Are serious hazards in Merton rentals limited to the licensing wards?

No. A 2022 study for the council estimated 6,068 privately rented homes in Merton with at least one Category 1 hazard. Graveney had the most, 468, but Raynes Park (451) and Hillside (435) came close. Neither is a licensing ward, so a family let in either carries no licence condition on its electrical report. The study also put Hillside's private rented share at 46.9%, the highest of any ward.

Is an EICR a legal requirement for landlords in Merton?

Yes. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require all landlords — including those renting properties in Merton — to hold a valid EICR. The requirement has applied to all tenancies in England since April 2021. Landlords must provide a copy to tenants before they move in and to the local authority within 7 days of a written request. Failure to comply can result in a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per breach.

How much does an EICR cost in Merton?

An EICR in Merton starts from £67.99 for a studio apartment. A 1–3 bedroom property costs £94.99. Prices scale by property size up to £199.99 for an 8-bedroom HMO. The only location-based surcharge is £20 for properties within the London Congestion Charge Zone, and £10 if no free on-site parking is available.

How long does an EICR take in Merton?

Most EICR inspections in Merton take 2–4 hours depending on the size and age of the property. Older properties and larger installations may take slightly longer. You do not need to be present; a tenant or keyholder can provide access and the certificate will be emailed directly to you within 24 hours.

How often do I need an EICR?

The law requires an EICR every 5 years, or at each change of tenancy — whichever comes first. If the engineer recommends a shorter re-inspection interval in the report (for example 2 years on an older or complex installation), that interval takes precedence. Always keep the EICR certificate on file — you must be able to supply a copy to tenants and your local authority on request.

What happens if my EICR fails?

An EICR is classified as 'unsatisfactory' if the engineer finds a C1 (immediate danger) or C2 (potentially dangerous) code. C1 hazards must be made safe by the engineer before leaving the property. C2 observations must be remedied within 28 days and evidenced in writing to your local authority before the property can be legally let. C3 codes (improvement recommended) do not cause the EICR to fail — the property can still receive a satisfactory result. We can arrange remedial works through our network of NICEIC approved electricians.

NICEIC Approved · Certificate Within 24 Hours · Merton

EICR Merton — from £67.99

Electrical Installation Condition Report for landlords in Merton. NICEIC approved electricians, fixed pricing, no hidden charges — certificate emailed within 24 hours.

Postcodes covered: SW19, CR4, SM4, SW20, SW16, KT3, SW17. Same-week appointments available — book online in under 3 minutes.

from£67.99

Book EICR in Merton — from £67.99 View pricing

From: £67.99
Valid for: 5 years
Certificate: within 24 hours
Accreditation: NICEIC Approved

What is an EICR?

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection and test of all fixed electrical wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings and the consumer unit within a rental property. A qualified NICEIC approved electrician tests every circuit from the consumer unit, checks earthing and bonding arrangements, and assigns a condition code to every observation that falls below the current British Standard BS 7671 — the IET Wiring Regulations. The result is a written report that tells you whether the electrical installation is satisfactory for continued use and — if not — what needs to be addressed and within what timeframe.

Since April 2021, every private landlord in England has been legally required to hold a valid EICR and renew it every five years. This national duty applies in Merton as it does across England, and an HMO licence can add its own conditions on top. Failure to comply can result in a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per breach and a remedial notice from your local authority.

Legal requirement: The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply to all rental properties in Merton. Every landlord must hold a valid EICR, provide a copy to tenants before they move in, and supply it to their local authority within 7 days of a written request. Failure carries a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per breach.

EICR in Merton — local property context

Most Merton homes predate 1939, and the inter-war years, not the Victorian era, are the largest single build period. Only 26.5% of council tax properties were built before 1919, below London's 29.1%, and about 88% predate 2000 (VOA 2025). Flats in converted or shared houses hold 9.2% of households, against 11.1% London-wide (Census 2021).

At the 2021 Census, 29.1% of Merton households rented privately, close to London's 30.0%. Owner-occupation was 55.6% (London 45.2%) and social renting 14.2% (London 23.1%). Our NICEIC approved electricians are experienced with the specific electrical characteristics common to properties in the SW19, CR4, SM4, SW20, SW16, KT3, SW17 postcode areas and regularly carry out EICR inspections across Merton for private landlords, letting agents and HMO operators.

Postcodes covered in Merton

SW19, CR4, SM4, SW20, SW16, KT3, SW17 and surrounding areas. Enter your full postcode during booking to confirm coverage and availability.

EICRs in Merton: the report is read before anyone visits

Merton grants a licence after a desktop check of the application, then decides when to inspect by risk, aiming to visit every licensed property within the scheme's five years. Until an officer calls, the electrical report uploaded with the application, which must be dated within the last five years, is what the council has to judge the installation on.

