How Much Does an EICR Cost When Buying a House?

What an EICR is and what it is not

An EICR is a formal inspection and test of a property's fixed wiring by a qualified electrician: the consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches and earthing. It grades every defect (C1 danger present, C2 potentially dangerous, C3 improvement recommended, FI further investigation) and gives an overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory result. It is not a certificate that the electrics are new, and it does not cover appliances.

It is also not part of a RICS survey. A Level 2 or Level 3 surveyor will look at the consumer unit and note visible problems, but they do not test circuits. If the survey says "the electrical installation should be tested by a qualified electrician", the EICR is that test. See the guide to RICS survey cost for what the survey does and does not cover.

When a buyer should pay for one

Homeowners are not legally required to have an EICR. Landlords in England are: the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020 require an EICR at least every five years, and gov.uk confirms the same five-year rule now extends to the social rented sector. If you are buying to let, you will need a valid report before the tenancy starts anyway.

For an owner-occupier, the cases that justify £100 to £300 are: a property last rewired more than 25 years ago, an old fuse box with no RCD protection, visible DIY wiring, a survey comment recommending testing, or any plan to extend or renovate. A C1 or C2 finding is a straight negotiating item because the seller would face the same with any buyer.

Why the price varies so much

• Circuit count drives time on site. TestFast's table pairs a one-bed flat with 4 to 6 circuits and a five-bed house with 14 to 20 or more.
• Region: London runs £200 to £300 for a typical home against £100 to £180 in the North, per TestFast's 2026 regional table.
• Access: boarded-in consumer units, loft wiring and outbuildings add time.
• Remedial work is always quoted separately once the report identifies defects. A satisfactory report costs the fee; an unsatisfactory one starts a second conversation.
• Checkatrade prices EICRs as a fixed job, not hourly, so ask for a fixed quote rather than a day rate (£250 to £500 per Checkatrade).

How to save

Ask the seller first. A landlord seller must already hold an EICR under five years old, and any seller who has had recent electrical work should have an Electrical Installation Certificate for it. Either can be handed over free. If the seller has nothing and the property is older, the £100 to £300 is cheap against a rewire that runs into thousands.

Book the EICR at the same time as any other specialist survey to share the access arrangements, and if you are buying to let, combine it with the gas safety certificate visit where the same firm offers both.