If you let property in Derby or Derbyshire and your first Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) was issued in early 2021 when the Private Rented Sector Electrical Safety Regulations 2020 came in, your five-year renewal is due now. The Electrical Safety First landlord guide and Augusta App's 2026 EICR explainer both flag the same number: penalties for non-compliance rose to £40,000 from November 2025. For most Derby landlords the actual EICR is a 90-minute visit and £120–£250 — the expensive bit is what happens if you miss the date, or if the inspection turns up Code 1 or Code 2 issues you didn't expect.
What the regulations actually say
Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, every let property must have its fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least once every five years (or more frequently if the inspector recommends), with a copy of the report supplied to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection and to any new tenant before they move in. Local authorities can require sight of the report within seven days on request, and impose civil penalties of up to £40,000 (raised from £30,000 in November 2025) for non-compliance — see Electrical Safety First's 2025 landlord guide for the canonical reference and Augusta's 2026 summary for the penalty change.
Why 2026 specifically
The PRS regulations applied to new tenancies from 1 July 2020 and existing tenancies from 1 April 2021. The first wave of compliance EICRs landed across England between mid-2020 and mid-2021 — which means the first wave of five-year renewals is concentrated through 2025 and 2026. Many Derby landlords who took out their first EICR in spring 2021 to comply with the April deadline are due for renewal between now and early 2026's end. The MyJobQuote and Checkatrade 2026 pricing guides both report rising demand through this period — expect inspector diaries to be tighter through summer 2026.
What the EICR actually tests
An EICR is a hands-on inspection covering, at minimum:
- The condition of the consumer unit (fuse box) — modern, RCD-protected, no damage
- The condition of every circuit — ring mains, lighting, cooker, shower, dedicated appliance circuits
- Earthing and bonding — main earth, water pipe and gas pipe bonding present and effective
- The condition of every socket and switch — no scorching, no broken faceplates, correct polarity
- RCD function testing — each RCD operates within the required time at the required leakage current
- Insulation resistance — cabling not deteriorating between conductors or to earth
- Polarity, ring continuity, earth-fault loop impedance at every accessible point
- Test of any smoke alarms hard-wired into the installation (separate to battery smoke alarms)
The five things 2021-era Derby EICRs commonly flag in 2026
1. A consumer unit that wasn't replaced last time
If your 2021 EICR passed with a 'C3' (improvement recommended but not failed) on an older consumer unit, the 2026 inspection is likely to push it to C2 — most older boards don't age well, and the BS 7671 amendments since 2021 have moved the goalposts. Budget £500–£900 for replacement if needed.
2. Surge protection device (SPD) gaps
BS 7671 Amendment 2 (Sept 2022) made SPDs effectively mandatory for new and re-wired installations. 2021 EICRs typically didn't flag the absence. 2026 EICRs increasingly do, often as a C3 (recommendation) rather than C2.
3. RCBO replacement on circuits that previously used RCDs
The trend in BS 7671 is towards individual RCBO protection on every circuit, particularly on EV-charger and heat-pump circuits. If you've added either to a let property since 2021, the 2026 EICR will check the wider protection scheme.
4. Tenant-introduced extension lead/multi-block compromises
Long-stay tenants often add daisy-chain extension leads and multi-block adapters. The EICR identifies these and recommends removal or socket addition. Allow £60–£120 for the additional socket fitting if needed.
5. Damaged sockets, switches and faceplates
Five years of tenancy use shows on faceplates. Most replacements are £5–£12 each in parts plus a small fitting charge. Cheap to fix, expensive to ignore on the EICR.
"The cost of compliance for a UK landlord is materially smaller than the cost of non-compliance. The £40,000 penalty is the headline; the difficulty of letting an unsafe property after a tenant complaint is what bites quietly."
EICR timing for Derbyshire landlords
Book the renewal inspection before the five-year anniversary, not at it. If remedial work is required, you have 28 days from the inspection date to complete it and provide written confirmation to the tenant. Booking two weeks early gives you buffer time. The local authority can fine for non-compliance regardless of whether you're 'about to' get it sorted — evidence of completion matters.
How Cor handles a Derby/Derbyshire landlord EICR
Cor's electricians are NICEIC-registered and book daytime EICR slots across Derby and Derbyshire. Fixed fee per property published on cor.kirkgroup.uk — typically £120–£250 depending on property size and access. We provide the EICR to the landlord and (with permission) directly to the tenant within the 28-day requirement. Where C1 or C2 remedial work is identified, we quote it line by line and can usually complete most of it on a follow-up visit within the 28-day window. Multi-property landlords get a portfolio discount and a single account contact.
Book your 2026 EICR before the diary tightens
Cor's NICEIC-registered electricians book daytime EICR slots across Derby and Derbyshire. Fixed fee, written report within 28 days, line-by-line quote for any remedials. Portfolio discount for multi-property landlords.
Published by Kirk Group Editorial
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