Two major regulatory changes will see landlords shoulder new electrical safety responsibilities in both England and Northern Ireland.
NICEIC Media Team | Communications
New rules for the English social rented sector
Just over five years ago, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into effect. This new law gave landlords in the English private rented sector legal responsibility for having the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a competent person at least once every five years.
Now, landlords in the English social rented sector will also have similar electrical safety responsibilities, with mandatory five yearly checks on the electrical installations in social housing required from November 2025 for all new tenancies and May 2026 for existing tenancies.
Social landlords will also be required to carry out in-service inspection and testing of the electrical equipment provided as part of a tenancy (commonly known as PAT testing).
The changes follow a government consultation entitled Electrical safety in the social rented sector – proposals to extend regulations. Proposals to legally enforce the inspection and testing of electrical installations and appliances saw strong support from consultation respondents, with 97% agreeing with mandatory electrical installation checks and 83% with the mandatory testing of electrical appliances provided by social landlords.
Northern Irish rules set to apply to all privately rented tenancies
In April 2025, it became mandatory for private landlords to carry out EICRs at least once every five years for all new tenancies in Northern Ireland.
From 1 December 2025, this legal obligation will also extend to existing tenancies, meaning that all private tenancies in Northern Ireland will be subject to the rule.
For further background on the introduction of the legislation in Northern Ireland, please click here to read NICEIC’s response welcoming the legislation back in April.
Your time to shine
With so much change to EICR regulations across the UK rented sector, NICEIC-certified businesses are in prime position to offer their support to landlords across the country. By ensuring landlords have access to certified businesses who can deliver thorough and compliant EICRs, NICEIC-certified businesses can play a direct role in supporting electrical safety and ensuring tenants feel safe in their homes.
With the five-year anniversary having just passed in England, now is also the time to get in touch with private landlords for whom your business has carried out EICRs in the past, so you can support them in remaining compliant.
Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, commented: “The introduction of the regulations in England for the social rented and Northern Ireland for the private rented sectors marks a positive step forward for electrical safety. All tenants deserve to feel safe in their homes, and mandatory electrical safety checks carried out by competent businesses such as those certified by NICEIC will go a long way to achieving that.”
Just over five years ago, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into effect. This new law gave landlords in the English private rented sector legal responsibility for having the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a competent person at least once every five years.
Now, landlords in the English social rented sector will also have similar electrical safety responsibilities, with mandatory five yearly checks on the electrical installations in social housing required from November 2025 for all new tenancies and May 2026 for existing tenancies.
Social landlords will also be required to carry out in-service inspection and testing of the electrical equipment provided as part of a tenancy (commonly known as PAT testing).
The changes follow a government consultation entitled Electrical safety in the social rented sector – proposals to extend regulations. Proposals to legally enforce the inspection and testing of electrical installations and appliances saw strong support from consultation respondents, with 97% agreeing with mandatory electrical installation checks and 83% with the mandatory testing of electrical appliances provided by social landlords.
Northern Irish rules set to apply to all privately rented tenancies
In April 2025, it became mandatory for private landlords to carry out EICRs at least once every five years for all new tenancies in Northern Ireland.
From 1 December 2025, this legal obligation will also extend to existing tenancies, meaning that all private tenancies in Northern Ireland will be subject to the rule.
For further background on the introduction of the legislation in Northern Ireland, please click here to read NICEIC’s response welcoming the legislation back in April.
Your time to shine
With so much change to EICR regulations across the UK rented sector, NICEIC-certified businesses are in prime position to offer their support to landlords across the country. By ensuring landlords have access to certified businesses who can deliver thorough and compliant EICRs, NICEIC-certified businesses can play a direct role in supporting electrical safety and ensuring tenants feel safe in their homes.
With the five-year anniversary having just passed in England, now is also the time to get in touch with private landlords for whom your business has carried out EICRs in the past, so you can support them in remaining compliant.
Paul Collins, Technical Director at NICEIC, commented: “The introduction of the regulations in England for the social rented and Northern Ireland for the private rented sectors marks a positive step forward for electrical safety. All tenants deserve to feel safe in their homes, and mandatory electrical safety checks carried out by competent businesses such as those certified by NICEIC will go a long way to achieving that.”
