UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi, hoping someone can help me.

I'm trying to get a copy of the EICR that was carried out on my rented property last month. I am aware that as a lowly tenant I don't have a right to be in the know about this stuff, but don't see why I can't have access to a copy.

I've tried emailing 3 different departments of my estate agents, only the first [local branch] replied saying they don't have access to it.

Is there some kind of phrase to get them to take me seriously? I'm rubbish at the technical aspects and they keep brushing aside concerns I have.

Why do you want to see it? Do you have a suspicion there's a problem? It's tricky because, unlike a gas certificate, it's not a document your landlord is required to provide to you. Indeed, assuming you're in England, it's not even a specific requirement for a landlord to have an EICR done. You might try writing to your landlord directly but if the only address you have is c/o the estate agents, it might not get you much further anyway.

In theory, a Subject Access Request under GDPR wouldn't help as the EICR wouldn't be deemed part of your personal information (although I suppose it depends how much the poor sucker they get to pull the information together knows about GDPR). Also, you'd be well and truly off their Christmas card list!

Quote from: Simon Pambin on June 24, 2018, 10:09:10 PM
Why do you want to see it? Do you have a suspicion there's a problem? It's tricky because, unlike a gas certificate, it's not a document your landlord is required to provide to you. Indeed, assuming you're in England, it's not even a specific requirement for a landlord to have an EICR done. You might try writing to your landlord directly but if the only address you have is c/o the estate agents, it might not get you much further anyway.

In theory, a Subject Access Request under GDPR wouldn't help as the EICR wouldn't be deemed part of your personal information (although I suppose it depends how much the poor sucker they get to pull the information together knows about GDPR). Also, you'd be well and truly off their Christmas card list!

I know there is a problem, the oven stopped working as soon as a new consumer unit was installed...three months later and the oven is now working.
I probably wouldn't be too bothered, but am very annoyed that my emails have been ignored - I don't think I ever got close to being on the Xmas card list due to all the issues with the property - they certainly aren't on mine
Would it be worth asking the electrician for a copy? We are on good terms, but I don't want to put him in an awkward position or ruin the good will if he can't give a copy?

The answer is that no, there's no special phrase you can use to persuade the Landlord's Agent (not yours) to provide you with a copy of the EICR. As stated, there's no requirement for an EICR in the first place... are you sure one exists anyway? Yes, there's a new Consumer Unit and that's notifiable to local Building Control etc., but maybe you're asking for something that doesn't actually exist, and - on top of that - you certainly have no right to see (as the Tenant)... it's not the same as a GSC or EPC.

The new consumer unit wasn't put in properly, and has to be redone...so BC haven't been notified. Someone has done an EICR and put a great sticker on the unit saying so. I thought landlords had to have electrics tested before tenants moved in - and certainly every 5 years...is this just recommendation, not legislation?

Recommendation.

Visual Check is enough... ensure sockets aren't hanging off walls, bare wires etc..

Electricians would love it to be legislation... so many of them pretend it is to unwary Landlords who often like to take the word of experts.

A landlord has a legal obligation to "keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for the supply of water, gas and electricity" but there's no stipulation that a formal inspection by a qualified electrician be carried out at set intervals. It's a requirement in Scotland, and I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being a requirement here one day but, at present, there's nothing to say you need an EICR for a bog-standard tenancy.

On the plus side, that fact that your landlord got one done at all is a good sign, albeit possibly also a sign that he's under the agent's thumb!