Landlord EICR in Braintree
Rented homes in Braintree need an electrical safety certificate at least every five years, and at the start of every new tenancy.
Covering CM7, CM77 and the surrounding area.
Book a landlord EICR in BraintreeWhat the regulations require of Braintree landlords
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require the electrical installations in a rented home to be inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years, and before a new tenancy begins. The inspection has to be carried out by a qualified and competent person, it is assessed against BS 7671, the UK wiring regulations, and it produces an EICR.
Once you have the report there are three further duties, and they are the ones landlords most often miss. A copy goes to the existing tenants within 28 days. A copy goes to any new tenant before they move in. And the local authority gets a copy within seven days if it asks for one.
Where the report is unsatisfactory, the remedial work has to be completed within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period, and you then need written confirmation that it has been done. That 28 day clock is why leaving the inspection until the deadline is tight is a bad idea: an unsatisfactory result gives you far less room than you expect.
What it costs to get it wrong in Braintree
Local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 for a breach of these regulations. They can also arrange the remedial work themselves and recover the cost from the landlord. This is enforcement that actually happens rather than a theoretical maximum, and it is worth more than the inspection many times over.
We arrange the inspection, and we tell you before your certificate lapses so the renewal does not creep up on you. If the report comes back unsatisfactory you are under no obligation to use the same electrician for the remedial work.
Renting out property in Braintree
A broad mix, with sale-driven enquiries from the newer estates and a steadier stream of landlord renewals from the rented stock in and around the town centre.
What inspectors find in Braintree rentals
The split matters. In the older centre the inspection resembles Colchester or Maldon: pre-war wiring, boards that predate RCD protection, and circuits that have been extended by hand over decades. On the Great Notley estates the installation is modern, usually already RCD-protected, and the inspection is quick, with findings concentrated on post-handover additions such as outside sockets, garden lighting and EV chargers. Knowing which of the two you have is the main thing that determines how long the visit takes.
As well as Braintree itself, we regularly arrange work in Bocking, Great Notley, Black Notley, Rayne and Cressing. The billing authority is Braintree District Council. The price follows the property rather than the postcode, so there is no surcharge for reaching any of them.
If you are weighing up whether you need one, read what landlords need to have in place, or check the areas we cover.
Get a fixed price for Braintree
Tell us about the property and we will reply with a fixed price, with no call-out charge added afterwards and no obligation to proceed.
Braintree: common questions
- When exactly does a Braintree landlord need a new EICR?
- At intervals of no more than five years, and before a new tenancy starts if the existing report will not still be valid for that tenant. A report with time left on it carries over to a new tenancy, so you do not need a fresh inspection for every changeover. If your report specifies an interval shorter than five years, that shorter interval is the one that applies.
- Do I have to give the report to my tenants?
- Yes, and this is a duty in its own right rather than good practice. Existing tenants get a copy within 28 days of the inspection. A new tenant gets one before they take occupation. Anyone requesting to become a tenant gets one within 28 days of asking. Reports are issued digitally so you can forward them straight on.
- What if the report is unsatisfactory and I cannot get the work done in 28 days?
- The 28 day limit runs from the inspection, and it is not generous once you have arranged quotes and access. If the work genuinely cannot be completed in time, the practical answer is to start it and document that it is under way, because the regulations look at whether you took the required steps. The better answer is to book the inspection well before your deadline so the 28 days is not the binding constraint.
- My house on the Great Notley estate is only 20 years old. Is an EICR worth it?
- It is worth it, and it will be quick. A 20 year old installation is nowhere near the end of its life, but 20 years is around when the first findings start appearing, and the recommended interval for an owner-occupied home is 10 years. On modern estate housing the report almost always comes back satisfactory, with any observations sitting on things added after the house was built rather than on the original installation.
- Do you cover the villages around Braintree?
- Yes. Bocking, Great Notley, Black Notley, Rayne and Cressing are all inside the coverage area, and CM77 is treated the same as CM7 for pricing. There is no rural surcharge.
- How much does an EICR cost in Braintree?
- EICR costs depend on the size of the property and the number of circuits, so you get a fixed price before booking rather than an hourly rate. A standard domestic EICR on a two or three bedroom home is a single flat fee with no call-out charge on top. Send the property details through the quote form and you will get the price in writing.
- How often do landlords need an EICR?
- Landlords in England must have the electrical installations in rental properties inspected at least every 5 years, and at the start of a new tenancy. You must give the report to tenants within 28 days and to the local authority on request. We remind you before your electrical certificate expires so the renewal does not creep up on you.
- Do you carry out commercial EICRs?
- Yes. We arrange domestic and commercial work, from flats and houses through to shops, offices and commercial premises. Inspection intervals for commercial premises are usually shorter than domestic, and the electrician will advise the right interval for your electrical system when quoting.
- What happens if the report is unsatisfactory?
- An unsatisfactory result means at least one C1 or C2 item was found. The report explains what was found in plain English, the remedial electrical work is quoted separately, and the EICR certificate is re-issued once it is put right. You are under no obligation to use the same electrician for the repairs.