and easy to hand.

The national rules, in short

• Have the electrical installation inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years.
• Give a copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days, and to new tenants before they move in.
• If the report finds problems coded C1 or C2, or says further investigation is needed, have the work done within 28 days or sooner if the report says so.
• Keep written confirmation that the remedial work has been completed.

Our guide to EICRs for landlords explains the rules and the report codes in full.

How licensing adds to this

Mandatory licensing for larger houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) applies across England. On top of that, councils can introduce additional licensing for smaller HMOs and selective licensing for other rented homes in parts of their area. Waltham Forest and Redbridge have both used these powers. Where a licence is needed, the council will usually ask for safety documents, including the electrical report, when you apply and may ask for them again during the licence.

In practice that means:

• Don't let the EICR lapse part way through a licence period.
• Keep the remedial work paperwork with the report, so you can show the problems were put right.
• Keep copies of other certificates too, such as for a new consumer unit or a rewire, which are issued when work is done.

What we check on a landlord inspection

• The consumer unit, including RCD protection and its condition.
• Earthing and bonding to gas, water and other services.
• Sockets, switches, lights and fixed appliances, looking for damage, overheating and wear.
• Testing every circuit, including insulation resistance and RCD trip times.

You get a clear report with any issues explained in plain English, and a fixed price for any remedial work. We can usually work around tenants, and we're happy to deal with them directly to arrange access.

Letting in Walthamstow, Woodford, Chingford and nearby

We carry out landlord EICRs across Waltham Forest, including Walthamstow and Chingford, and in Woodford and the surrounding area, as well as across Epping Forest. Get a guide price in our instant price calculator.