EICR Remedial Work: What Evidence Should a Landlord Keep After Repairs?

When an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) identifies remedial work or further investigation, arranging the electrician is only part of the landlord’s job. In England, the paperwork after the work matters too.

A clear evidence trail helps show what the original inspection found, what action was taken, who completed it and whether the electrical safety standards were met afterwards. It also makes the next inspection, a tenant request or a local-authority enquiry easier to deal with.

This guide explains what landlords in England should keep after EICR remedial work, the current 28-day rules, and which documents may provide suitable written confirmation.

Start with the original EICR

Keep the EICR that identified the problem. It is the starting point for the compliance record because it shows the observations, classification codes and any required further investigation or remedial work.

Current GOV.UK guidance says landlords must retain the electrical safety report until the next inspection and test is required or, if later, conducted, unless a more recent report supersedes it. The report must also be available for the person carrying out the next inspection and test.

For practical record-keeping, do not separate an unsatisfactory EICR from the evidence showing how its C1, C2 or FI observations were resolved. Keeping the documents together creates a much clearer audit trail.

Which EICR codes normally require action?

Government guidance describes the principal EICR classifications as:

C1 — Danger present: risk of injury. The inspector may make a C1 hazard safe before leaving.
C2 — Potentially dangerous: remedial work is required.
C3 — Improvement recommended: this does not, by itself, require remedial work for the report to be considered satisfactory.
FI — Further investigation required without delay: the landlord must ensure that the further investigation is carried out.

If the report contains C1 or C2 observations, the installation will be reported as unsatisfactory for continued use. An FI observation also requires action. For a fuller explanation, see our guide to EICR C1, C2, C3 and FI codes.

How long does a landlord have to complete remedial work?

Where the electrical report requires remedial work or further investigation, the landlord must ensure it is completed within 28 days of the inspection and testing, or within any shorter period specified in the report.

The 28-day period is therefore a maximum, not a standard waiting period. If the report identifies a more urgent timescale, that shorter timescale governs the required response.

Current government guidance recognises that legitimate practical constraints can sometimes make completion within 28 days impossible—for example, specialist work, dependence on a third party such as an energy supplier, or tenant-specific circumstances requiring additional planning. A landlord is not in breach if they can show they took all reasonable steps to comply. In such cases, keeping evidence of those steps becomes especially important.

What written confirmation should you obtain after the work?

After the remedial or investigative work is completed, obtain written confirmation from the qualified person who carried it out. GOV.UK lists examples of acceptable confirmation, including:

a satisfactory EICR;
an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC);
a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC); or
other appropriate electrical certification.

The appropriate document depends on the work undertaken. A landlord should not assume that every repair requires a completely new EICR. The qualified person carrying out the work should provide the certification appropriate to that work and confirm the relevant outcome.

Keep evidence that the electrical safety standards are met

The purpose of the follow-up evidence is not simply to prove that an electrician attended. The important point is to document the outcome of the remedial work or investigation and whether the applicable electrical safety standards have been met.

A useful property file will normally keep the original EICR and the subsequent certification together. Where further investigation reveals that additional work is still required, the process does not end with the investigation: the further required work must also be dealt with in accordance with the applicable timescale.

Who must receive the documents?

Current GOV.UK guidance for England states that, within 28 days after completion of required remedial work or further investigative work, the landlord must provide the relevant report and written confirmation from the qualified person to the tenant and the local council.

Separately, the underlying electrical safety report has its own document-sharing rules. The current guidance says a copy must be supplied:

to an existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection and test;
to a new tenant before they occupy the premises;
to a prospective tenant within 28 days of a request; and
to the local council within seven days if the council requests it.

Because the electrical-safety regime was extended to the social rented sector and amended in 2025, landlords should use current guidance rather than relying on older summaries of the rules.

What if access or a third party delays the work?

If work cannot be completed within the required period because of circumstances outside the landlord’s control, documentation becomes critical. GOV.UK advises landlords to keep clear records of communications and arrangements where legitimate practical constraints prevent completion within 28 days.

Depending on the circumstances, useful evidence may include:

dates when the electrician was instructed and appointments were offered;
emails or messages concerning access arrangements;
records of attempted tenant contact;
contractor correspondence explaining specialist-work delays;
evidence that work depends on an electricity supplier or another third party; and
rebooked appointment details and follow-up correspondence.

These records do not automatically excuse delay. Their value is that they can demonstrate the reasonable steps actually taken to comply.

A practical EICR remedial-work file

For each rented property, a simple digital folder can make the evidence easier to manage. Consider retaining:

The original EICR — including all observations and the date of inspection.
The remedial-work instruction — showing when the required work was commissioned.
Access and appointment records — particularly where there were delays.
Invoices or job records — useful commercially, although an invoice alone is not a substitute for appropriate electrical certification.
The electrician’s written confirmation or certificate — such as an EIC, MEIWC, satisfactory EICR or other appropriate certification.
Evidence of document delivery — showing when required documents were supplied to the tenant and, where applicable, the local council.
The next inspection date — so the next EICR is not missed.

Why an invoice alone may not be enough

An invoice can show that work was charged for, but it may not establish that the required electrical work was completed to the relevant standard. The regulations and government guidance focus on written confirmation from the qualified person and appropriate electrical certification.

For compliance purposes, keep the invoice if useful, but make sure the electrical evidence itself is present.

Do you need to keep the old unsatisfactory EICR?

Even where later certification confirms that remedial work has been completed, keeping the original report with the follow-up evidence is sensible because it shows the sequence from defect to correction. Current guidance also requires retention of the report until the next inspection is due or conducted, unless it has been superseded by a more recent report.

If you are uncertain whether a later document legally supersedes an earlier report, retain both. Digital storage is inexpensive, and the complete history can be useful during a future inspection, property sale, management handover or council enquiry.

Arranging an EICR for a London property

For information about arranging an inspection, visit our Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) service page. Landlords and property managers can also browse the Compliance Hub for related guidance.

If you need to enquire about an EICR or several property compliance services for a London property, use the Get a Quote form. Scope, availability and price are confirmed before booking.

Official sources

This article concerns electrical-safety requirements in England and provides general information, not legal advice for an individual property or tenancy.