EICR Certificate Cost London: A Clear Price Guide

Posted on by

Getting an EICR certificate in London is not optional if you rent out a property. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must have a valid EICR in place before letting out their property. Ignore this, and you face fines of up to £30,000. That is not a typo. So what does it actually cost? The answer depends on a few things.

What Affects the Price?

No two properties are the same, and electricians price their charges accordingly. The main factors that push EICR certificate cost in London  up or down are:

  • Property size (number of bedrooms and circuits)
  • Age of the wiring and consumer unit
  • Property type (flat, house, HMO, commercial)
  • Location within London (zone 1 vs outer boroughs)
  • Number of fuse ways on the consumer unit

A studio flat will cost less than a five-bedroom house. That much is obvious. What catches people off guard when booking an EICR certificate in London is how much the age of a property matters. Older wiring, say pre-1970s, takes longer to inspect. Some electricians charge more for properties with complex layouts or multiple sub-boards.

Typical EICR Costs in London

Here is a rough breakdown of what you can expect to pay:

  • Studio or 1-bed flat: £80 to £120
  • 2-bed flat or house: £120 to £150
  • 3-bed house: £150 to £200
  • 4-bed house: £180 to £240
  • HMO (per unit): £200 to £350+
  • Commercial premises: £200 to £500+

These are ballpark figures. Prices in central London boroughs like Chelsea, Kensington, and Westminster tend to sit at the higher end. Outer boroughs like Barking, Croydon, or Havering are usually more affordable.

What Does the Inspection Cover?

An EICR inspection looks at the condition of your electrical installation. The electrician checks wiring, earthing, bonding, consumer units, sockets, and RCDs (residual current devices). The goal is to identify anything unsafe or non-compliant with current standards under BS 7671.

The inspection takes between one and four hours, depending on the property. You will receive a report graded C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended), or FI (further investigation required). A C1 or C2 means the installation is unsatisfactory and remedial work is needed before the certificate is issued.

What Happens If You Fail?

Failing is more common than people think. Older properties tend to have outdated consumer units or inadequate earthing. If your property gets a C1 or C2 rating, you cannot legally let it until the faults are fixed and the installation is retested.

How Often Do You Need One?

Under the 2020 regulations, landlords must arrange a new EICR every five years or at the start of each new tenancy, whichever comes first. Certificates do not carry over between tenancies automatically.

Keep a copy on file and provide one to each tenant within 28 days of the inspection. New tenants must receive a copy before they move in.

Plan ahead. Book inspections with enough time to address any faults before a tenancy begins. A failed inspection with a move-in date looming is a problem that costs far more than the inspection itself.

Featured Image Source: https://londoneicrcertificates.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/surrey-in-england-300×200.jpg.webp