Q: What is an EICR?
An EICR, or Electrical Installation Condition Report, is an in-depth inspection of your property’s electrical systems and installation.
The inspection is to assess and identify any condition, deterioration or defect which has the potential to result in danger. In this report, all the electrical systems and installations present in residential or commercial buildings are thoroughly inspected.
Q: Why do I need an EICR report?
Legislation has recently changed and now states that from July 1st 2020, privately rented properties need a valid EICR for all new tenancies and renewals. If you have an existing tenancy you had until April 1st 2021 to get your EICR report.
Business owners also require a valid EICR as they are legally responsible for the welfare of their staff, customers or tenants, and could face prosecution should there be harm caused due to unsafe electrics.
If you are a homeowner, it is not a legal requirement to have an Electrical Installation Condition Report. However, it is advised that a new report should be undertaken every ten years for a privately owned property.
In addition, if you are looking to sell your property, your buyer's solicitor may well request in order for you to demonstrate regular maintenance to the property. It is also worth noting that if you fail to maintain your electrical systems, insurance companies can use this as a reason to refuse claims.
Q: How long are they valid for?
Current guidelines state that for rental properties the report lasts for 5 years but also recommends having the report renewed at the start of each new tenancy. If it's your own house that you live in, it's recommended every 10 years.
Q: How much does an EICR cost?
Book your Electrical Installation Condition Report today. We're confident that the pricing we offer is very competitive in the market and our rates are not ‘before’ VAT so the price quoted is the price you pay for your report.
As an example, our EICRs start from £65.00
Q: Who can issue a report?
Your report must be carried out by a competent and qualified person. A qualified electrician must have taken the proper courses and training that cover periodic testing and inspection of electrical installations and must be registered with scheme providers to ensure their compliance with the latest standards of safety in the field (IET 18th Edition Wiring Regulations).
It is recommended that you ask the contractor which scheme they are approved with and their certification credentials. The most commonly recognised accreditation bodies in the UK are Napit, NICEIC, Stroma and Elecsa.
Q: What actual work is involved in an EICR?
(i) Visual Inspection
Tests for the electrical safety certificate include a visual inspection, dead testing, live testing, and, if needed, RCD testing. To begin, the electrician will inspect the property and the electrical systems in question to identify any obvious issues.
(ii) Dead Testing
Next, dead testing will begin. The process of dead testing includes three parts: Insulation resistance testing, continuity testing, and polarity testing. These tests will determine whether there are any faulty electric connections, check the integrity of each cable's insulation and functionality to prevent potential system shocks, and ultimately, ensure that everything is properly connected.
(iii) Live Testing
Collectively, these tests ensure that if there is a major problem or emergency, the electric system is able to quickly shut down to prevent potentially dangerous situations and further damage.
(iv) RCD / RCBO Testing
RCD or RCBO tests are done on more modern electrical systems’ containing RCDs (Residual-Current Devices) or RCBOs (Residual Current Breaker with Over Current), which are in place for the protection of vulnerable circuits and fire prevention purposes.
Q: Will the engineer need to turn off the power?
Yes, there will be a full power outage whilst the circuits are tested.
Q: How long does it take?
This varies greatly depending on the size of the property, number of circuits, complexity of the installation and what potential issues are discovered during the inspection. However, a small apartment can take around an hour with large homes sometimes taking up to 4 or 5 hours and larger commerical properties considerably longer.
Q: Can I fail the EICR?
There is no pass or fail, only satisfactory electrical installations or unsatisfactory installations.
You can get an unsatisfactory outcome, because just having the inspection carried out isn't enough, especially if you plan to rent the property. If the engineer deems any part of the system to be unsafe or not fit for purpose then they are professionally obligated to mark the installation as ‘unsatisfactory’.
Q: What are the legal implications when it comes to the electrical certificate?
An Electrical Certificate must be issued before a tenant takes up a tenancy. If the EICR is deemed unsatisfactory, the tenant can still begin the tenancy provided there is nothing dangerous about the installation. The landlord then has 28-days to get the unsatisfactory elements of the installation made right.
Electrical faults cause almost half of all household fires in the UK and as a result, failure to comply with regulations is taken very seriously. The local authority is responsible for enforcement and they can issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 per breach of these regulations.
