EICR vs EIC vs MEIWC: Which Certificate Do Landlords Need?

Three different electrical certificates, three different purposes — and landlords regularly confuse which one they actually need. Getting it wrong means either paying for unnecessary work or failing to meet your legal obligation under SI 2020/312.

EICR — The Periodic Check

An Electrical Installation Condition Report assesses the condition of an existing fixed electrical installation. It's the report landlords must provide for a specified tenancy in England, subject to statutory exclusions, renewed at intervals of no more than five years (or shorter, if the inspector specifies).

The EICR grades the installation as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. An unsatisfactory result (triggered by C1, C2, or FI codes) starts the 28-day remedial clock.

When you need one: for an in-scope tenancy, at intervals of no more than five years, or sooner if the inspector specifies an earlier re-inspection.

EIC — The New Work Certificate

An Electrical Installation Certificate is issued when new electrical work is completed — a full property rewire, a new-build handover, or a consumer unit replacement. It certifies that the new installation meets BS 7671 wiring standards at the time of completion.

An EIC satisfies your landlord obligation for the first five years from its issue date. You don't need a separate EICR during that period. The five-year countdown for your first periodic EICR starts from the date on the EIC.

When you need one: after a complete rewire, new build, or any installation work that creates new circuits. Your electrician issues it on completion.

MEIWC — The Minor Works Certificate

A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate covers small alterations and additions that don't involve creating a new circuit — replacing a damaged socket, adding a spur, fixing a faulty light fitting, or completing remedial work flagged on an EICR.

A MEIWC does not replace an EICR. It documents specific minor work that was done. After remedial work on an unsatisfactory EICR, your compliance evidence is the original EICR plus the MEIWC plus written confirmation from the electrician that the faults have been resolved.

When you need one: after any minor electrical repair or addition. Your electrician should issue it automatically — if they don't, ask for it.

How They Fit Together in Practice

Here's the typical sequence for a landlord:

1. Year 0: Property rewired → electrician issues an EIC → this covers you for five years
2. Year 5: First periodic inspection → inspector issues an EICR. If it's unsatisfactory, required remedial work is due within 28 days (or a shorter period specified by the inspector)
3. Within 28 days after the Year 5 inspection: If the EICR flagged a C2 code, the electrician completes remedial work and issues a MEIWC or EIC; keep it with the EICR and written confirmation of completion
4. Year 10: Next periodic inspection → new EICR → cycle continues, unless the inspector specified a shorter interval

The practical rule for an in-scope tenancy: keep current inspection evidence — a valid EICR or a qualifying EIC within its first five years, plus remedial certificates and written confirmation when required. A MEIWC alone never satisfies the obligation.

The Paperwork Trap

The most common mistake landlords make is completing physical repairs after an unsatisfactory EICR but not obtaining the written certificates. Under Regulation 3(4), you must get written confirmation that the work was done and supply copies to tenants and the local authority within 28 days of completion.

No MEIWC and no written confirmation means no proof — and a council enforcement officer treats undocumented remedial work the same as no remedial work at all.

The Electrical Safety (EICR) Compliance Guide includes a remedial tracker that maps each certificate type to the specific compliance step it satisfies, so nothing falls through the gap between the physical work and the paperwork.

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