An EICR on a typical Nottingham rental property takes roughly two to four hours on site — nearer two hours for a one-bedroom flat, nearer four for a three-bedroom house with an older installation — and the written report normally follows within one to two working days. The inspection itself is only half the timetable: if the report comes back unsatisfactory, a landlord in England has 28 days from the inspection to get the remedial work done and the evidence issued. An EICR, or Electrical Installation Condition Report, is a periodic inspection and test of the fixed electrical installation — the wiring, the consumer unit (the modern fuse board), the sockets, switches and light fittings, and permanently connected items such as showers and extractor fans. It is not a test of your tenant's television. Private landlords in England must have one carried out at least every five years by a qualified person. How long does an EICR take by property size? Time on site tracks the number of circuits and how easy they are to reach, rather than floor area alone. Published trade guidance and our own experience put most domestic inspections in this range: • One-bed flat: around 1 to 2 hours. Few circuits, one consumer unit, everything in one place. • Two to three-bed house: around 2 to 3 hours. The commonest Nottingham rental, and the commonest answer. • Four-bed or larger, or an older installation: 3 to 4 hours and sometimes more, particularly where circuits have been added over the years and nobody has a record of what went where. • HMOs and multi-lets: longer again — more circuits, more points to sample, often more than one distribution board. These are typical durations, not a promise. The only way to know how long your property will take is for someone to look at it: a 1930s semi in Hucknall that has been extended twice will not test in the same time as a new-build flat with a labelled board. What actually happens during an EICR? Knowing what the hours are spent on makes the visit easier to plan around. The electrician works through four broad stages: • Getting the picture. Identifying the incoming supply and earthing arrangement, finding every distribution board, and working out what circuits exist. On an older property with no records this takes a surprising slice of the visit. • Visual inspection. Checking the consumer unit, accessible wiring, sockets, switches and fittings for damage, deterioration, overheating and poor workmanship. • Dead and live testing. Instrument tests on the circuits — continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, RCD operation. The power has to be off for part of this, which is the bit the household notices. • Recording and coding. Writing up the results, applying an observation code to anything found, and reaching an overall Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory outcome. All of that is work for a qualified, registered electrician. None of it asks anything of the tenant beyond giving access and putting up with the power going off for a while — commonly in blocks of twenty minutes to an hour rather than one long outage. Tell tenants in advance, and say when booking if anyone in the property relies on powered medical equipment. Why does one EICR take longer than another? • Number of circuits. The single biggest factor. Every circuit is tested individually. • Access. Sockets behind wardrobes, an unboarded loft, a consumer unit boxed into a cupboard. Clearing access before the visit genuinely shortens it. • Age and condition. Older installations throw up more to investigate, and rubber or fabric-insulated cable needs careful handling. • Records. A previous certificate and a labelled board take a real chunk off the time. • Occupancy. An empty property between tenancies is quicker than a furnished, occupied one. What happens if the EICR comes back unsatisfactory? An EICR is marked Unsatisfactory if it records any C1, C2 or FI observation. C1 means danger is present, C2 means potentially dangerous, FI means further investigation is required without delay. A C3 — improvement recommended — does not on its own fail the report. Our guide to what C1, C2, C3 and FI mean covers each code and the work behind it. For a private landlord in England, an unsatisfactory result starts a 28-day clock from the inspection date to complete the remedial or further investigative work — or a shorter period if the report specifies one. A C1 is not a 28-day item in practice: danger is present now, and it is normally made safe during the visit. The landlord's timetable after an EICR — a checklist • On the day. Confirm the outcome with the electrician and ask whether anything was made safe on the spot. • Within 1–2 working days. Expect the written report. Read the observations, not just the front page. • Within 28 days of the inspection. If the outcome was unsatisfactory, have the remedial or further investigative work completed — sooner if the report says so. • Within 28 days of that work. Supply written confirmation it is done to the tenant and the local council. A satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate is the usual evidence. • Within 28 days of the inspection. Give a copy of the report to existing tenants. New tenants get it before they move in. • On request. Supply a copy to the local authority within 7 days of them asking. • Diarise the next one. At least every five years, or sooner if the report recommends it. Keep the paperwork. In an enforcement conversation the report and the dated evidence of remedial work are what the council asks to see, and penalties reach £40,000 . The duties are set out on GOV.UK; anything turning on your particular tenancy agreement is for your own adviser. Frequently asked questions How long does it take to get the EICR certificate after the inspection? Usually one to two working days. The electrician has to write up the schedules of test results and the observations, which is desk work rather than site work. Ask when you book if you are up against a tenancy start date, because turnaround varies between contractors. Does the tenant need to be in for an EICR? Someone needs to give access, but it does not have to be the tenant — an agent or the landlord with a key is fine, provided proper notice has been given. A tenant can refuse entry, and a landlord cannot force it. Our guide on access and notice rules covers what to do then. How long is an EICR valid for on a rental property? A maximum of five years for a private rented property in England, and less if the report recommends an earlier date. The five years runs from the inspection, not from when the report lands or a tenancy starts. Check the recommended next inspection date on the front of the report rather than assuming five. Do social landlords have the same EICR duties? They do now. The private rented sector regulations were extended to the social rented sector, applying to new social tenancies from 1 December 2025 and to existing ones from 1 May 2026, with inspections on those existing tenancies to be completed by 1 November 2026. If you manage social housing stock, check the current GOV.UK guidance for the detail that applies to you. How much does an EICR cost in Nottingham? Somo Electrical charges £170 to £250 for an EICR on a rental property, set by the size of the property and the number of circuits rather than by the hour. That is a range and not a quote — the property decides. Our breakdown of EICR costs by property size sets out what moves it. Booking an inspection in Nottingham Somo Electrical is a NAPIT-registered electrical contractor, registration number 33320, carrying out landlord certificates and EICRs and wider electrical testing and inspection across Nottingham and the surrounding area, including Hucknall . We will tell you before we arrive roughly how long your property is likely to take, and tell you on the day if it is going to run over. To book an inspection or ask what your property needs, call 07733 666004 or use our online quote form . Inspecting and testing a fixed electrical installation is work for a qualified, registered electrician. Nothing above is an instruction to open a consumer unit, test a circuit or carry out remedial work yourself. Sources checked 4 September 2026: the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 and GOV.UK guidance on electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors; the Extension to the Social Rented Sector Regulations 2025; IET Wiring Matters. Durations are typical trade ranges and our own experience, not a guaranteed timescale. Not legal advice.