Electrical Safety Certificates for Landlords in Accrington

Published September 2026 | Electrical Safety Certificates for Landlords

This checklist covers everything Accrington landlords need to know about electrical safety certificates, from the visual checks you can do yourself through to the legally required five-year inspection that protects your tenants and your investment. Keeping on top of electrical maintenance at regular intervals means you catch small faults before they become expensive repair jobs or, worse, a real danger to the people living in your property.

Quick Visual Checks Anyone Can Do

These checks need no electrical knowledge and take around 15 minutes per property. Run through them on every visit.

1. Look at every socket and switch faceplate for scorch marks, discolouration, or cracks. A hairline crack in a plastic faceplate can indicate heat damage to the wiring behind it.
2. Check that your consumer unit (fuse box) cover is fully closed with no exposed wiring visible. If the cover is missing or damaged, do not touch the unit - call an electrician.
3. Press the test button on your RCD (residual current device) inside the consumer unit. It should trip immediately. If it does not trip, or it trips but will not reset, that needs a same-day call to a qualified electrician.
4. Walk through each room and confirm no extension leads are daisy-chained into each other. This is one of the most common causes of electrical overloading in rental properties, and something our engineers spot frequently during routine visits.
5. Check light fittings for loose connections or persistent flickering. A bulb that flickers even after you replace it often points to a wiring connection problem rather than a failed bulb.
6. Look for any cables running under rugs or carpets. Cables covered this way can overheat and represent a fire risk.
7. Check all outdoor sockets and any external lighting for weatherproof covers in good condition, and look for signs of moisture ingress around the fittings.

Our engineers recommend Accrington landlords with more than one property use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool to log these checks and flag anything that needs a follow-up visit. It keeps a clear record across your portfolio so nothing slips through the gaps between tenancies.

Monthly Maintenance Tasks

Monthly checks go a step further than a quick visual walk-round. These still do not require professional qualifications, but they need to be done consistently every four weeks.

• Test smoke alarms on every floor. Since October 2015, landlords in England have been legally required to fit working smoke alarms on every storey of a rental property. Press the test button and confirm each alarm sounds clearly. Replace the battery immediately if the alarm gives a low-power warning chirp.
• Check carbon monoxide alarms. If your property has a solid-fuel appliance - a log burner, open fire, or solid-fuel range cooker - a CO alarm is legally required in that room. Test it monthly and check the expiry date on the unit itself, as CO alarms have a service life of typically seven to ten years.
• Inspect white goods supplied with the let. Check the power cables on any appliances you provide, whether that is a Hotpoint washing machine, a Beko fridge, or a Bosch dishwasher, for signs of fraying, cuts, or heat damage near the plug. Damaged cables on landlord-supplied appliances are your responsibility to replace.
• Check the consumer unit for tripped breakers. A breaker that keeps tripping on the same circuit, even after you reset it, suggests an underlying fault that needs investigating by a qualified electrician rather than simply being reset each time.
• Check any electric shower units. Confirm the pull cord or switch operates correctly and that there are no signs of moisture around the unit casing or junction box.
• Review portable appliances. PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) is not a legal requirement for landlords in the same way as an EICR, but it is considered best practice and can protect your position if a claim is made against you following an appliance fault.

Annual Professional Checks You Should Book

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a legally required inspection of the fixed electrical installation in all private rented properties in England. The regulations that came into force in 2020 require landlords to have the installation tested at least every five years, with a copy of the report provided to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection date and to new tenants before they move in.

Here is what a qualified electrician covers during a full EICR:

1. The consumer unit - all circuit breakers, fuses, and the RCD
2. Earthing and bonding arrangements throughout the property
3. The condition of all fixed wiring
4. Sockets, switches, and all fixed light fittings
5. Fixed electrical appliances including electric showers, cooker connections, and extractor fans
6. The overall condition of the installation measured against current British Standards (BS 7671)

The report codes any defects it finds as C1 (immediate danger - action required before the property can be occupied), C2 (potentially dangerous - must be fixed within 28 days), or C3 (an improvement recommendation, not a legal obligation to act). If you receive a C1 or C2 result on a property in Lancashire, you must arrange and complete the remedial work and provide written evidence to your tenant within 28 days of the original inspection.