That puts houses in the frame as well as flats. In the four selective wards, a house let to one family needs a licence. Terraced houses also make up a much larger share of Merton's homes than of London's, as the figures below show.

The licence then adds a record-keeping duty: every electrical report obtained during the licence must be kept for its full term, not only the latest one.

Property licensing in Merton

London Borough of Merton Designation of an Area for Additional Licencing 2023
Additional HMO · In force
Applies to:
HMOs of 3 or more people forming 2 or more households (in practice shares of 3 or 4, as 5 or more need a mandatory licence); small converted buildings of two flats in under three storeys are exempt
Area:
Seven wards: Colliers Wood, Cricket Green, Figge's Marsh, Graveney, Lavender Fields, Longthornton and Pollards Hill
Period:
24 September 2023 to 23 September 2028
London Borough of Merton Designation of an Area for Selective Licencing 2023
Selective · In force
Applies to:
Privately rented homes let to a single household (not HMOs, not housing association lets)
Area:
Four wards: Figge's Marsh, Graveney, Longthornton and Pollards Hill
Period:
24 September 2023 to 23 September 2028
Mandatory HMO licensing
Mandatory HMO · In force
Applies to:
HMOs of 5 or more people forming more than one household (flats in purpose-built blocks of 3 or more self-contained flats exempt)
Area:
Whole borough
Period:
National scheme, no end date

Checked October 2026. Schemes and fees change, so confirm the current position on the Merton Council licensing page.

Homes built 1919 to 1939: 36.8% (London 22.2%); VOA 2025
Households in terraced houses: 35.7% (London 21.3%); Census 2021
Households in purpose-built flats: 28.4% (London 40.3%); Census 2021

Sources

EICR pricing in Merton

Fixed pricing by property size. The same prices apply in Merton as across all other London boroughs — no London surcharge. The only location-based fee is the £20 Congestion Charge Zone addition for central London properties.

Prices are per property with one consumer unit and up to 12 circuits. See notes below for additional charges.

Domestic EICR — Merton pricing

Description	Price
Studio ApartmentCheapest	£67.99Book
1–3 Bedrooms	£94.99Book
4 Bedrooms	£104.99Book
5 Bedrooms	£139.99Book
6 Bedrooms	£159.99Book
7 Bedrooms	£179.99Book
8 Bedrooms	£199.99Book

Additional charges (where applicable)

Parking charge if no free on-site parking is available: £10
Properties in the London Congestion Charge Zone: £20

Pricing notes

·Prices shown are for properties with one consumer unit (one fuse board). Most standard residential properties have one.
·Properties with more than one consumer unit — common in HMOs, converted flats, and larger houses — are charged an additional £49.99 per extra consumer unit. Your engineer confirms the number of consumer units on arrival.
·Each consumer unit covers up to 12 circuits. Installations with more than 12 circuits per consumer unit are charged an additional £10 per circuit above 12.

Want a detailed cost breakdown? See our full EICR cost guide →

What's included from £67.99

Every EICR we carry out in Merton covers the complete fixed electrical installation at no extra cost beyond the price shown.

Visual inspection of all accessible wiring, sockets, switches and light fittings
Testing of all circuits for continuity, insulation resistance and polarity
RCD (residual current device) testing for all protective devices
Consumer unit check — type, condition, labelling and protective devices
Earthing and bonding arrangement check against BS 7671
NICEIC approved engineer — fully qualified and independently assessed
Signed EICR certificate emailed within 24 hours
Prioritised remedial recommendations with C1/C2/C3 classification

EICR Merton — frequently asked questions

Other landlord certificates in Merton

We also cover these landlord certificates in Merton:

Gas Safety

in Merton

EPC

in Merton

FRA

in Merton

PAT Testing

in Merton

Commercial EICR

in Merton

Electrical Diagnostic

in Merton

Fuse Box

in Merton

Emergency Lights

in Merton

Commercial Gas (CP42)

in Merton

Boiler Installation

in Merton

Fire Safety Cert

in Merton

Fire Alarm Install

in Merton

Fire Door Cert

in Merton

Extinguisher Testing

in Merton

Commercial EPC

in Merton

Asbestos Survey

in Merton

Legionella

in Merton

EICR in nearby boroughs

We cover all 33 London boroughs. See EICR pricing and booking for areas near Merton:

EICR Sutton

from £67.99 · SM1, SM6, SM5 …

EICR Kingston upon Thames

from £67.99 · KT2, KT3, KT6 …

EICR Wandsworth

from £67.99 · SW11, SW18, SW15 …

Book your EICR in Merton

Book online in under 3 minutes. A NICEIC approved electrician confirms your appointment. Certificate emailed within 24 hours.

Same-week appointments across Merton and all 33 London boroughs — or call 020 3996 1070.

Book EICR in Merton — from £67.99

Fixed pricing. No hidden charges. NICEIC approved. Certificate emailed within 24 hours.