Electrical Inspection Cost Guide
Every 5 Years For Landlords
Optional For Homeowners
Prices Updated For 2021
Part of Our Guide to Electrician’s Prices
Prices From UK-Based Electricians
Landlords in England are now legally required to have the electrics in their rental properties inspected every five years. Upgrades and repairs must also be completed within the specified timeframe on the report and notified to your local council’s Building Control.
This type of electrical inspection isn’t just limited to landlords and is also popular with:
- Concerned homeowners.
- Potential buyers.
- Seller wishing to prove that their home is electrically safe.
- Those considering upgrades to their electrics who want to know the overall condition of the electrics in the property.
But how much does an electrical inspection cost? How long does it take? And what exactly does the electrician look at and test?
We asked over two dozen electrical firms from around the UK how much they charge to carry out an electrical safety inspection and provide a report.
We also asked probing questions about what’s included in the report, what they check and what they test etc. We also asked questions about how quickly landlords must carry out any repairs.
What’s Included in an Electrical Inspection?
An electrical inspection, whether completed for a homeowner or landlord will cover all the fixed electrical parts of the installation such as:
- Wiring
- Sockets
- Switches
- Light pullcords
- Light fittings
- Fuseboxes
- Electric shower and fans
- Earthing and bonding
The inspection will not cover appliances such as:
- Fridges
- Freezers
- Televisions
- Washing machines
- Ovens
Landlords should make sure that electrical appliances they have provided are periodically PAT tested.
How Long Does it Take to Carry Out an Electrical Inspection?
Here are some examples:
- Modern 1-bed home – 2 hours.
- Older 1-bed home – 2.5 hours.
- Modern 2-bed home – 2.5 hours.
- Older 2-bed home – 3 hours.
- Modern 3-bed home – 3 hours
- Older 3-bed home – 3.5 hours.
- Modern 4 or 5-bed home – 4 to 4.5 hours.
- Older 4 or 5 bed home – 4.5 – 5 hours.
Some electrical installation will take longer, for example, homes with all-electric heating or very old wiring and fuseboxes.
What Happens After the Electrical Inspection is Completed?
A copy of the report will be sent to the homeowner listing any defects and whether they need to be corrected or not. Each defect will be placed into a category based on how dangerous the problem is.
For landlords, a copy will also be sent to the local building control and the report will also state when each defect must be rectified by, this is again determined by the severity of the fault and the risk to the tenant. This report should be retained and shown to the next inspector at the next inspection.
The tenant should also be sent a copy for their records.
It’s worth noting that some faults are so minor that they don’t require any remedial work, these will be classed as Code C3 – where work is recommended but not required.
Project 1 – Electrical Inspection Cost for Landlords and Homeowners
Our property was a fairly modern and quite typical 2-bed home with an outdated consumer unit (fusebox) that didn’t meet the current regulations; there was also a light fitting in the bathroom that wasn’t sealed and didn’t meet the current safety standards.
Here’s how much we were told it would cost to inspect the electrical installation at our property and provide a report.
We sourced prices from various electricians around the UK and have published the average price by region:
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £175 | £225 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £150 | £200 |
| Outer Region and North | £100 | £125 |
Project 2 – Electrical Inspection Prices for a 3-Bed Older Home
We were also fortunate enough to have access to a much older 3-bed property with outdated electrics, several obvious faults and old-style fusebox.
We took photos of the fusebox, the sockets and switches etc. and emailed our chosen electrical asking them for a price to carry out an electrical inspection.
Below is the average price and is based on all the feedback we received:
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £275 | £325 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £250 | £300 |
| Outer Region and North | £125 | £175 |
The Law and Your Legal Requirements
There’s no law stating that homeowners need to have a periodical electrical safety test done to their property. However, any work including new circuits, upgrades or alterations must be done by a competent person and most of these projects will need to be notified to the local Building Control. Industry experts recommend that homeowners have their electrical installation checked every ten years, but this isn’t a legal requirement.
Landlords in England must have the electrical installations in their properties inspected every five years. Major faults must be rectified within a certain timeframe, and the local Building Control must be given a copy of the report and any certificates for the completed remedial work. The tenant should also be provided with a copy of the report.
Where Can I Get a Price For an Electrical Inspection and Report?
Tap the button below and fill in the form with details of your location and your electrical inspection project.
This is the fastest way to get a price for an inspection:
Electrical Inspections
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Electrical Inspection FAQs
Below you’ll find answers to common electrical inspection questions:
When Were These Electrical Inspection Prices Published?
We sourced prices for electrical inspections from over two dozen electricians in early February 2021.
Can You Give Me Examples of When It Might Cost More Than This?
Don’t forget that our prices are averages, half of the electricians that gave us prices charged more than the figures we have published.
Also, consider that:
- Larger homes will take longer to inspect.
- Those with lots of fixed electrical items such as electric storage heaters/radiators etc will take longer and cost more.
- Homes with very old or complex wiring installations outside of the norm.
- Non-domestic properties such as care homes.
How Do Electricians Check The Sockets, Switches and Wiring?
The electrician will make a visual inspection of all the fixed electrics and then test the current through each with a device.
All the circuits will be tested for any overloads and the earthing and bonding tested with a current.
Where Can I Find More Information About Electrical Inspections?
This page on the government website is a good place to start – gov.uk
I Have a Question About Electrical Inspections, Where is the Best Place to Ask it?
Who is Qualified to Perform Electrical Inspections?
There are several courses electricians can complete to gain accreditation for electrical inspections, but the City & Guilds 2391-51 is the most coveted.
We recommend sourcing electricians that are members of government-backed schemes as they will be able to provide you with a formal report and submit it to Building Control for you if required.
If you’re unsure where to start, try Rated People but check the electrician’s qualifications, not just their reviews.
Where Can I Get a Custom Price for Electrical Inspections?
We have partnered with Rated People who have hundreds of qualified and rated electricians on their books who can help you with your project.
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