The short answer
The landlord pays for the EICR. The duty to have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested falls on the landlord under the Electrical Safety Standards 2020, and the cost of that inspection — typically around £100–£300 for a UK home — is a landlord expense, not something a tenant can be charged for. The landlord also pays for any remedial work the report requires to bring the installation up to standard. A tenant should not be asked to fund the EICR or the remedials, and the Tenant Fees Act 2019 restricts the payments landlords and agents can require from tenants in England. The only realistic exception is where a tenant has caused damage to the installation through misuse, where the landlord may seek the cost of putting that specific damage right.
Since the landlord holds the legal duty, the question of who pays is mostly settled by who the duty falls on. But it is worth being clear about the cost, the remedials, and the narrow situations where a tenant might face a charge.
Who pays for what
- EICR inspectionlandlord
- Typical EICR cost~£100–£300
- Remedial work to meet standardlandlord
- Tenant fee for the EICRnot permitted
- Tenant-caused damagetenant may bear that cost
Why the cost sits with the landlord
The Electrical Safety Standards 2020 place the duty to inspect, test and remedy on the landlord. Because the obligation is the landlord's, so is the cost of meeting it. That covers:
- the EICR inspection itself, typically in the region of £100–£300 depending on property size and circuits;
- any remedial or further-investigation work required to make the installation satisfactory;
- the cost of obtaining the written confirmation that remedial work is complete.
None of these can fairly be passed to the tenant as a condition of the tenancy. The fixed installation is part of the property the landlord owns and lets, so keeping it safe and compliant is a cost of being a landlord.
| Item | Who pays | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| EICR inspection | Landlord | ~£100–£300 |
| Remedial work (C1/C2/FI) | Landlord | Quoted separately |
| Confirmation of completion | Landlord | Usually included in remedial cost |
| Damage caused by tenant misuse | Tenant may bear | Depends on the damage |
Indicative UK figures; cost depends on the property. Source: Checkatrade and industry cost guides; GOV.UK.
The Tenant Fees Act and prohibited payments
In England, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 limits the payments a landlord or letting agent can require from a tenant. Most fees beyond rent, a capped deposit and a small number of permitted payments are prohibited. A charge for the landlord's statutory EICR would not be a permitted payment — it is a cost of the landlord meeting their own legal duty, not a service to the tenant.
This means a clause in a tenancy agreement trying to make the tenant pay for the EICR, or to deduct it from the deposit, would generally not be enforceable. A tenant asked to pay for the EICR can reasonably decline and, if pressed, raise it with the local authority, which deals with prohibited payments as well as electrical safety breaches.
The narrow exception: tenant-caused damage
There is one realistic situation where a tenant could end up bearing a cost connected to the electrics. If a tenant damages the installation through misuse — for example, deliberately or negligently breaking a socket, light fitting or part of the wiring — the landlord may be entitled to recover the cost of repairing that specific damage, in the same way as for any other tenant-caused damage to the property.
This is distinct from the EICR and the routine remedial work that keeps the installation up to standard, which remain the landlord's responsibility. The line is between maintaining a safe installation (landlord) and making good damage the tenant caused (potentially the tenant). Because deposit deductions and disputes have their own rules, a landlord or tenant unsure where a cost falls should check the tenancy agreement and the relevant guidance, and confirm the position with the local authority or a deposit scheme.
Deposits, disputes and where the line falls
The distinction between landlord and tenant responsibility most often surfaces at the end of a tenancy, when a landlord considers a deposit deduction. The governing principle is fair wear and tear versus actual damage. Normal use of sockets, switches and fittings over the course of a tenancy is wear and tear, which the landlord cannot charge for. Genuine damage caused by the tenant's actions is different and may be recoverable.
Where a property's deposit is protected in a government-approved scheme, any disputed deduction can be referred to the scheme's adjudication service, which weighs the evidence on each side. For electrical items this usually means asking:
- Was the item working and undamaged at the start, as shown by the inventory?
- Is the fault damage or simply age and ordinary use?
- Is the landlord seeking the cost of repairing the damage, rather than a general upgrade?
An EICR cost itself would not be a fair deduction, because it is the landlord's own statutory expense. A repair to a specific item the tenant broke might be, if the evidence supports it.
| Electrical cost | Fair to charge tenant? |
|---|---|
| Routine EICR inspection | No — landlord's statutory cost |
| Remedial work to meet the standard | No — landlord's duty |
| Wear and tear on fittings | No — ordinary use |
| Repair of an item the tenant broke | Possibly — with evidence |
General guidance on deposit deductions; adjudication weighs the evidence. Source: deposit scheme guidance.
How landlords treat the EICR cost
From the landlord's side, the EICR is a cost of running the property as a business, and landlords commonly treat inspection and routine maintenance costs as ordinary expenses of letting. The specific tax treatment of any given cost depends on the landlord's circumstances and on current rules, and the distinction between a repair and an improvement can matter, so a landlord should take their own advice rather than assume a particular outcome.
The broader point for both sides is that the EICR is built into the economics of being a landlord, not an extra to be recovered from the tenant. A landlord who tries to pass the statutory inspection cost to the tenant is likely to fall foul of the Tenant Fees Act and to invite a complaint to the local authority, while a tenant asked to pay should feel confident the cost is not theirs to bear. Where a genuine question arises — most often around a specific item of damage at the end of a tenancy — the tenancy agreement, the inventory and, if needed, the deposit scheme's adjudication are the right places to resolve it. Because the rules around fees, deposits and tax can change, anyone unsure of their position should confirm the current guidance on GOV.UK.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tenant pay for the EICR?
No. The landlord holds the legal duty to inspect and test the installation, so the landlord pays for the EICR and any remedial work needed to meet the standard. A tenant should not be charged for the landlord's statutory EICR.
How much does a landlord pay for an EICR?
An EICR for a typical UK home usually costs around £100–£300, depending on property size and the number of circuits. Any remedial work the report requires is quoted and paid for separately, also by the landlord.
Can a landlord ever charge a tenant for electrical work?
Only in the narrow case where a tenant has damaged the installation through misuse, where the landlord may recover the cost of repairing that specific damage. The routine EICR and remedial work to meet the standard remain the landlord's cost.
Sources & further reading
- GOV.UK — electrical safety standards in the private rented sector: guidance
- GOV.UK — Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific property. They are guidance, not a quotation. Legal duties are summarised for guidance — confirm the current position on GOV.UK.