EICR and tenant debt?

How do you know your tenant is in major debt?

Has your tenant received the required 2 notices from the supplier prior to disconnection? When was the final (the 2nd notice) received?
Have you spoken to the supplier and explained that you are the landlord and need to renew the EICR?
Have you spoken to Social Services and The Local Authority? Contact them and tell them you fear he has developed severe mental health issues, not looking after himself, about the unpaid electricity debt and concerned for his safety. That should get some response.

Are you really going to continue letting your flat without a valid electrical condition report over a debt of £135.
Letting is a business with up and downs. You say he is a vulnerable person with communication issues.

Pay off the £135 and get your certificate done. Put the receipt through your accounts as an unavoidable expense.
Call the council with him.
Call the energy company with him.

As a landlord, many things are not fair. Often stacked against you. No doubt lots of readers will tell you similar stories. I have far far too many.

I think that if you are getting held up by such a small amount of money and the “principal” of not paying his debt, maybe you aren’t suited to being a landlord.
You are a property owner, I assume, with your own home as well. He is a vulnerable person struggling to cope. Do the right thing and help him.

Do the right thing, pay of his debt. Get and EICR and chuck him out. he will be nothing but a burden on you for evermore. You are not a social worker, vunerable person or not you are better rid of him.

Your obligations as the landlord come first. You are the one who gets the heavy fine if there is no EICR in place.
If the tenant obstructs your statutory duties, then ultimately he will find himself homeless through eviction.
Experience teaches that you should avoid tenants with issues. Landlords have enough trouble with the UK Govt as it is without taking on society’s problems too.
Unfortunately, PRS businesses have to be more hard-nosed than ever due to the endless assault on property rights from successive blue and red socialist govts.

As above, speak to social services asap

An EICR can still be carried out with the power off, it will be noted that dead tests are only carried out, its better than no tests at all, leaving liable when the power does come back on !

Reply to the comment left by Dave at 13/09/2025 – 08:12
However and this is new yo me.
Is a ‘dead test’ (no pun intended) valid to relet?
Personally I would just clear the debt. LL expense.
Whatever the overall debt £135 is mot ‘significant in business terms.

Reply to the comment left by Jim K at 18/09/2025 – 14:47
but is the principle here. The LL achieves ‘ reasonable excuse’ as far as I am aware if they have done everything they can to request the TENANT to take responsibility for what is THEIR obligation and in accordance with the AST.

It is unfortunate that these days the leccy companies can’t actually kill the power entirely if the bill is unpaid. That would I am sure focus some tenants minds to pay the bill! It also means that the debt does not continue to accrue and simply means that this is another cost that the utility companies add on to those bills that people do pay.
Its getting to the point where a lot of people feel entitled to pass on personal responsibility to anyone else other than themselves.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020
Part 3, 5 (2) “A private landlord is not to be taken to be in breach of the duty under paragraph (1) if the private landlord can show they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with that duty.”

I would have a conversation with the Council now to head off any action against you before it happens.