Social housing
Which social-housing tenancies the 1 November 2026 date applies to
On 5 October 2026, regulation 3E of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector and Social Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 is a transitional rule. It is not a deadline for every housing provider in London, and it is not the private-rented inspection interval.
Updated 27 October 2026. General guidance, not a reading of your own report and not legal advice.
Who regulation 3E applies to
| Point | What the text says | What it does not say |
|---|---|---|
| Which tenancies | Specified tenancies granted before 1 December 2025 | Every social tenancy, including later grants |
| Which landlord | The landlord is a registered provider | Every housing provider, agent, or council label |
| Regulation 3(1)(c) | Read as before 1 November 2026, instead of before the tenancy commences | A London date, or a date for a private landlord |
| Regulation 3B(1)(c) | The equipment check is read as before 1 November 2026 | A rule this page explains beyond that substitution |
The source, and the limits of it
The legislation.gov.uk text of regulation 3E, checked on 5 October 2026, says the regulation applies to specified tenancies granted before 1 December 2025 where the landlord is a registered provider. Regulation 3(1)(c) is then read as before 1 November 2026 instead of before the specified tenancy commences. Regulation 3B(1)(c) is read as before 1 November 2026 instead of before a specified tenancy commences. Part 2B, which contains regulation 3E, was inserted on 1 May 2026 by the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) (Extension to the Social Rented Sector) Regulations 2025.
Regulation 3E(4) also changes how regulation 3C(3)(b) is read for those tenancies. The omitted words are on the legislation page. This article does not paraphrase them.
For a specified tenancy in England, arrange inspection and testing by a qualified person at least every five years, or by an earlier date stated in the report. Provide the required report before a new tenant moves in. Government guidance explains when an existing valid report can be used on re-letting; check its findings, next-inspection date and any changes to the installation rather than assuming that every new tenancy needs a new EICR.
Parliamentary approval of the draft 2026 electrical-safety amendment was completed on 20 October 2026. Approval, formally making the instrument and its coming into force are separate events. The published draft specifies commencement on 30 November 2026; it is not a duty already in force today. Check the final made legislation and its saving provisions before changing a compliance process.
The same legislation.gov.uk page, read again on 5 October 2026, still shows no known outstanding effects for regulation 3E. Apply it to one tenancy in order. First, is the landlord a registered provider? If not, this date is not the date. Second, was the specified tenancy granted before 1 December 2025? If not, regulation 3E does not claim that tenancy. Third, only then is regulation 3(1)(c) read as before 1 November 2026, and regulation 3B(1)(c) read the same way for the equipment check. A private landlord does not borrow those substitutions. A housing provider who is not a registered provider does not borrow them either.
Read regulation 3E on legislation.gov.uk. A private let uses the landlord page.
Related pages
Read the tenancy before the date
The 1 November 2026 reading applies only to the registered-provider tenancies regulation 3E names. It is not a London deadline.
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