Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in Solihull

Landlords in Solihull must have a valid EICR carried out by a qualified person at least every 5 years, or sooner if the report says a shorter interval is needed. Since 1 April 2021, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 have applied to almost all private rented homes, and the local authority can enforce them with penalties of up to £30,000 per breach. Tenants must receive a copy within 28 days, and new tenants should see it before they move in. That rule applies across B90, B91 and B92, from Shirley to the town centre.

Solihull's housing mix puts electrical safety under regular pressure. The borough has 216,200 people and 89,483 households, with detached homes making up 33.7% of the stock and semi-detached homes 39.1%, while 44.2% of properties were built between 1945 and 1980. Another 13.9% pre-date 1919, so a large part of the town still relies on older wiring routes, older accessory fittings or previous upgrades that may not meet current expectations. That is why we often find landlords asking for an EICR before a tenancy starts in places such as Knowle, Dorridge and Olton.

The local market also keeps moving. Homedata.co.uk records an overall average house price of £410,000 in Solihull, with detached homes at £630,000 and flats at £210,000, and the 12-month price change sits at -2.4% overall. In that setting, a clear electrical report helps landlords avoid last-minute problems during renewal, sale or refinancing. It also gives a written record of the condition of the installation at a fixed point in time, which matters when a property changes hands or a tenancy rolls over.

An unsatisfactory EICR usually means at least one C1, C2 or FI observation was found. We classify C1 as danger present, so the issue is made safe immediately, and C2 as potentially dangerous, which needs urgent action. Landlords must begin remedial work within 28 days and complete the repairs within the further investigation period or sooner if the report states a shorter deadline. Once the defects are fixed, we return for a re-inspection and issue updated records for the file.

If the landlord does not act, the local authority can step in. It can ask for evidence of the original report, the remedial work and the follow-up inspection, and it may arrange the work itself before recovering costs. Copies of the report and any remedial confirmation also need to be given to existing tenants within 28 days. In practice, that means an unsatisfactory result is not a paper exercise. It is a safety issue with deadlines attached.

We often see failed reports in homes around Solihull Town Centre and the older parts of Shirley where accessories have been added over the years without a full upgrade. A loose socket, exposed conductors or missing bonding clips can trigger a C2 or C1 entry very quickly. When that happens, the safest route is simple: isolate the risk, repair it, then retest the circuit before the property is signed off again. That approach keeps the installation in line with BS 7671 and keeps the paperwork clean for the landlord.

Our EICRs in Solihull start from £120. That covers a domestic inspection by a qualified electrician, the visual checks, dead tests, live tests and the written report that sets out the outcome. A small flat in a newer development such as The Green in Shirley B90 4NE will usually take less time than a larger detached house near Hampton Manor B91 2SW, because the number of circuits and accessories changes the workload. The price can rise where the installation has been extended, altered or upgraded in stages.

Age has a direct effect on cost. Homes built before 1919, which make up 13.9% of Solihull's housing stock, and post-war properties from 1945-1980, which make up 44.2%, often need more time at the board and more careful tracing of circuit routes. That does not mean the inspection is expensive by default. It means we need the time to do the job properly and write a report that reflects the condition of the wiring rather than guess at it.

Turnaround is usually quick once the inspection ends. We issue the report after the tests, and if there are C1 or C2 observations we can quote for the remedial work separately so the next step is clear. In a market with an average house price of £410,000 and 2,050 sales in the last 12 months, a clear electrical file helps keep transactions moving when an agent, buyer or tenant asks for proof of safety. A straightforward report now often avoids a longer delay later.