EICR costs in the Accrington area typically run between 150 and 300 pounds for a standard two or three bedroom property, depending on the number of circuits and the age of the wiring. Older properties in Lancashire, particularly those built before the 1970s, can sit at the higher end of that range because older installations take more time to inspect and are more likely to require additional investigation work.

Our engineers also recommend booking a separate annual check of any EV charging points or outdoor electrical installations, as these are not always included in the standard EICR scope but carry their own set of safety and compliance requirements under BS 7671 Part 7.

Warning Signs That Need Immediate Attention

Do not wait for the next scheduled check if your tenant reports any of the following. These signs require an electrician the same day, not a note to follow up at the next visit.

• A burning smell from any socket, switch, or connection point
• Sparking when plugging in or unplugging devices
• A socket or switch that feels warm or hot to the touch
• Circuit breakers or fuses that keep tripping on the same circuit despite being reset
• Lights that dim or flicker across multiple rooms at the same time
• Scorch marks or blackening around any socket or switch faceplate
• Water near any electrical fitting following a leak - even after the leak itself is fixed, moisture inside wiring can cause faults days or weeks later
• A buzzing or humming noise coming from the consumer unit

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you have a legal duty to keep the electrical installation in repair. Ignoring a reported hazard significantly increases your liability if something goes wrong. When a tenant contacts you about an electrical concern, document that you received the report, document what action you took, and act on it the same day if it matches anything on the list above.

Your Maintenance Schedule

Use this simple calendar to stay on top of your obligations throughout the year and across multiple properties.

Every visit to the property
- Visual check of all sockets, switches, and the consumer unit
- Check for cable damage and extension lead misuse in each room

Monthly
- Test smoke alarms on every floor and CO alarms in applicable rooms
- Check the consumer unit for any tripped breakers
- Inspect power cables on all appliances supplied with the tenancy

Annually
- Commission your EICR if it falls due within the year
- PAT test any portable appliances supplied with the let
- Check outdoor electrical installations, EV charge points, and garden lighting

Every five years (minimum)
- Full EICR carried out by a registered electrician
- Provide a copy to all current tenants within 28 days and retain a copy for your own records for at least two EICR cycles

On change of tenancy
- Provide the incoming tenant with the current valid EICR before they move in
- If the existing EICR is within six months of its five-year expiry, commission a fresh inspection before the new tenancy starts rather than hand over a report that will expire mid-tenancy

Accrington landlords managing several properties at once often stagger EICR renewal dates so they do not all fall due in the same period. The Voltrade GoFIX tool can track certificate expiry dates across a full portfolio and send reminders when an inspection is coming due, which is particularly useful if you are managing properties across different parts of Lancashire.

Checklist Questions

Do I need a new EICR every time a new tenant moves in?

No. You do not need a new EICR on every change of tenancy, but you must give the incoming tenant a copy of the current valid report before they move in. The EICR covers a five-year period, so if your most recent report is satisfactory and within that window, it covers the new tenancy. The exception is a report carrying C1 or C2 codes - all remedial work must be completed and evidenced before the new tenancy begins. If the report is approaching its five-year expiry, arrange a fresh inspection before new tenants move in rather than hand over a certificate that expires within months.

What qualifications should the electrician have to carry out a valid EICR?

The electrician must belong to a government-approved competent person scheme. In practice, look for registration with NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA. These schemes require members to demonstrate ongoing technical competence. An EICR carried out by an unregistered person has no legal standing - your local authority will not accept it and you cannot use it to satisfy your obligations to tenants. Always ask for the registration number before booking and verify it directly on the relevant scheme's website.

What are the fines for Accrington landlords who fail to comply with electrical safety rules?

Local authorities in Lancashire can impose a financial penalty of up to 30,000 pounds on landlords who do not comply with the electrical safety regulations. This covers failing to arrange an EICR on time, not providing a copy to tenants, and failing to complete C1 or C2 remedial work within 28 days. Local authorities also have the power to carry out remedial work themselves and recover the full cost from the landlord. If you receive a notice from your local authority, seek advice promptly and respond within the timescales specified.