What's Included in an Empty Property Electrical Report?
"Empty property report" means slightly different things to different agencies, which causes real problems when instructing a contractor. One agent means an EICR. Another means EICR plus EPC. A third expects appliance testing and alarm certification bundled in.
Getting the scope right at instruction is what prevents a second visit — and a second visit is what turns a two-day turnaround into a two-week one.
This guide sets out exactly what can be included, what you receive, and what to instruct depending on the property.
Quick answer: An empty property report is the compliance package completed during a void period. The core component is an EICR, which you legally cannot re-let without. It can also include an EPC, PAT testing of landlord-supplied appliances, smoke and CO alarm testing, and a costed remedial quotation if anything fails. All components can be completed in one attendance. Manchester Compliance delivers the full package within 48 hours: 0161 706 1360.
The Core: EICR
The Electrical Installation Condition Report is the non-negotiable part. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, a valid EICR must be in place and provided to the tenant before they take occupation.
What the engineer inspects and tests
Visual inspection:
- Consumer unit type, condition and protective devices
- Cable condition throughout accessible areas
- Sockets, switches and accessories for damage or overheating
- Earthing and bonding arrangements, including to gas and water services
- Bathroom and kitchen zones for compliance
- Light fittings, including fire-rating of downlights where relevant
- Any signs of DIY or unpermitted alteration
- Continuity of protective conductors
- Continuity of ring final circuits
- Insulation resistance
- Polarity
- Earth fault loop impedance
- RCD operation and trip times
- Prospective fault current
- Functional testing of devices
What you receive
A completed EICR stating Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory, containing:
- A schedule of every circuit inspected with full test results
- Observations coded C1, C2, C3 or FI
- The overall assessment
- Recommended date of next inspection
- Details and registration number of the inspecting engineer
How long it is valid
Five years for a domestic rental property, or on change of tenancy if sooner. The report will state the recommended next inspection date, which can be shorter if the installation warrants it.
Understanding the codes
| Code | Meaning | Effect on the report | |---|---|---| | C1 | Danger present, risk of injury — immediate action required | Unsatisfactory | | C2 | Potentially dangerous — urgent remedial action required | Unsatisfactory | | C3 | Improvement recommended | Satisfactory — no work required | | FI | Further investigation required | Unsatisfactory |
The one agents most often misread is C3. A C3 is a recommendation, not a failure. A report can carry several C3 observations and still be Satisfactory, and you are not legally required to act on them. You do not need to spend a landlord's money clearing C3s to re-let.
C1, C2 and FI all render a report Unsatisfactory, and the regulations require remedial work within 28 days (or sooner if the report specifies) with written confirmation of completion.
EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
Required before a property is marketed, and valid for ten years.
Since April 2020, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard has required rental properties to achieve at least an E rating to be let, unless a valid exemption is registered.
Include an EPC in the instruction if:
- The existing certificate has expired or is close to expiry
- The property has never had one
- Significant works have been done that would improve the rating
- The current rating is F or G and the landlord needs to know what to do
PAT Testing
Portable Appliance Testing covers landlord-supplied appliances only — the tenant's own equipment is not your responsibility.
Typically that means: cooker (where freestanding and plugged in), fridge, freezer, washing machine, microwave, kettle and toaster in a part-furnished let, vacuum cleaner, and any lamps or portable heaters left in the property.
PAT testing is not a legal requirement for private landlords in the way an EICR is, but it is:
- Strongly recommended under the landlord's general duty of care
- Frequently required as a condition of HMO licensing
- Commonly required by landlord insurance policies
- Expected as good practice where furnished lets are concerned
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations, as amended in October 2022:
- At least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation
- A carbon monoxide alarm in every room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers)
- All alarms must be repaired or replaced once informed they are faulty
- Alarms must be tested at the start of every new tenancy
We test all alarms, replace where faulty or missing on instruction, and provide written confirmation you can hold on file as evidence of compliance at tenancy start.
Remedial Quotation
If the EICR comes back Unsatisfactory, you get a costed remedial schedule with the report — not a week later.
The quotation itemises:
- Each C1, C2 and FI observation
- The work required to clear it
- Cost per item
- Total, with any items separated that are optional rather than required
Minor remedials on the spot
Small items — missing blanks, a loose accessory, a damaged socket front, an incorrectly wired light switch — can usually be corrected during the same attendance with your authorisation.
This often converts an Unsatisfactory into a Satisfactory on day two and removes the whole remedial cycle from the void. Many agents give standing authorisation up to an agreed value so we can proceed without calling each time.
What to Instruct, by Property Type
| Property type | Recommended scope | |---|---| | Unfurnished flat, EPC current | EICR + alarm test | | Furnished flat | EICR + PAT + alarm test | | Unfurnished house, EPC expiring | EICR + EPC + alarm test | | Furnished house, first let | EICR + EPC + PAT + alarm test | | HMO | EICR + PAT + alarm test + emergency lighting + fire alarm | | Long-term void or refurbished | EICR + EPC + alarm test, plus supply check | | Re-let after remedial works | Re-test EICR only |
HMOs are a bigger scope. Licensed HMOs typically require emergency lighting testing and a fire alarm system test in addition to the standard package, depending on the licensing conditions of the specific local authority. Flag HMO status at instruction — see our HMO electrical safety guide.
What You Receive
On completion:
- EICR certificate — full schedule of results, digitally issued
- EPC — where instructed, lodged on the national register
- PAT schedule — every appliance listed with pass/fail
- Alarm test confirmation — evidence of testing at tenancy start
- Remedial quotation — where anything is Unsatisfactory
- Photographs — of defects and of any work completed on site
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an empty property report?
The compliance package carried out during a void period between tenancies. Its core is an EICR, which is legally required before re-letting, and it can also include an EPC, PAT testing of landlord appliances, smoke and CO alarm testing, and a costed remedial quotation if anything fails.
Is an EICR legally required before re-letting?
Yes. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, a valid EICR must be in place and supplied to the tenant before they take occupation — not within 28 days of moving in, but beforehand. EICRs are valid for five years.
Does a C3 observation mean the property fails?
No. C3 means "improvement recommended" and a report carrying C3 observations is still Satisfactory. You are not legally required to act on C3 items to re-let. Only C1, C2 and FI render a report Unsatisfactory and require remedial work within 28 days.
Do I need PAT testing on a void property?
Only for landlord-supplied appliances, and it is not a legal requirement in the way an EICR is. It is strongly recommended for furnished and part-furnished lets, is often a condition of HMO licensing, and is commonly required by landlord insurance. For an unfurnished let with no landlord appliances, it is not needed.
Do smoke alarms need testing at the start of every tenancy?
Yes. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations require alarms to be tested at the start of each new tenancy, which makes the void inspection the natural point to do it. We test, replace where needed, and provide written confirmation for your file.
Can all of this be done in one visit?
Yes, provided the full scope is confirmed at instruction. Our engineers are qualified across EICR, EPC, PAT and alarm testing, so everything is completed in a single attendance. Scoping incompletely at instruction is the most common cause of a second visit — and a second visit is what breaks a 48-hour turnaround.
What if the property fails?
You receive the report and a costed remedial quotation together within the same 48 hours, so you can take a complete picture to your landlord immediately. Minor remedials can often be completed on the spot with authorisation, converting the report to Satisfactory without a return visit.
Instruct an Empty Property Report
Manchester Compliance completes the full empty property package within 48 hours for estate and lettings agents across Greater Manchester.
Call 0161 706 1360 Email: hello@manchestercompliance.co.uk