Electrical Safety Certificates for Landlords in Trowbridge

Published September 2026 | Electrical Safety Certificates

In the First 10 Minutes

The moment you realise your rental property might not have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report, stop and find out exactly where you stand. Grab your paperwork and look for any existing EICR. This is the document every private landlord in England is legally required to hold for each rental property - and it must be renewed at least every five years.

Since 2020, the rules have been clear. You must have a valid EICR in place before a new tenancy begins. If you're currently renting out a property in Trowbridge without one, you're already in breach of the legislation, regardless of how long the tenancy has been running.

In these first 10 minutes, do the following:

1. Locate any previous EICR certificate. Check the issue date and confirm whether it's still within the five-year window.
2. Note the age of the fuse board. An older consumer unit with ceramic fuses is more likely to attract remedial work.
3. If you can't find a certificate at all, treat this as urgent - not just an admin task that can wait until next week.

Local authorities in Wiltshire can and do carry out spot checks on private landlords. They have the power to issue civil penalties of up to 30,000 pounds for non-compliance. That's a significant exposure for something that costs a fraction of that to resolve properly.

Within the First Hour

An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a formal assessment of the fixed electrical installation in a property. That covers wiring, sockets, light fittings, the consumer unit, and everything built into the fabric of the building. It does not cover portable appliances - those require a separate PAT test.

The inspection uses a straightforward coding system to record findings:

• C1 - Danger present. Requires immediate action before the property can be used.
• C2 - Potentially dangerous. Remedial work required within 28 days.
• C3 - Improvement recommended. No urgent action required, but worth addressing.
• FI - Further investigation required before a satisfactory verdict can be issued.

A property only receives a satisfactory EICR if it returns no C1 or C2 codes. If either comes up, you're legally required to arrange and evidence remedial work within 28 days of the inspection date - or sooner if the electrician flags immediate danger.

Spend a few minutes looking at the visible electrical infrastructure in your property. Scorching around sockets, flickering lights, or a consumer unit that looks decades old won't tell you everything, but they'll give you a rough sense of whether this inspection is likely to be routine or whether follow-up work might follow. If you manage multiple properties across the Trowbridge area, this is also a good moment to pull together your inspection schedule for the whole portfolio.

Same Day

Don't let this drift into next week. Book an EICR inspection today with an electrician registered with a recognised competent person scheme. NICEIC, NAPIT, and ELECSA are the main ones to look for. Under the regulations, the inspection must be carried out by someone "qualified and competent" - using an unregistered tradesperson means the resulting certificate may not satisfy the legal requirement.

When you call to book, give the electrician accurate details upfront:

1. The number of rooms and the approximate floor area of the property.
2. The age of the building and when the wiring was last updated, if you know.
3. Whether the property is occupied and how much notice the tenant will need.
4. Any known electrical issues or previous work carried out since the last inspection.

In terms of cost, an EICR for a one or two-bedroom flat in Trowbridge typically comes in between 150 and 200 pounds. A three or four-bedroom house commonly runs from 200 to 300 pounds. Larger properties, or those with older or more complex wiring, can push higher. Always confirm upfront whether the quote covers the inspection only, or whether any minor remedial work is included.

You can use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool before you speak to an engineer to get a clearer picture of what type of inspection your property is likely to need. It's a useful way to go into the conversation prepared rather than starting from scratch.

The Inspection Visit

On the day of the inspection, make sure the property is fully accessible. If tenants are in, let them know in advance that the engineer may need to briefly test circuit breakers, which can briefly interrupt power to parts of the property. Give as much notice as you reasonably can - tenants tend to be far more cooperative when they're not caught off guard.

A standard inspection for a two-bedroom property typically takes between two and four hours. Larger properties, or those with older wiring, will take longer. Our engineers work through a systematic checklist: the consumer unit condition and labelling, earthing and bonding arrangements, the condition of wiring and accessories throughout the property, circuit protection, and any specialist circuits like electric showers or cooker circuits.

