EICR & Remedial Works — Marylebone Rental Portfolio

Electrical safety compliance for rental properties is not optional. Since June 2020, landlords in England have been legally required to hold a valid EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) for every rental property, renewed at least every five years. A satisfactory EICR is a legal prerequisite for serving a Section 21 notice. An unsatisfactory report — with any C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) codes — requires remedial works within 28 days, with a follow-up report confirming the works are complete.

The problem this Marylebone landlord faced is one that many landlords encounter: contractors who carry out the inspection, issue an unsatisfactory report, and then do not return to complete the remedial works. He had been through this twice. The first contractor had issued unsatisfactory reports for three of his six properties and then stopped returning calls. The second had started the remedial works, done two of the three properties, and then gone quiet. He now had three properties with unsatisfactory EICRs approaching the 28-day deadline, three more due for their five-year inspection, and no contractor he trusted.

The properties were all within a half-mile radius of Baker Street — a mix of mansion block conversions and Victorian terraces, all tenanted, all with tenants who had their own schedules and their own tolerance for disruption. The landlord needed all six properties inspected, all remedial works completed, and all satisfactory certificates in his inbox before the deadline.

RARE's approach to portfolio EICR work is built on a principle that most contractors do not follow: the remedial works are part of the inspection, not a separate visit. Every RARE EICR engineer carries a fully stocked van with the most common remedial components — RCDs, RCBOs, socket fronts, switch disconnectors, earth bonding clamps, and a full set of BS 7671 compliant accessories. If a C1 or C2 code is found during the inspection, the engineer fixes it there and then, re-tests, and issues the satisfactory certificate before leaving the property.

Over three days, RARE's engineers worked through all six properties. Tenant coordination was handled entirely by RARE's office team — the landlord provided the tenant contact details and RARE did the rest, scheduling appointments around tenant availability and confirming each visit by text and email.

The findings across the portfolio were typical of London's older rental stock. Four of the six properties had at least one C2 code — most commonly inadequate main protective bonding, outdated RCDs that no longer met disconnection times, or damaged socket accessories. One property had a C1 code: an exposed live conductor on a bathroom pull switch, immediately made safe and replaced. All remedial works were completed on the same visit, with no return trips required.

Every property received a satisfactory EICR certificate before the engineer left. All six certificates were emailed to the landlord and each tenant on the day of inspection, along with a summary of any remedial works completed. The landlord had all six satisfactory certificates in his inbox by the end of day three — four days before the deadline.