EICR Cost and 5-Year Electrical Inspection Rule in Northern Ireland

What an EICR Costs

An Electrical Installation Condition Report for a typical Northern Ireland rental property — a two- or three-bedroom terraced house or semi — generally runs between £150 and £250. Larger properties, HMOs, and properties with older or more complex wiring cost more, sometimes reaching £350 or above for a four-bedroom detached house with outbuildings.

The price varies by:

• Property size and the number of circuits on the consumer unit
• Condition and age of the installation (older wiring takes longer to test)
• Location and availability of qualified electricians in your area
• Whether the electrician needs to return for a follow-up inspection after remedial work

These figures are market rates as of 2026. Shopping around is reasonable, but choosing the cheapest quote may not be wise if the electrician cuts corners on a 100+ point inspection.

The Legal Requirement

The Electrical Safety Standards for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (S.R. 2024 No. 201) require landlords to have the electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years. The EICR must be carried out by a qualified electrician to the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018).

The implementation timeline:

• New tenancies from 1 April 2025: The first EICR must be completed before the tenancy begins. You cannot let the property without one.
• Existing tenancies granted before 1 April 2025: The first EICR must be completed by 1 December 2025. That deadline has now passed — if you have not had the inspection done, you are already non-compliant.

Remedial Work Deadlines

If the EICR identifies faults classified as C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous), or FI (further investigation required without delay), you must complete the remedial or investigative work within 28 days. If the report specifies a shorter deadline, you must meet that shorter deadline.

Once the work is done, a qualified electrician must confirm in writing that the installation now meets the national safety standard. You must supply this confirmation to the tenant and, if involved, the district council within 28 days of completion.

The cost of remedial work is separate from the EICR fee. Replacing a consumer unit with a modern RCD-protected board typically costs £400–£700 in Northern Ireland. Rewiring a full property can run from £3,000 to £6,000 depending on size and access.

Who to Give It To

The EICR must be supplied:

• To new tenants before they take occupation
• To existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection
• To prospective tenants within 28 days of a written request
• To the district council within 7 days of a written demand

Keep the current report and the one before it. The previous report proves continuous compliance across the 5-year cycle.

Enforcement

Non-compliance is enforced by district councils through their Environmental Health departments. Fixed Penalty Notices for EICR failures can reach £1,000 per offence, and prosecution through the magistrates' court carries further fines.

Councils are actively enforcing the new electrical safety regime. A tenant complaint about exposed wiring or a tripping consumer unit will trigger an Environmental Health visit, and the first thing they ask for is the EICR.

Planning the 5-Year Cycle

Once you have the first EICR, set a reminder for the next inspection date shown in the report, no later than five years after the inspection. If you manage multiple properties, staggering the inspections across the year avoids a large one-off expense.

The Northern Ireland Private Tenancy Rules guide includes a safety inspection tracker that logs the EICR date, the next due date, any remedial codes, and the confirmation of completed work — alongside the annual gas check and alarm compliance records.

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