EICR unsatisfactory: what a landlord must do next

What “unsatisfactory” actually means

At the end of an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report), the inspector gives an overall result: satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Under the current wiring standard, BS 7671 Amendment 4, only two codes make the result unsatisfactory:

• C1: danger present. Immediate remedial action needed.
• C2: potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action needed.

A C3 (improvement recommended) does not fail a report. An FI (further investigation advised) used to fail a report automatically. Under Amendment 4 it no longer does by itself, which is one of the biggest changes for landlords. For landlords in England, though, the government guidance still says that where the report shows remedial or further investigative work is necessary, it must be done within the deadline. So treat an FI as work to book.

Our guide to EICR codes gives examples of each.

The steps, in order

Step	What to do	Deadline
1	Read the observations list and check every C1, C2 and FI item	Day the report arrives
2	Give the tenant a copy of the report	Within 28 days of the inspection
3	Get a written price for the repairs	As soon as possible
4	Have the work and any further investigation done	Within 28 days, or less if the report says
5	Get a certificate for the repair work from the electrician	When the work is finished
6	Send written confirmation of completion to the tenant and the council	Within 28 days of finishing the work

The written confirmation step comes from the 2020 regulations. It is easy to forget because nobody asks for it at the time. A short letter or email with the repair certificate attached is enough for your records.

What usually fails a report

Many C2 items in older London rentals are not dramatic. Typical examples include:

• sockets that are not protected by an RCD (residual current device, the switch that cuts power fast if current leaks to earth) where the standard says they should be
• missing or undersized main earthing or bonding to the water and gas pipes
• damaged accessories, such as a cracked socket or a ceiling rose with exposed terminals
• signs of heat damage at a connection
• old cable with crumbling insulation

C1 items are usually exposed live parts. An inspector who finds one will make it safe before leaving.

Converted flats in Wandsworth

Wandsworth is a borough of old houses split into flats. The VOA Council Tax stock of properties 2025 shows 43.4% of homes there were built before 1919, the highest share of the areas we cover, and 71.5% are flats or maisonettes. Walk down the terraces in Earlsfield, Southfields, Tooting or the Toast Rack streets by Wandsworth Common and you will see two or three doorbells on a house that was built for one family.

That history shows up in EICRs:

• Each flat was usually wired when the house was converted. The quality and age of that work varies a lot from house to house.
• Cables for one flat sometimes pass through another, which makes access for repairs harder.
• Meters may be in a shared cupboard in the hall, with meter tails running up through the building.
• Hall and stair lights run off a separate landlord supply that is not part of each flat’s report.

If a C2 relates to a cable or earthing arrangement that runs through a neighbour’s flat or the common parts, you may need the freeholder or managing agent involved. Start that conversation the day the report arrives, because the 28 days do not pause while people agree access. Our Wandsworth page has more on the local stock.

Getting the repairs done

You do not have to use the same electrician who did the inspection. You can get a second price. What matters is that:

• the repairs clear every C1, C2 and FI item
• the electrician gives you a certificate for the work
• the work is done to the current standard

If the fix involves a new consumer unit or a new circuit, it is notifiable work under Approved Document P. The electrician either self certifies through a competent person scheme or the work is notified to Wandsworth Council building control. Ask which scheme they use and check their registration on its online register. Our consumer unit replacement page covers that job.

The price for repairs is confirmed after a look at the report and the property.

If you do nothing

Councils can serve a remedial notice, arrange the work themselves and recover the cost, and impose financial penalties of up to £40,000. A tenant who has not received a copy of the report or seen repairs done can report the landlord to the council.

Before the next inspection

Keep the report, the repair certificate and the confirmation letter together. Note the next due date on the report, which may be sooner than 5 years if the inspector set a shorter interval. Our landlord EICR rules guide has a simple checklist, and our EICR page explains how we run inspections and repairs.