Podcast Episode 6: EICR Rules Are Changing in October 2026 - Are You Ready?
In Episode 6 of the MS Electrical Solutions Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest changes to hit the UK electrical industry in years. From October 2026, new legislation formally standardises the minimum qualifications required to legally carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report. Not every electrician currently offering EICRs will meet the new standard - and the consequences for landlords and property owners could be severe. Listen to the full episode below, or read the transcript underneath.
TRANSCRIPT
There could be a hidden electrical fault just millimetres behind the freshly painted plaster of your living room. You plug in your kettle, you charge your electric vehicle, and everything seems perfectly normal. But the scariest part is not just the invisible current running through your walls - it is the paperwork.
The person you paid good money to inspect your home and hand you a piece of paper declaring it safe may have had absolutely no legal requirement to actually know how to test it.
It sounds absurd, but that has been the reality of the UK property market for decades. The law relied on a massive, ambiguous loophole - one that allowed anyone with basic installation knowledge to declare a complex, degrading electrical system completely safe.
Welcome to Episode 6. Today we are speaking directly to Surrey homeowners, local private landlords and facilities managers trying to keep commercial spaces compliant across West Sussex. Because things are about to change.
What is an EICR?
An EICR - Electrical Installation Condition Report - is an in-depth inspection and certification of a property's wiring, fuse boards and overall electrical safety. Think of it like an MOT for your house. You would not drive a car for a decade without checking the brakes, so you should not assume a property is safe just because the lights turn on when you flick the switch.
For commercial sites, an EICR is required every five years or whenever the occupancy changes. Fail to obtain one and you risk invalidating your insurance entirely. For landlords in the private rental sector, it has been a legal requirement since 2020, renewed every five years.
The October 2026 Change
For the first time, the minimum qualifications required to legally conduct an EICR are being formally standardised. Previously the law simply required a "qualified person" to carry out the inspection without defining what that actually meant. That loophole allowed anyone with basic installation knowledge to sign off a complex electrical system as safe.
From October 2026, electricians must hold three specific qualifications:
The first is the Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installation - also known as the 2365. This is the core electrical trade qualification. Think of it as passing your driving test - it proves you can build a safe system from scratch. But building is not the same as testing.
The second and most important is the 2391-52 Inspection and Testing qualification. This is the dedicated EICR qualification. It is not part of standard electrical training, and many electricians currently offering EICRs do not hold it. Without the 2391-52, an inspector is essentially looking at the surface. With it, they are trained to use the electrical equivalent of an MRI scanner to find hidden faults.
The third is the current 18th Edition certificate - BS 7671. This simply confirms the electrician is working to the newest wiring regulations, not an outdated rulebook from a decade ago.
What This Means for Landlords
If a landlord uses an unqualified electrician after the October 2026 deadline, their EICR certificate could be completely invalid. The local authority looks at it and sees that the person who signed it does not hold the 2391-52. The certificate is worthless. The landlord has no valid EICR at all and faces enforcement action and fines of up to £30,000.
What This Means for Homeowners
For homeowners the risk is not just financial, it is a safety issue. A cursory inspection by an underqualified inspector might result in a pass certificate, while missing severe, life-threatening dangers hidden behind the walls.
A Real Example from Crawley
MS Electrical Solutions recently carried out an EICR on a residential property in Crawley. From the outside it looked completely normal. The lights worked. The sockets functioned. Everything seemed standard.
Using calibrated test equipment and the systematic approach required by the 2391-52 qualification, the team ran a thorough inspection. What they found behind the walls was a mess exposed wiring, unsafe connections and uncertified modifications made haphazardly over the years. Thin lighting cable spliced into a heavy socket circuit and plastered over. In the event of a fault, that wire would melt and catch fire inside the wall. The breaker would not trip fast enough. A visual inspection would have missed it entirely.
Only a properly qualified engineer, trained to systematically uncover hidden dangers using physics and measurement, would have found it.
How to Verify Your Electrician
Anyone can print a sticker for their van saying qualified. The way to verify is simple - check the NAPIT register at napit.org.uk. It is a public, government-approved register listing qualifications and scope of work for all registered electricians.
MS Electrical Solutions is fully NAPIT accredited for both domestic and commercial inspection, and already holds all three qualifications required under the October 2026 changes today - not waiting for the deadline.
If an installation is compliant, MS Electrical Solutions will tell you it is compliant. They do not invent unnecessary work. If remedial work is needed, they provide a clear plan and clear pricing.
Book an EICR in Surrey
If you own a home, rent out a property or manage a commercial space in Surrey or West Sussex and need an EICR - do not wait until October 2026 when everyone is rushing to comply. Call MS Electrical Solutions directly on 07508 224603 or visit mselectricalsolutions.co.uk for a free, no-obligation quote.
For a deeper read on the October 2026 changes, including the full qualification breakdown and what happens if a landlord's EICR is carried out by an unqualified electrician, read our full written guide: EICR Regulations Changing in October 2026 — What Surrey Homeowners and Landlords Need to Know.
