Social landlords in England must have each home's electrical installation inspected and tested at least every five years, and complete remedial work within 28 days or any shorter period the report sets. The rules apply to new social tenancies from 1 December 2025 and existing ones from 1 May 2026, and also cover equipment the landlord supplies.
Social landlords in England now have the same electrical safety duties as private landlords. Each home's installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years, and any remedial work the report requires must be done within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so. Equipment you supply is covered too, and penalties can reach £40,000.
What do the regulations require?
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) (Extension to the Social Rented Sector) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1043) extended the private rented sector rules to social housing. Housing associations and councils are both covered.
- New tenancies: social tenancies granted from 1 December 2025.
- Existing tenancies: covered from 1 May 2026, with the first inspection required before 1 November 2026.
| Duty | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Inspect and test the installation | At least every 5 years |
| Give the report to the tenant | Within 28 days of the inspection |
| Complete remedial work | Within 28 days, or any shorter period in the report |
| Confirm completed remedials in writing to the tenant and the local authority | Within 28 days of completion |
| Check electrical equipment you supply | At least every 5 years, and before each new tenancy |
| Fix unsafe supplied equipment | Within 28 days |
Breaches can lead to penalties of up to £40,000.
For supplied equipment, the guidance points to the IET code of practice for in-service inspection and testing. It does not use the term "PAT".
What do C1, C2, C3 and FI mean?
The inspection report, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), codes each observation. In general terms:
- C1, danger present: there is a risk of injury and immediate action is needed. The inspector will usually make the item safe on the day, for example by isolating a circuit.
- C2, potentially dangerous: urgent remedial action is needed.
- C3, improvement recommended: the item does not meet current standards but is not in itself dangerous.
- FI, further investigation required: something needs investigating without delay before it can be coded.
A report with any C1, C2 or FI item is generally treated as unsatisfactory, and those are the items that start the 28-day remedial clock. C3 items are still worth logging, because they help you plan future works.
Coding is a professional judgement. If codes look inconsistent across a programme, ask the inspector to explain them before you instruct remedials.
What does it mean for voids and supported housing?
Supplied equipment must be checked before each new tenancy, so voids are the natural point to test cookers, fans, heaters and any white goods you provide. Voids are also a practical time to carry out an EICR, since the home is empty and remedials will not disturb a tenant.
Supported housing often has more supplied equipment, including communal appliances. A clear inventory, with test dates per item, makes the five-yearly and pre-tenancy checks easier to evidence. See void property works and supported housing refurbishment.
How is electrical safety reported in the TSMs?
The Regulator of Social Housing added BS06, electrical safety checks, to the Tenant Satisfaction Measures on 11 June 2026. Large landlords publish it for 2026/27. Your contractor's EICR dates, coverage by home and records of outstanding remedials feed that figure directly. See Tenant Satisfaction Measures.
When is electrical work notifiable under Part P?
In England, these jobs are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations:
- a new circuit;
- a new or replacement consumer unit;
- alterations in special locations, such as around baths and showers.
Most repairs and replacements are not notifiable. Notifiable work can be done by an installer registered with a competent person scheme, or signed off through building control or a registered third-party certifier.
In higher-risk buildings, replacing a fuse box is not treated as exempt repair work for Building Safety Regulator approval, although work done under a competent person scheme is exempt. Check the route before you schedule consumer unit changes in a tall block. See fire doors in blocks of flats for more on higher-risk buildings.
How do the rules link to Awaab's Law?
Emergency electrical hazards have been within Awaab's Law since 27 October 2025, because phase 1 covers every emergency hazard except overcrowding. From 30 November 2026, phase 2 also brings electrical hazards that are significant hazards within fixed timescales. Agree with your contractor how C1 findings are reported to you straight away, because some may also be emergency hazards under Awaab's Law. See Awaab's Law explained.
What applies in Wales and Scotland?
- Wales: the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022 apply to secure contracts with social landlords and to periodic or shorter fixed-term standard contracts. They require a valid EICR no more than 5 years old, given to the contract-holder within 14 days. The Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023 also requires an EICR at least every 5 years. See Wales standards.
- Scotland: the Scottish Housing Quality Standard requires an EICR at least every 5 years. The Scottish Housing Regulator has treated homes without a valid EICR as failing the standard, or "in abeyance", since the 2021/22 Annual Return on the Charter. See Scotland standards.
For Northern Ireland, see Northern Ireland standards.
What should you ask of your electrical contractor?
- Reports in an agreed format, with the property reference, inspection date, codes and any limitations recorded.
- Evidence of any C1 make-safe on the day.
- Remedials priced and booked inside your 28-day window, or the shorter period the report sets.
- A completion date and certificate for each remedial, so you can send the written confirmation on time.
- Evidenced no-access attempts, with dates, times and methods.
- The Part P route for any notifiable work.
This guide is a summary, not legal advice. Check the current regulations and guidance for your own homes.
How we help
We carry out electrical remedial works from your EICRs and return completion dates, certificates and no-access records in the format your compliance team uses. Where work needs certified people, we confirm in writing, before appointment, who will carry out each measure and what certification they hold. Contact us to discuss a remedials programme.
Common questions
Do the rules cover council housing as well as housing associations?
Yes. The extension to the social rented sector covers both housing associations and councils.
Does a C3 observation need fixing within 28 days?
A C3 is a recommendation for improvement rather than a finding of danger. The 28-day clock applies to remedial or further investigative work the report says is required, which in practice means C1, C2 and FI items.
Is PAT testing required for appliances the landlord supplies?
The guidance requires supplied equipment to be checked at least every five years and before each new tenancy. It refers to the IET code of practice for in-service inspection and testing rather than using the term PAT.
Is a consumer unit change notifiable under Part P?
Yes. In England a new or replacement consumer unit is notifiable work, so it needs a competent person scheme installer, building control or a registered third-party certifier.
Sources
- Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) (Extension to the Social Rented Sector) Regulations 2025
- Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance
- Tenant Satisfaction Measures: technical requirements (Regulator of Social Housing)
- Electrics: building regulations general information (Planning Portal)
- Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022
- Scottish Housing Regulator: Scottish Social Housing Charter FAQs
Checked 31 October 2026. This guide summarises the rules for planning purposes and is not legal advice; check the current legislation or take advice for your own case.
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