Does an EICR expire when the tenancy changes?
Short version: no. A report is valid until the date in its Section F or the 5-year statutory maximum — whichever is sooner. A change of tenant does not end it; it just creates a paperwork duty.
The "valid until change of tenancy" wording is wrong — and worth fixing
Landlord reports and older software templates sometimes carry a line saying the certificate is "valid until change of tenancy". Industry bodies — including the NRLA in its guidance to landlords — have called this wording out as an error, and it causes two real problems:
- It makes landlords pay for a re-inspection they do not legally need every time a tenant moves.
- It replaces the one thing the law actually audits: a concrete next-inspection date. BS 7671 Section F asks the inspector to record when the installation should next be inspected, based on its age, condition and use.
If your report says "valid until change of tenancy" instead of a date, ask the electrician for a corrected page. An undated Section F fails letting-agent compliance checks and gives a local authority nothing to measure against.
What the law actually requires at a change of tenancy
Under the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations (England 2020, Wales equivalents from 2022), when a new tenancy starts the landlord must ensure a copy of the most recent report is given to the new tenant before they occupy — and retain it until the next inspection. That's it. The same report serves successive tenants if it is still in date.
| Obligation | When |
|---|---|
| Give the new tenant a copy of the in-date report | Before the new tenancy begins |
| New inspection required | Only when the Section F date or 5-year maximum arrives (or damage/alterations/remedial completion, below) |
| Existing tenants | Copy within 28 days of the inspection |
| Local housing authority | Copy within 7 days of a written request |
When you DO need a new report despite an in-date one
- The Section F date arrives — the inspector's recommended date beats the 5-year maximum.
- Damage or events — flood, fire, lightning, water ingress, rodent damage to cables.
- Additions or alterations — new work is certified separately (EIC / Minor Works), but a condition check of the whole installation is often wise alongside it.
- After remedial work — if the last report was Unsatisfactory, get the completed work confirmed in writing and have the next inspection date re-set.
- Change of use — e.g. a house becomes an HMO, or commercial use changes the installation's risk profile.
Keeping the dates straight across a portfolio
Renewals, statutory maxima and inspector-recommended dates stagger quickly across tenancies. The next EICR due date calculator turns the last inspection date and tenancy type into the legal deadline and a sensible booking window — and the generator archives each report's Section F date per property.