EICR Cost UK 2026: £150-350 for an Electrical Installation Condition Report
Quick Answer
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) costs £150-350 in the UK in 2026 depending on property size. A 1-2 bed flat costs £150-200, a 3-bed house £175-250, and a 4-5 bed property £200-350. Landlords are legally required to have an EICR every 5 years. Remedial work is charged on top if faults are found.
What drives the cost of an EICR in 2026?
An EICR is not a quick visual check. A qualified electrician will test every circuit in your property, working through each one methodically with specialist equipment to confirm it meets the requirements of BS 7671, the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations. For a typical 3-bed house, that process takes three to four hours of focused work. For an older property with a large number of circuits, or wiring that predates modern standards, it can take considerably longer.
The cost reflects the time involved, the qualifications required to carry out the work properly, and the liability the electrician takes on by signing off the report. A valid EICR is a legal document. It tells landlords, tenants, insurers, and mortgage lenders that the electrical installation has been tested by a competent person and either meets the standard or requires specific remedial work. Getting it wrong has serious consequences, which is why experienced, registered electricians charge a fair price for the job.
The main factors that push an EICR price up or down are property size (which determines the number of circuits to test), the age and condition of the installation, how easy it is to access the fuse board and wiring, and whether you are in a higher-cost region such as London or the South East. This guide covers all of those variables so you know exactly what to expect when you ask for a quote, whether you are a landlord meeting a legal obligation, a homeowner buying or selling, or an electrician looking to understand how peers are pricing this work.
It is worth noting that the EICR price itself only covers the inspection and the report. If the inspector finds faults coded C1 or C2, remedial work will be needed and that is always quoted and charged separately. For most well-maintained properties, the remedial bill is modest, but in older properties that have not been inspected in many years, it can run to several hundred pounds or more. That is another reason to keep your inspection schedule up to date rather than letting it lapse.
EICR cost by property size: 2026 price guide
The table below shows typical EICR prices for domestic properties in the UK in 2026. These are national averages. London and the South East will be at the top end or above these ranges. Northern England, Wales, and Scotland will typically sit at the lower end.
| Property type | Typical EICR cost |
|---|---|
| 1-bed flat / studio | £120-180 |
| 2-bed flat | £140-200 |
| 3-bed house | £175-250 |
| 4-bed house | £200-280 |
| 5-bed house | £250-350 |
| Commercial property (per circuit) | £250-600+ |
Commercial EICR pricing works differently to domestic. Most electricians quote on a per-circuit basis, as commercial premises can have anywhere from 10 to well over 100 circuits depending on the size and use of the building. A small retail unit may cost £250-400 in total, while a large office block or industrial unit can run to well over £1,000 for the inspection alone.
What is included in an EICR?
When you pay for an EICR, here is what the electrician actually does and what you receive at the end of the visit.
- ✓Visual inspection of all accessible wiring: The electrician inspects visible cables, sockets, switches, the consumer unit (fuse board), and other fixed electrical equipment for signs of damage, deterioration, or non-compliant installation.
- ✓Testing of each circuit: Every circuit is tested using calibrated instruments to measure insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, polarity, and RCD (residual current device) performance. This is the most time-consuming part of the job.
- ✓Formal EICR report with condition codes: You receive a completed EICR document listing all observations and assigning them a code: C1 (immediate danger), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended), or FI (further investigation needed). The report also carries an overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory verdict.
- ✓Recommendations for remedial work: Where faults or deficiencies are found, the report details what work is needed, what priority it carries, and in the case of C1 findings, how urgently it must be addressed.
What is not included in the EICR price
- ✗Remedial work: Any repairs or upgrades needed as a result of the inspection are quoted and invoiced separately. This is industry standard. Never assume the EICR price includes fixing any faults found.
- ✗Emergency lighting testing: Commercial properties with emergency lighting require a separate periodic test under BS 5266. This is not part of the standard EICR and needs to be quoted for independently.
- ✗Portable appliance testing (PAT): PAT testing covers plug-in appliances and is a completely separate service. Landlords and employers sometimes need both an EICR and PAT testing, but they are distinct jobs with separate pricing.
Key factors that affect your EICR quote
When you ask two electricians to quote for the same property, you may get noticeably different numbers. Here is why, and what each factor adds to the total.
Property size and number of circuits
This is the single biggest driver of EICR cost. A 1-bed flat may have 6-8 circuits. A 4-bed house often has 12-16 or more, especially if it has an electric cooker, electric shower, and separate lighting circuits for each floor. Each circuit has to be tested individually, so more circuits means more time, which means a higher price.
Age of the installation
Older wiring takes longer to test safely. Properties with wiring from before the 1960s, or those that still have rubber-insulated cable, can require more careful and time-consuming work. An unlabelled consumer unit also adds time, as the inspector needs to identify each circuit before testing can begin.
Access and occupancy
Testing circuits requires temporarily switching off the power. In an occupied property, this needs coordinating with the tenant or homeowner. If access to the fuse board is difficult, or if furniture blocks sockets and switches, the job simply takes longer. Empty properties are generally quicker to test.
London and South East premium
Electricians in London charge significantly more than the national average, reflecting higher business costs, parking, congestion charges, and the general cost of operating in the capital. Expect to add 20-30% to the figures in the table above if you are in London. The South East outside the M25 typically adds 10-15%.
Whether the electrician is already on site
If you are having other electrical work done at the same time, many electricians will offer a reduced EICR price because the call-out and travel costs are already covered. This is worth mentioning when you request a quote. Combining an EICR with a consumer unit upgrade, for example, can save you £30-60 on the inspection alone.
Regional price variation across the UK
Where you live has a significant effect on how much you pay for an EICR. Electricians set their rates based on local market conditions, the cost of running a van in their area, and what the local competition is charging. The national averages in the table above are a useful benchmark, but your actual quote may differ quite a bit depending on your region.
