Legislation requiring social landlords in England to have electrical installations and the electrical equipment they supply inspected and tested at least once every five years came into force on 1 May 2025, according to the charity Electrical Safety First1. The charity said the rules introduce stronger protections for millions of people living in social rented homes1.
The checks must be carried out by a competent and qualified person and cover key elements of a home's electrical system, including socket outlets, consumer units and fixed wiring1. Where dangerous conditions result in a failed inspection, they must be rectified within 28 days1. For the social rented sector specifically, a record must also be provided covering any electrical equipment supplied by the landlord, including its condition, whether it is suitable for use in the property, and the outcome of the checks1.
"With more than half of accidental domestic fires across England caused by electricity, these new laws mark an important step in ensuring all social rented homes in England are electrically safe."
The charity said failing to meet the duties under the new regulations is a criminal offence and could result in penalties including fines of up to £40,0001. It cited two recent prosecutions: a landlord in Harrow fined £9,000 in January after failing to provide an electrical safety certificate among other offences, and a landlord in Hastings fined £10,000 in 2024 for the same failure1.
The commencement dates differ by tenancy type, as set out by the charity:
| Tenancy or duty | Date |
|---|---|
| New tenancies in social rented properties required to have valid reports | 1 December 2025 |
| Regulations for existing tenancies granted before 1 December 2025 come into force | 1 May 2026 |
| End of six-month transitional period for social landlords | 1 November 2026 |
If a satisfactory electrical installation condition report (EICR) already exists, a new inspection does not have to be carried out within five years1. Electrical Safety First recommends landlords use a qualified electrician competent in electrical installation safety inspections who is registered with a competent person scheme1.
Similar laws were introduced in England's private rented sector in June 2020, following campaigning by the charity1. In 2022, research by Electrical Safety First found nearly 7,000 electrical faults had been identified and remedied as a direct result of those regulations, ranging from hazards classed as C1, danger present, to C2, potentially dangerous1. The charity said the new social sector rules mean tenants in both the private and social rented sectors across Great Britain are now protected by five-yearly electrical installation safety checks1. It said it hopes Northern Ireland will extend its regulations to cover social renters1.
Why it matters for households
For a social tenant, the practical effect is that the fixed wiring, sockets and consumer unit in the home, and any electrical appliance the landlord supplies, should carry a dated record of inspection at least every five years. That record is the household's evidence that the installation has been assessed, and it sits alongside other duties covered by housing quality standards for social and rented homes. Where an inspection fails, the 28-day repair window is the point at which a known danger has to be removed rather than logged.
The rules also change what a tenant can ask for and expect to be shown. Electrical safety checks in rented homes now apply on the same five-yearly cycle in the private and social sectors across Great Britain, and tenants who want to know what to look for can read what tenants should check for electrical safety. The underlying technical standard for the inspection itself is covered in electrical safety regulation and BS 7671.
For a household's energy independence, the check is about the safety of the wiring that any future change depends on: adding a heat pump, solar panels, a battery or an electric vehicle charger all load the existing installation, and a current EICR is the document that shows what that installation can take. The same applies to alarm and damp duties that landlords hold alongside electrical checks, covered in smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules in rented homes and damp and mould in rented homes.
What happens next
The regulations for existing tenancies granted before 1 December 2025 come into force on 1 May 2026, and social landlords have a six-month transitional period until 1 November 2026 to have installations and landlord-supplied equipment inspected and tested by a qualified person1. No further dates have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Millions of social renters to be protected from electrical faults, as new laws come into force, electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk