Failed EICR? Read this before you pay the remedial quote
An "unsatisfactory" EICR starts a clock: 28 days to get the C1, C2 and FI items sorted. Often the quote for the fixing work comes from the firm that did the inspection, or through your letting agent. You're under time pressure with one number in front of you. That's when people overpay.
This page covers what you actually have to fix, what Essex electricians publish for the common jobs, and what to ask before you sign.
What the codes mean (and what you don't have to pay for)
From the government's guidance for landlords (published 1 November 2025, England):
- C1, danger present: must be put right.
- C2, potentially dangerous: must be put right.
- FI, further investigation required without delay: must be carried out.
- C3, improvement recommended: not required. In the guidance's words, "Landlords do not have to make the improvement".
So the first check on any remedial quote is simple: is every line tied to a C1, C2 or FI item on your report? If C3 items have been bundled in, they're optional. Doing them on the same visit can be good value, but it should be your choice, priced separately.
The deadline and the paperwork
- The report: give a copy to your existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection, to a new tenant before they move in, and to a prospective tenant within 28 days of them asking. The council gets a copy within 7 days if it asks for one.
- Remedial or investigative work: complete it within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
- After the work: within 28 days of finishing, give both the tenant and the local council the report plus written confirmation from the qualified person who did the work.
- Councils can impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000 for breaches.
Do you have to use the firm that did the inspection? Nothing in the government guidance we've read says the inspecting firm must do the repairs. The work has to be done by a qualified person, and you can get other quotes.
What Essex firms publish (checked 23 October 2026)
Prices from firms' own websites. They aren't quotes.
| Firm (anonymised) | EICR, 2–3 bed house | Remedial / labour rate | Consumer unit replacement | VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician covering Chelmsford (A)* | £180 | £125 first hour, then £65/hr. Says the report is reissued after faults are cleared | Not published | + VAT |
| South Essex multi-trade firm (B) | From £180, priced by number of circuits | Not published | From £595, includes certification | + VAT |
| Essex EICR specialist (C)* | £129.99 fixed, up to 4 bedrooms and 1 consumer unit ("EICR Plus" £179.99) | Not published | Not published | + VAT |
Prices taken from firms' own published rates, checked 23 October 2026. Firms are named only once they've agreed. Spotted an error? Email hello@fairquoteessex.co.uk.
* Firm A's website says it works from a base outside Essex, and its registered office is in London. Firm C's website doesn't name the company behind it. Ask who will actually attend.
National benchmark (not Essex): Checkatrade's consumer unit guide (updated October 2026) puts a populated 10-way RCBO consumer unit replacement at around £485 + VAT, with smaller homes from about £350 and larger ones up to about £800.
Worked example (illustration only)
Say your report shows two C2s: no RCD protection on the sockets, and a damaged accessory. One common fix for the first is a new RCBO board.
- Consumer unit: from £595 + VAT (firm B), or about £485 + VAT on Checkatrade's national average.
- A damaged accessory is often a short job: at firm A's published rate, the first hour is £125 + VAT.
If a quote for that kind of report comes in at two or three times these numbers, ask for a line-by-line breakdown and get a second quote. A higher price can be legitimate (bonding, meter tails, extra circuits failing tests), but you should be able to see why, in writing.
Seven questions to ask before you accept a remedial quote
- Which C1, C2 or FI item on my report does each line fix?
- Are any C3s included? Please price them separately.
- Is the price fixed or hourly? If hourly, what's the estimate, and is there a cap?
- Does it include the certificate (an EIC or Minor Works certificate) I'll need to give my tenant and the council?
- Will you update or reissue the report once the work's done, and is there a charge?
- Can you finish within my 28-day deadline, or the shorter one on the report?
- Are you registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT? Check the scheme's own register, not the logo on the website.
Did your letting agent arrange it?
If your agent booked the EICR, ask whether the remedial quote includes an agent fee or margin. It's a fair question, and you're free to get your own quote from another electrician.
Are you an Essex electrician?
If you publish clear EICR and remedial prices and would like to be considered for the directory, email hello@fairquoteessex.co.uk. Listing is free, and nothing about your business goes live until you've checked it.
General information only, not legal or electrical advice. Prices change, so confirm before you instruct anyone. This applies to rented homes in England.
Sources: GOV.UK, electrical safety standards in the private and social rented sectors: guidance (1 Nov 2025) · Checkatrade, consumer unit replacement cost (Oct 2026) · Electrical Safety First, best practice guides. Checked 23 Oct 2026.