Where non-urgent work have been identified they must serve the landlord a notice detailing the work required and giving them 28 days to perform the work. The landlord may make representations to this within 21 days of the notice being served. If they do, then the local authority must respond to these representations within 7 days. Until they respond the requirement to perform the work is suspended.
Lastly, if the local authority is satisfied the landlord is in breach and they have the tenant's permission to do so, they may perform emergency remedial work on the property and bill the landlord for any costs incurred.
Q: How often should I get an EICR?
In general, it is a good idea to have a visual inspection of a property’s electrical systems once per year. With reference to Landlords, the full inspection for an EICR must now be done more frequently as per UK law: as of June 2020, the full inspection is mandatory at least once every five years. A new EICR must also be produced every time there is a change of tenants.
In addition to getting the EICR every five years, you must also follow EICR guidelines to repair your property if the certificate issues after the inspection says repairs are urgently needed, as indicated by “unsatisfactory” EICR codes C2 and C1. When repairs are done, you must notify your tenants and your local authorities in writing so that they are able to stay up to date with the property’s safety status.
As a landlord, not following electrical safety certificate rules and regulations has consequences. In addition to potential legal ramifications for not following EICR guidelines (usually a fine), many insurance companies may not be willing to offer their services to you, or may reject repair claims if you fail to maintain your properties’ electrical systems.
Q: What happens after the Inspection?
Getting the results of the report can sometimes take a few days as the engineer will need to upload his findings in a digital format which will then be emailed to you. If your property meets the required standard then your report will be marked as ‘satisfactory’. Should your EICR not meet current requirements, the report will be classed as “unsatisfactory” meaning that the required work needs to be done in order to bring the installation to the required level.
As well as returning an “unsatisfactory” result, the report will then detail which part of the electrical system failed the test and why. Work required is classified using the following codes:
Keep in mind that after the inspections are complete, the electrician who assessed the property may need a few days to issue the certificate as it may take a few days to upload and calculate findings online.
Understanding the coding
C1
‘danger is present’, risk of injury is likely and immediate action is required.
C2
Potentially dangerous and remedial action is needed urgently.
C3
Improvement is recommended. C3 is the only classification code that can appear on a report and still pass the EICR.
F1
Further investigation required without delay
N/A
Not applicable
L
Limitation
NV
Not verified
Q: Do you do remedial works?
In short, yes.
If you receive a C1 fault on your EICR, and if viable, remedial work will be carried out immediately. If you receive a C2 code on your EICR, remedial work must be done to correct the issue within 28 days as per UK law. Once the repairs are complete, the landlord must update tenants and local authorities in written form that the necessary repairs have been done on time. Once completed, the Landlord must provide written confirmation to both their tenant and local authority that the works have been carried out within the required 28 days.
Q: What are the benefits of an up to date EICR?
(i) Compliance
With the recent change in legislation it is vitally important that you act accordingly in order to make sure you and your properties are fully compliant. Just because you have a modern installation, or there have been no issues with it, it does not automatically mean that it is safe to use and meets the current guidelines.
(ii) Safety
As stated by the government statistics, around four people a day are injured or killed in fires connected with electrical faults, and electrical faults are the cause of almost half of all accidental UK house fires. Hence why every home should have a regular EICR check to ensure that all electrics are safe.
(iii) Insurance
More and more insurance companies are requesting that periodic inspection is carried out on a regular basis. It may be required that electrical testing is regularly carried out and evidenced as part of your policy agreement. In most cases, the EICR will tell the insurance company if the accident was avoidable and it can help strengthen your insurance claim.
(iv) Save Money
Don't wait until the electrical system is not working properly because you may end up spending more money on the repairs. If potential problems are identified early, they can be rectified before creating any further damage. In addition, the EICR offers solutions that improve the energy efficiency of the system and by reducing your energy consumption, you can also save money as soon as the work is undertaken.
(v) Energy Efficiency
While the EICR is mandatory under UK law, the certificate’s suggestions for energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption can also help you to save money. Remember, the EICR’s recommendations are tailored to be specific to your property: this means that you can follow its suggestions for keeping the property safe and keeping electricity usage to a minimum alike. If you have questions or would like further advice about electrical safety and efficiency, it’s also worth speaking to the electrician who issued the certificate for tips specific to your building.
