If you are a landlord in Manchester or Stockport and you do not yet have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), you are operating in breach of the law. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force in April 2021, and they apply to every single private rental property in England — including yours.
These regulations were introduced because electrical faults are one of the leading causes of fires in residential properties. As a landlord, you have a statutory duty of care to your tenants. An EICR is the primary tool for demonstrating that your property\'s electrics are safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.
What the Law Requires
- You must have a valid EICR for every rental property
- The EICR must be carried out by a qualified and competent person (ideally NAPIT or NICEIC registered)
- The inspection must be renewed every 5 years, or at every change of tenancy — whichever comes first
- You must provide a copy of the EICR to your existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection
- You must provide a copy to new tenants before they move in
- You must supply a copy to the local authority within 7 days if requested
- If any C1, C2, or FI observations are found, remedial work must be completed within 28 days (or sooner if specified by the inspector)
A C1 code means 'danger present' and requires immediate remedial action. A C2 code means 'potentially dangerous' and requires urgent remedial action. An FI code means 'further investigation required' without delay. If your EICR contains any of these, the installation is classified as UNSATISFACTORY.
Penalties for Non-Compliance in Manchester
The penalties for failing to comply are severe and are being enforced with increasing rigour. Manchester City Council\'s housing enforcement team actively investigates complaints from tenants and carries out targeted inspections. Local authorities can issue:
- Civil penalties of up to £30,000 per property
- Improvement notices requiring specific remedial work within a set timeframe
- Prohibition orders that prevent all or part of a property from being occupied
- Rent repayment orders that require you to repay up to 12 months of rent to tenants
How to Stay Compliant
The best approach is proactive compliance. Do not wait for a tenant complaint or a council inspection to trigger action. Schedule your EICR in advance, ideally during a void period or in coordination with other compliance works (such as gas safety checks or fire alarm testing). Combining visits saves money, reduces disruption for tenants, and simplifies your records.
When choosing an electrician, verify that they are registered with a recognised competent person scheme such as NAPIT or NICEIC. Crucially, check that their registration covers electrical inspection and testing work — not just installation work. Some electricians are registered only for installation, which means their EICRs are not covered by the registration body\'s quality assurance or complaints process.
Infrastructure Environmental is registered with NAPIT for both electrical inspection (EICR) work and electrical installation work. This means our EICRs are subject to annual quality checks by NAPIT, and you have the full protection of NAPIT's complaints process should you ever need it.
Manchester Selective Licensing and EICRs
In many parts of Manchester, selective licensing schemes require landlords to hold additional licences for privately rented properties. A valid EICR is almost always a mandatory requirement for obtaining or renewing a selective licence. If you are applying for a licence and your EICR is missing or expired, your application will be refused.
For landlords with multiple properties, we recommend creating a compliance calendar that tracks EICR renewal dates, gas safety certificate renewals, fire alarm testing schedules, and ventilation testing requirements. This proactive approach prevents last-minute panics, reduces costs, and demonstrates to tenants, insurers, and local authorities that you are a responsible landlord.