If you let out a property in Liverpool, there is a fair chance it needs a licence. The city runs one of the largest selective licensing schemes in the country, covering a big slice of privately rented homes, and electrical safety is built into it. So before you renew a tenancy or take on a new place, it helps to know what the electrical side of a licence actually asks for.
What the scheme wants on the electrical side
The headline is the EICR. To meet the licence conditions you need a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report, carried out by someone qualified and competent, and it has to be no more than five years old. You also have to give a copy to your tenants, and to the council if they ask. This part is not unique to Liverpool, it is the national rule for rented homes, but the licensing scheme means the council is far more likely to actually check.
What an EICR looks at
An EICR is a proper inspection of the fixed wiring, not a quick glance round. The electrician checks the consumer unit and whether you have RCD protection, the earthing and bonding, the condition of the cabling, and anything that has been added or altered over the years. Old boards with rewireable fuses, no RCDs, or a bit of dodgy DIY from a previous owner are the usual reasons a report fails.
Findings get coded. A C1 means danger is present and needs sorting straight away, a C2 means potentially dangerous, and a C3 is a recommendation rather than a fault. The report only counts as satisfactory once there are no C1 or C2 codes left outstanding.
What happens if you ignore it
Two things, and both sting. On the safety side, a council can issue a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for breaching the electrical safety rules. On the licensing side, letting a property that should be licensed without a licence brings its own problems, including financial penalties and Rent Repayment Orders, where a tenant can reclaim up to twelve months of rent. That last one tends to focus minds.
If your EICR does come back with faults, you normally have 28 days to put them right and get written confirmation the work is done.
Getting a property licence-ready
The simplest approach is to book the EICR early, well before a tenancy starts or a licence falls due, so there is time to fix anything that comes up. Deal with any C1 and C2 items first, since those are what hold up a satisfactory report. And keep your paperwork together, because a licence application usually wants the electrical report alongside your gas safety and alarm records.
We do a lot of this work for landlords across Liverpool, from the EICR itself through to any remedial work a report throws up. If you need a property inspected and certified for a licence, our electrical inspection and testing is the place to start.
Common questions
How often do I need a new EICR for a Liverpool licence?
At least every five years for a standard rented home. If your EICR recommends testing sooner, go with the shorter date. And if you have major electrical work done in the meantime, that should be certified too.
My property already has a recent EICR. Is that enough?
If it is satisfactory, less than five years old, and you can produce it for the council and your tenants, it should cover the electrical part of the licence. Just check there are no unresolved C1 or C2 items, because a report with those outstanding does not count as a pass.