Who counts as a competent electrical inspector for a Tower Hamlets licence?

The council's Property Licensing Guidance for landlords and agents asks for an inspector qualified to at least AQA VRQ domestic standard. The inspector must also be registered with an approved scheme, such as NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, BSI or BRE. Check the inspector's scheme membership before the visit so the report supports your application.

What else does a Tower Hamlets licence application need?

Alongside the electrical certificate, the council asks for a gas safety check or commissioning certificate and floor plans showing room sizes. You must also know where the fire detection and sounders are sited. Drafts on the council's online portal are deleted automatically 90 days after they are started, so gather these documents first.

Is an EICR a legal requirement for landlords in Tower Hamlets?

Yes. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require all landlords — including those renting properties in Tower Hamlets — 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 Tower Hamlets?

An EICR in Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets?

Most EICR inspections in Tower Hamlets 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 · Tower Hamlets

EICR Tower Hamlets — from £67.99

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

Postcodes covered: E14, E1, E3, E2, E1W. Same-week appointments available — book online in under 3 minutes.

from£67.99

Book EICR in Tower Hamlets — 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets. 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 Tower Hamlets — local property context

Tower Hamlets has the highest share of post-2000 housing in London: 44.8% of its homes, against 17.9% across the capital. Just 8.8% of households live in terraced houses, and pre-1900 buildings make up 10.7% of the stock, about half the London level. Four in five households live in purpose-built flats, and 3.5% in flats carved out of former warehouses, schools or churches.

Private renting is the borough's largest tenure, at 38.2% of households in 2021 against 30.0% for London, with additional HMO licensing borough-wide until March 2029. Our NICEIC approved electricians are experienced with the specific electrical characteristics common to properties in the E14, E1, E3, E2, E1W postcode areas and regularly carry out EICR inspections across Tower Hamlets for private landlords, letting agents and HMO operators.

Postcodes covered in Tower Hamlets

E14, E1, E3, E2, E1W and surrounding areas. Enter your full postcode during booking to confirm coverage and availability.

EICRs in Tower Hamlets: from build certificate to first periodic report

Tower Hamlets' licence application list accepts either an electrical safety check or a commissioning certificate as the electrical evidence for flats and HMOs. With so much of the borough built since 2000, the document in a landlord's file may be the installation certificate issued when the block was finished, not a periodic report.

Check its date before relying on it. A periodic EICR is due within five years of the last inspection, and the council says applications are currently taking up to 12 months to complete. A certificate approaching five years old can therefore lapse while you wait for a decision.

Converted buildings are the exception to the new-build picture. For a flat in a former warehouse, school or church, book a full inspection rather than assuming the installation was renewed at conversion.

Property licensing in Tower Hamlets

Additional Licensing Scheme 2023 Designation
Additional HMO · In force
Applies to:
Homes, including flats, shared by 3 or more people from 2 or more households who share a kitchen or bathroom; resident landlords with more than 2 lodgers; and flats of 5 or more sharers in purpose-built blocks of 3 or more flats
Area:
Whole borough
Period:
1 April 2024 to 31 March 2029
Mandatory HMO licensing
Mandatory HMO · In force
Applies to:
HMOs of 5 or more people from 2 or more households, whatever the number of storeys, and flats of 5 or more sharers in buildings of up to two flats, including flats above or below shops. Each qualifying flat needs its own licence
Area:
Whole borough
Period:
Ongoing (national scheme)
Selective licensing (Weavers, Whitechapel, Spitalfields and Banglatown)
Selective · Expired
Applies to:
Homes let to one household or to 2 sharers. No new applications after 30 September 2026; licences already issued stay valid, with their conditions, until they expire
Area:
Weavers, Whitechapel, and Spitalfields and Banglatown wards
Period:
1 October 2021 to 30 September 2026

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

Households renting privately: 38.2% (London 30.0%); Census 2021
Households in purpose-built blocks of flats: 80.7% (London 40.3%); Census 2021
Homes built in 2000 or later: 44.8%, the highest share in London (London 17.9%); VOA 2025
Conservation areas: 58; Tower Hamlets Council

Sources

EICR pricing in Tower Hamlets

Fixed pricing by property size. The same prices apply in Tower Hamlets 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 — Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets — frequently asked questions

Other landlord certificates in Tower Hamlets

We also cover these landlord certificates in Tower Hamlets:

Gas Safety

in Tower Hamlets

EPC

in Tower Hamlets

FRA

in Tower Hamlets

PAT Testing

in Tower Hamlets

Commercial EICR

in Tower Hamlets

Electrical Diagnostic

in Tower Hamlets

Fuse Box

in Tower Hamlets

Emergency Lights

in Tower Hamlets

Commercial Gas (CP42)

in Tower Hamlets

Boiler Installation

in Tower Hamlets

Fire Safety Cert

in Tower Hamlets

Fire Alarm Install

in Tower Hamlets

Fire Door Cert

in Tower Hamlets

Extinguisher Testing

in Tower Hamlets

Commercial EPC

in Tower Hamlets

Asbestos Survey

in Tower Hamlets

Legionella

in Tower Hamlets

EICR in nearby boroughs

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

EICR Hackney

from £67.99 · N16, E8, E5 …

EICR Newham

from £67.99 · E6, E16, E15 …

EICR Southwark

from £67.99 · SE1, SE15, SE16 …

Book your EICR in Tower Hamlets

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

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

Book EICR in Tower Hamlets — from £67.99

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