We all understand the risks associated with electricity, especially when there’s a fault in the electrical installation, which refers to all the wiring and components like fuse boards, switches, and sockets in our homes.
Regularly checking that your home’s electrical system is safe is crucial. That’s where the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) comes in.
By the end of this guide, we’ll share some alarming statistics about the number of injuries and fires caused by electrical faults each year. These statistics underscore the importance of inspections and reports, especially for landlords who may be held liable.
We’ve included these statistics at the end to emphasise the need for electrical checks without relying on scare tactics, although they are quite revealing!
An Electrical Inspection will highlight old and deteriorated wiring and components – Image courtesy of Brownstone
Understanding the EICR: Your Electrical Installation Report
An EICR is the report you receive after an inspection of your home’s electrical setup, encompassing all wiring and fixed electrical equipment.
It serves as a measure against current electrical regulations, highlighting any areas where your installation falls short.
While this guide focuses on domestic EICRs, there are variations for businesses and commercial spaces.
Qualified electricians conduct these inspections, combining visual assessments with tests on wiring and equipment like fuse boards.
The primary goal is to pinpoint deficiencies and hazards, prioritising those that pose fire risks or shock hazards.
The report not only flags issues but also provides a comprehensive list of all circuits in the property.
However, it’s important to note that EICRs don’t cover portable appliances like lamps or heaters. For these, you’ll need a separate Portable Appliance Test (PAT) conducted by qualified electricians.
An EICR is produced after an inspection and testing of the electrical installation – Image courtesy of Silver Saints
Why Get an EICR?
While not legally mandatory on a domestic level, obtaining an electrical report can still be a great idea. In some instances they are required by some insurance companies or can supply a great deal of peace of mind.
Over time, all electrical installations degrade. Wires fray, insulation wears, and components reach their lifespan, potentially leading to hazards.
Accidental damage from construction or flooding can exacerbate these issues, necessitating inspection to highlight any issues.
Regulations governing home electrics evolve, and an EICR reveals where your installation falls short, bringing it up to current standards.
Moreover, beyond legal considerations, inspections fulfil insurance requirements and ensure workplace safety.
Ultimately, an EICR offers peace of mind by identifying potential dangers and ensuring safety for all occupants.
Wires can become worn and damaged – an EICR will identify these kinds of issues
When Should You Get an EICR?
While not legally mandated, guidelines suggest regular electrical inspections should be undertaken for safety reasons.
According to BS7671 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations), recommended frequencies for EICRs are:
- Domestic properties: Every 10 years or upon change of occupancy, with landlords often opting for inspections every 5 years as per the Landlord and Tenants Act (1985)
- Caravans: Every 3 years
- Swimming Pools: Annually
- Commercial (including educational establishments): Every 5 years
- Industrial Premises: Every 3 years
Additionally, inspections should occur if damage or faults are suspected, such as from aged wiring, flooding, or fire.
If unsure of the last inspection date, it’s wise to schedule one. Electricians typically provide stickers indicating inspection dates on visible areas like the consumer unit.
Reports are usually delivered electronically or in hard copy, with due dates clearly stated for future inspections.
For recent property purchases, review solicitor paperwork, although reports may not always be included.
Is an EICR a Legal Requirement?
In short, it really depends on the situation in which you are involved in.
On a domestic level, it is not a legal requirement to poses an EICR for your home or if you are in the process of selling it, however for any potential buyers it does offer a great deal of peace of mind that the wiring system is up to regulation.
On the flip side to the above, if you are a landlord renting a property then it is a legal requirement to poses an EICR to present to any would-be renters.
However, in the situation where the landlord lives in the property being rented e.g. if he/she was just renting a room out, then it is not a legal requirement to poses an EICR, but certain precautions would still need to be taken to ensure all residents remain safe from any electrical hazards.
Again domestically, although there is no legal requirement for an EICR, if you have had any electrical work done in the past you would need to present an EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) for this. This is a legal requirement!
How Often Does an EICR Need to be Done?
Domestically, there are no time constraints on when an EICR should be carried out. If you are concerned that there may be faulty wiring in your home then by all means you should under take one to pin point any dangerous faults so they can be fixed before any accidents occur.
To put a date for the sake of arguments, it is generally though that an existing EICR on a domestic property should be replaced every 10 years.
As a landlord, an EICR should be carried out on any rental property or HMO every 5 years at the most.
One query that usually arises around this area is what happens if tenants change during the 5 year period? Although it’s not a legal requirement to get a new EICR done, it’s always a good idea as this will highlight any potential issues for the any new tenants.
What Happens if you Fail an EICR?
If a property fails an EICR, as a landlord you are legally obliged to get any issues resolved before a tenant moves in. Failure to do so can land you in some serious legal hot water with the potential for fines up to £30,000!
On a domestic level, if you have undertaken an EICR and your property has failed, although there is no legal requirent to have the work done, you would be pretty silly to live in a home with dangerous electrics, so it’s a good idea to get a professional electrician to get the work done!
In terms of selling a house with a failed EICR, you would really need to inform the buyers of this and reflect any issues in the price or you could get them resolved yourself.
How do you Work out how Many Circuits you Have?