Expect to pay 25-35% above the national average. A 3-bed house EICR that might cost £200 in the Midlands will typically cost £250-270 in inner London, and can reach £300+ in the most expensive boroughs. Parking costs and congestion charges are often passed on to the customer as a separate line item.
Areas such as Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, and the Home Counties typically run 15-20% above the national average. Electricians here face high van running costs, expensive public liability insurance, and strong demand, all of which feed into their pricing.
Prices here sit close to the national average shown in the table above. Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, and Norwich are competitive markets with a good supply of qualified electricians, which keeps prices reasonable without the race-to-the-bottom dynamic seen in some areas.
In many parts of the North, Wales, and Scotland, you can expect to pay 5-10% below the national average. Cities like Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Glasgow have competitive markets. Rural areas in these regions can sometimes go the other way, as electricians factor in longer travel times to reach remote properties.
For a fuller picture of how electrician costs vary across the UK, including day rates and hourly rates by region, see our electrician hourly rate guide.
How to get an accurate EICR quote
Getting a fair price for an EICR starts with giving the electrician the right information. The more detail you can provide upfront, the more accurate their quote will be, and the less chance of surprises on the day.
Tell the electrician the number of bedrooms, whether the property is a house or flat, and roughly when the wiring was last inspected or updated. If you know the number of circuits or can describe the fuse board (a modern consumer unit or an older fuse box with rewirable fuses), share that too. Mention whether the property is currently occupied and whether there is easy access to the consumer unit.
Always get at least two quotes, ideally three. This is not about finding the cheapest option; it is about making sure you understand the going rate in your area and can make an informed choice. A quote that is significantly lower than others may indicate the electrician plans to rush the job, is not registered with an approved scheme, or will find reasons to add costs later. A quote that is significantly higher may simply reflect that the electrician is busy rather than that they are better.
For landlords with multiple properties, it is worth asking about a bulk rate. Many electricians will offer a reduced per-property price if they can do several EICRs on the same day or in the same week. The savings can be meaningful if you have three or more properties needing inspection at the same time.
If you want to understand how an electrician arrives at their EICR price, our hourly rate calculator can help you work out what a fair day rate looks like based on overheads, desired take-home pay, and local market conditions. Electricians doing their own pricing can also use our electrical load calculator when scoping larger jobs.
Always confirm that the electrician is registered with NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA before booking. For landlord EICRs in particular, an unregistered inspector's report may not satisfy your local council's requirements, which can cause problems when it comes to renewing tenancies or responding to complaints.
Frequently asked questions about EICR costs
What is an EICR and why do I need one?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal assessment of the safety of a property's electrical installation, carried out by a qualified electrician. It tests every circuit for compliance with current standards (BS 7671, 18th Edition). Landlords in England and Wales are legally required to have a valid EICR every 5 years and must provide a copy to tenants. Homebuyers are increasingly requested to obtain one before exchange, and home insurers may ask for proof of a valid EICR on older properties. For landlords, failing to have a valid EICR in place can result in a fine of up to £30,000 from the local authority, so the cost of the inspection is very much a business necessity rather than an optional expense.
How long does an EICR take?
An EICR for a 3-bed house takes 3-4 hours. A larger 4-5 bed property takes 4-6 hours. Older properties with more circuits, fuse boxes without labelling, or wiring dating from before the 1960s take longer to test safely. Commercial properties are charged on a per-circuit basis and can take a full day or more. A 1-2 bed flat with a modern consumer unit and clearly labelled circuits can sometimes be completed in 2-3 hours, which is why the price for smaller properties is lower. The key point is that an EICR cannot be rushed. Any electrician promising to complete the job in under two hours on a large property is almost certainly not testing every circuit properly.
What do the EICR codes mean?
An EICR uses condition codes to classify each observation. C1 means danger is present and immediate action is required; the electrician should make the installation safe before leaving the property. C2 means the installation is potentially dangerous and urgent remedial action is required, though it is not posing an immediate risk of electrocution or fire in the way a C1 would. C3 means an improvement is recommended but the observation is not immediately dangerous and the report is still classed as satisfactory. FI means further investigation is required without delay, typically because something could not be tested conclusively. A C1 or C2 code means the overall report is unsatisfactory and the property cannot be legally let until the faults are remedied and a new report confirms they have been resolved. C3 codes result in a satisfactory report, but improvements are advisable and should be addressed when budget allows.
How long is an EICR valid for?
For rental properties, an EICR is valid for 5 years or until the next periodic inspection, whichever is sooner. If an EICR is classed as unsatisfactory and remedial work is carried out, a new report is issued following the remediation; the 5-year clock restarts from that point. For homeowners, most electricians and insurers recommend an EICR every 10 years or when buying, selling, or significantly extending a property. Newly wired properties and those that have had a full rewire are not required to have an EICR immediately, but the installation certificate issued after a rewire does not serve the same purpose as a periodic inspection report. See our guide to full rewire costs in the UK if you are considering a rewire alongside your EICR.
Can any electrician carry out an EICR?
An EICR must be carried out by a qualified and competent electrician with the right level of experience. For landlord EICRs, it is strongly recommended that the inspector is registered with an approved scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT, or ELECSA. Unregistered electricians can technically carry out the test, but their reports may not be accepted by local councils or letting agents, which creates a legal problem for landlords. Always ask for the inspector's registration number and verify it on the relevant scheme's website before the appointment. If you are based in Scotland, it is worth noting that separate legislation applies under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, and the requirements for landlord electrical safety certificates differ slightly from those in England and Wales.
Ready to book your EICR?
Compare quotes from certified electricians in your area and get your inspection booked quickly.
Get EICR quotes from certified electricians