At the end of the visit, the electrician will issue either a satisfactory EICR or an unsatisfactory one with coded observations. If the report comes back satisfactory, you have three things to do:

1. Keep the original certificate somewhere secure and easy to find.
2. Give a copy to your tenant within 28 days of the inspection (or before a new tenancy starts).
3. Produce a copy to your local authority within 7 days if they request one.

If the report is unsatisfactory, don't assume the worst. A C2 code is common in older properties and is typically resolved with targeted remedial work rather than a full rewire.

The Following Week

If your EICR came back satisfactory, use this week to tidy up the admin. Confirm your tenant has received their copy, and store the original both digitally and as a hard copy somewhere you can retrieve it quickly.

If remedial work was flagged, move quickly. You have 28 days from the date of the report to complete and evidence that work. Common issues flagged in older rental properties across Wiltshire include:

• Outdated consumer units that need upgrading to a modern metal-clad board with RCD protection.
• Missing or inadequate earthing and bonding, particularly in older terraced housing.
• Deteriorating rubber-sheathed wiring that has hardened or cracked with age.
• Sockets in kitchens or bathrooms that don't meet current safety standards.

Book the same electrician back if possible - they already know the installation and can work more efficiently than someone coming in cold. After the remedial work is complete, they should issue a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or an updated EICR confirming the issues have been resolved. Send a copy of this to your tenant as well.

Long Term

The five-year renewal cycle is the backbone of landlord electrical compliance. Once you have a valid EICR in place, set a calendar reminder at the four-year mark to start the booking process. Don't leave it to the month the certificate expires - qualified electricians in the Trowbridge area get busy, and last-minute bookings can push you past your legal deadline.

Between formal inspections, encourage your tenants to report electrical issues promptly rather than putting up with them. Flickering lights, sockets that spark, circuit breakers tripping repeatedly - these are early warning signs. Acting on them quickly is almost always cheaper than dealing with a deeper problem uncovered at the next EICR.

If you're considering adding another rental to your portfolio, commission an EICR as part of your pre-purchase due diligence. The cost of an inspection is modest compared to the cost of discovering that a property needs a full rewire after you've exchanged contracts.

Keep every EICR, every completion certificate, and every piece of correspondence with your electrician. If a dispute arises, an insurance claim is made, or a tenant raises a complaint about electrical conditions, this paper trail is your first line of defence. A well-documented electrical history also makes it easier for future electricians to understand the installation quickly, which keeps your inspection costs down over time.

Timeline Questions

How much does an EICR cost for a rental property in Trowbridge?

Costs depend on property size and the number of circuits being tested. A one or two-bedroom flat typically costs between 150 and 200 pounds. A three to four-bedroom house commonly falls between 200 and 300 pounds. Larger or older properties with complex wiring can run higher. Always get a written quote that clearly states whether remedial work is included or charged separately - some electricians bundle minor fixes into the inspection price, others don't.

How long does an EICR inspection typically take?

For a standard two or three-bedroom rental, expect the inspection to take between two and four hours. Older properties, or those with large or poorly documented electrical installations, tend to take longer. If the consumer unit isn't clearly labelled or access to certain areas is restricted, that adds time too. Our engineers will give you a realistic estimate before starting so you can plan access with your tenant accordingly.

What happens if my property fails the EICR?

A failed EICR means the report has returned a C1 or C2 code, indicating dangerous or potentially dangerous conditions in the fixed installation. You're legally required to arrange remedial work within 28 days - or immediately if a C1 danger code is present. Once the work is complete, the electrician issues a confirmation document. Failing to act on an unsatisfactory report puts you at risk of a civil penalty of up to 30,000 pounds from your local authority in Wiltshire.

Do I need a new EICR for every new tenancy?

Not necessarily. The certificate is valid for five years from its issue date, not per tenancy. If your EICR is still within its five-year window when a new tenant moves in, the existing certificate covers the new tenancy - you just need to give them a copy before or within 28 days of the start date. A new inspection is only required if the current certificate has expired, or if the previous report returned an unsatisfactory result that triggered follow-up work.