Get electrics inspected now to avoid problems in 2025, landlords warned!

Landlords have been urged to renew their Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) for their properties as early as possible during 2024 or face a predicted shortage in qualified inspectors to do the work during 2025 & 2026.

In a report on “LandlordZone” it explains there is a shortage of qualified staff to carry it out and a huge amount of properties to retest on their 5 year anniversary.

This is following the introduction of compulsory EICR’s for let properties in June 2020 (new tenancies) and April 2021 for existing tenancies.

Repairs and maintenance platform Fixflo says its research among a sample of 90,000 properties within its database reveals approximately 90% are due to have their EICRs renewed between now and 2026.

Fixflo says property managers should renew their EICRs early to avoid the predicted rush to book up registered and qualified electricians as the deadlines loom.

The rush is taking place because the EICRs became mandatory during 2021 and most were completed that year but must be renewed after five years.

Shortages:

Fixflo says the electrical services sector, which is already affected by shortages of qualified staff, is likely to see more strain put on contractors as millions of EICRs come up for renewal, leading to higher prices and lower availability.

“This predicted surge in EICRs assessments shows the importance of ensuring inspections are arranged and carried out early and well before their due date,” Fixflo’s Product Training Manager, Jessica Dubey.

“Regulations around electrical safety in properties are strict, and with fines of up to £5,000 for a first offence or £30,000 for multiple breaches, plus a risk of rental voids if a property doesn’t have an up-to-date EICR, it’s in everyone’s interest to start booking as soon as possible.”

Here at Mr. Electric (Cornwall & Plymouth) we carry out EICR’s for customers and landlords everyday and normally see a surge out of season (for the holiday lets) but this will put a further strain on the industry over the next couple of years.

Please contact us as soon as possible and we will make sure you are booked in for an EICR in plenty of time for it’s renewal date.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us and see next months blog, which will explain again, why you need an EICR and the latest obligations landlords must meet.