As the cost of an EICR test is based on the number of circuits in the property, before booking a test with an electrician, they will want to know how many circuits you have in your home so they can estimate the time it’s going to take and the cost.
If you don’t know how to work this out then there are a couple of different ways it can be done:
- Take a picture of your fuse board/consumer unit and the electrician will be able to work it out from that
- Refer to any past EICR reports as it will be stated or possibly even any EIC’s will also state this
When it comes to cost, just to give you any idea, currently an EICR for cost roughly £200 for a standard 3-bed house and roughly £240 for a standard-sized 4-bed house.
What Items are Tested During an EICR?
When a EICR test is done on a property, the electrician will test all of the accessible fixed electrical points within the property. This will include:
- Light fittings, switches and sockets
- Supply cabling for fixed electrical items e.g. within walls, lofts etc.
- Fuse box or consumer unit containing RCD’s, MCB’s, fuses etc.
In some cases, occasionally fixed items cannot be accessed or tested and in these instances they won’t be included, however this will be stated in the final report.
Additionally, when it comes to electric showers, sometimes they have their own supply due to the current they draw. In this case they wouldn’t be tested, however if they didn’t and they were supplied by the consumer unit/fuse board then they would be included in the test.
When it comes to portable electrical items and appliances such as TV’s, laptop computers, freezers, fridges and the likes, these would not be included. If you were looking to get items like this tested, this would fall under what’s known as a PAT test.
How Much Does an EICR Cost?
Completing an EICR properly requires significant effort. Some electricians may offer competitive prices for the report but charge more for remedial work.
Splitting the tasks between different electricians can be challenging, so it’s often best to have the inspecting electrician handle any necessary fixes as they will already be familiar with what needs to be done.
Opting for a cheap inspection might lead to rushed work, compromising thoroughness and ultimately safety!
In the end, total costs for the report and remedial work might be similar regardless.
It’s wise to shop around for quotes to gauge market rates. Find a qualified electrician in your area here.
The inspection cost depends on the time required by the electrician to complete the report, typically determined by the number of circuits.
Expect to pay around £15-20 per circuit (plus 20% VAT if applicable). For example, a small 1-bed flat inspection might cost approximately £150+ for 3 hours, while a larger 3+ bedroom house could cost £200+ for 5 hours.
Since most homeowners may not know their circuit count, electricians often estimate based on the number of bedrooms, or ask for previous EICR’s, consumer unit/fuse boards pictures etc. as mentioned above.
Preparing for Your Electrical Inspection: What’s Involved
An electrical inspection entails testing and inspecting the installation against current standards. This includes a visual inspection and testing of each circuit.
The inspector will check for wiring faults, component issues, and earth bonding, focusing on equipment safety.
During testing, circuits will need to be briefly switched off, so ensure you don’t require power during the inspection.
Access to every socket, switch, and outlet is necessary, so ensure they are reachable and any furniture can be moved if needed.
Keep the house relatively tidy for the inspector’s ease of movement.
Plan to leave them undisturbed for at least a couple of hours, as power will likely be off during testing.
Following the inspection, the electrician will prepare the report. Immediate safety hazards, labeled as “Code 1” will be addressed promptly, however additional charges may apply.
Don’t be surprised by issues found; regulations may have changed since the last inspection, and deterioration is certainly possible over time.
Understanding the EICR Report
The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an 8+ page document detailing property information and inspection findings.
An example of an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
The report begins with property details and outlines what was and wasn’t tested, along with any limitations:
What was and was not tested during the Electrical Installation Condition Report
If a circuit can’t be turned off, it can’t be tested and this is then noted in the report.
Reasons for not turning off might be totally legitimate e.g. items that must remain on all the time or access to rooms has been restricted stopping complete testing. It’s a good idea to confirm these issues before testing starts though.
In the final pages of the report, it summarises findings and indicates if the installation is safe and has passed, or is issues have been highlighted:
Confirmation of the test and whether the installation is safe to use or not
In this example, the report deems the installation “satisfactory”, but only after remedial works have been completed the the certificate redone.
Any faults are prioritised from C1 to C3 based on risk:
- Code 1 – Dangerous: Immediate action required to prevent injury.
- Code 2 – Potentially dangerous: Urgent action needed to maintain safety.
- Code 3 – Improvement recommended: Non-dangerous issues suggested for improvement.
Additional detailed notes for customers are included in the report to clarify its contents.
The Risks of Unsafe Electrical Systems
Here are some alarming statistics to highlight the importance of electrical safety:
- 70 deaths occur annually due to electrical faults.
- 350,000 individuals suffer serious injuries yearly from electrical faults.
For further insights, visit the Electrical Safety First charity, the source of these statistics.
In essence, while not legally mandatory, having your electrical system inspected and obtaining a report is highly beneficial.
However, it’s crucial to hire a qualified professional for this task, as electrical inspections should not be attempted as a DIY project.
Hopefully having read this project you now have an idea of what to expect and how you can prepare to ensure that your inspection and EIRC go without a hitch and any issues found are resolved to leave you and any other occupants in a safe environment.
DIY Doctor Ltd, 
0845 6342 179
