Your EICR comes back marked "Unsatisfactory" — what now? The good news is: this is fixable, the timeline is reasonable, and your tenant doesn't have to move out in the meantime. But you need to act within specific deadlines or you're looking at fines up to £30,000 per property.
What Each Code Actually Means
Your report categorises every issue: C1 (danger present, immediate action required), C2 (potentially dangerous, action required), C3 (improvement recommended, NOT a fail), or FI (further investigation needed).
The certificate is "Satisfactory" only if it has no C1 and no C2 codes. Any C1 or C2 and the certificate is "Unsatisfactory" — i.e. failed, and you're out of compliance.
C3 codes don't fail the report — they're recommendations rather than legal requirements. You don't have to fix C3 items, but doing so improves the property.
The 28-Day Rule
Once you have an Unsatisfactory EICR, you have 28 days to either complete the remedial work OR provide written confirmation of the work plan to your tenant and the local authority.
In practice: book the remedial work straight away. If it's a consumer unit upgrade or partial rewire that genuinely takes longer than 28 days, document the booking and notify both tenant and council. Most local authorities are reasonable if you've clearly engaged.
What the Remedial Work Typically Costs
Depends entirely on the codes — but in my experience across Pinner, Harrow, Watford and surrounding areas, the most common remedial work is:
C2 due to no RCD protection on circuits → consumer unit upgrade. £500-£700 fitted in most properties. Half a day, tenant has power back the same evening.
C2 due to missing main bonding → run new bonding cable. £80-£150. 1-2 hours.
C2 due to old fuse board → consumer unit upgrade. Same as above.
C1 due to live exposed conductor / damaged consumer unit → emergency same-day fix. Cost varies but typically £150-£400.
Multiple remedials together usually means I can do them all in one half-day visit at a combined fixed price.
Your Tenant's Rights During This Period
Your tenant can request a copy of the EICR (and you're legally required to provide it within 28 days of any request). They can also report you to the local authority if remedial work isn't completed in time.
They DON'T have grounds to refuse rent or break the tenancy purely because of a failed EICR — provided you're actively addressing it. Communication helps: tell them what's being fixed, when, and what disruption to expect.
Once Remedials Are Done — The Re-Test
After remedials are complete, you need a new full EICR (or a "limited" EICR covering only the affected circuits, depending on the work). I do this as standard at the same time as the remedial work — so you have a fresh Satisfactory certificate before I leave.
The new certificate runs for the full 5-year term, not just the remainder of the failed one. So failing an EICR isn't a financial disaster — it's a forced refresh that puts you in a better position for the next 5 years.
How to Avoid This Cycle Next Time
Three things help: 1) Use a single electrician who does inspection AND remedial — quotes both at the time and gets it all done in one visit. 2) Plan EICRs 6+ weeks before tenancy renewal so there's buffer time. 3) Pre-empt: if your consumer unit is more than 15 years old, replace it proactively. £500-£700 spent now means most of the common C2 fails simply can't happen on the next test.
Need a Re-Test or Remedial?
I cover Pinner, Hemel Hempstead, Harrow, Watford and the surrounding area for landlord EICR remedials. Single visit, fixed prices, fresh certificate the same day. NAPIT registered (Reg. 81930). Call 07405 629 940 or use the contact form.