What changed, in plain terms
Private landlords in England have had to meet electrical safety standards since 2020. In 2025 those rules were extended to the social rented sector, so housing associations, councils and other social landlords are now under the same regime.
They came into force for the social rented sector on 1 November 2025 and applied straight away to tenancies granted after 1 December 2025. For tenancies granted before that date, the regulations took effect on 1 May 2026 with a transitional period, and that period ends on 1 November 2026.
From that date, those homes need an electrical installation that has been inspected and tested by a qualified person, and any electrical equipment the landlord supplies must have been checked.
What you have to have in place
Installations inspected and tested
Every electrical installation in scope must be inspected and tested by a qualified person before 1 November 2026, then at least every five years after that.
Electrical equipment checked
Electrical equipment the landlord supplies must also be checked by a qualified person before the same date, and at least every five years.
Reports shared on the clock
Tenants get the report within 28 days, new tenants before they occupy, and the council within 7 days of asking.
Remedial work inside 28 days
Where a report is unsatisfactory, the work must be completed within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies, with written confirmation to the tenant and the council.
Why waiting is the expensive option
Every social landlord in the country is working to the same date, and there are only so many qualified people. The closer it gets, the harder the scheduling becomes and the less room there is for the remedial work that always follows a first round of inspections.
Remedial work has its own 28-day clock. A property inspected in late October with C1 or C2 findings still needs that work completed, so the practical deadline for inspections is earlier than the legal one.
How we run a portfolio programme
- Block booking across a portfolio, scheduled by estate or postcode
- One point of contact and one reporting format for the whole programme
- Reports issued digitally the same day, so your 28-day clocks start clean
- Remedial work quoted separately and in writing — no obligation to use us
- Unsafe findings made safe on the day wherever we can
- NAPIT registered (64777) and fully insured, including public liability
We cover everywhere inside the M25 and just outside. For anything beyond a handful of properties, the partnership arrangement is usually the better fit, and it covers the rest of your maintenance as well as compliance.
Questions social landlords are asking
What exactly changed for social landlords?
The electrical safety standards that have applied to private landlords since 2020 were extended to the social rented sector in 2025. They came into force for the social rented sector on 1 November 2025 and apply to social housing tenancies granted after 1 December 2025.
What is the 1 November 2026 deadline?
For social housing tenancies granted before 1 December 2025, the regulations came into force on 1 May 2026 with a transitional provision: the electrical installation must be inspected and tested, and any electrical equipment the landlord provides must be checked, by a qualified person before 1 November 2026.
Does it cover electrical equipment as well as the wiring?
Yes. Social landlords who provide electrical equipment must have it checked at least every five years. If equipment is found to be unsafe, the tenant must be told immediately and it must be replaced or made safe within 28 days.
What makes a report unsatisfactory?
Any C1, C2 or FI observation. C3 items are recommendations only and don't require work. Our reports say plainly which is which, so nobody spends money they don't have to.
What are the penalties?
Councils can impose financial penalties of up to £40,000 for breaching the electrical safety standards. Offences committed from 1 May 2026 fall under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
How quickly can you work through a portfolio?
It depends on the number of properties and access arrangements, which are usually the limiting factor rather than engineer availability. Tell us the size of the portfolio and where it sits and we'll come back with a schedule and a fixed price per property type.
If you want the detail on codes, timings and what happens after an unsatisfactory report, our EICR page covers it.
Dates and duties on this page come from the GOV.UK guidance Electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors, covering the 2025 Extension to the Social Rented Sector Regulations, and were last checked on 12 September 2026. This is a summary written to be useful, not legal advice. Landlords remain responsible for confirming their own obligations.