EICR Explained: When You Need One

EICR Explained: When Landlords and Trades Need One

An EICR — an Electrical Installation Condition Report — is a formal safety inspection of a property’s fixed wiring, and for landlords in England it’s a legal requirement at least every five years. It’s the document that says whether the electrics in a property are safe to keep using or need remedial work. For electricians it’s steady, recurring, well-paid work; for landlords it’s a legal duty they can’t skip. This explains what an EICR covers, when one is required, what the result codes mean, and how a trade prices and delivers them properly.

What an EICR actually is

An EICR is a detailed check of the fixed electrical installation in a property — the wiring, consumer unit (fuse board), sockets, switches, accessories and connected fixed equipment. It’s carried out by a competent electrician who inspects and tests the installation against BS 7671, the wiring regulations, and records the condition in a report.

It’s not a check of plug-in appliances (that’s separate) and it’s not the same as an Electrical Installation Certificate, which is issued for new work. An EICR is a periodic assessment of an existing installation — a health check on wiring that may have been in the wall for decades.

The report records any damage, deterioration, defects or dangerous conditions, and gives the installation an overall verdict: satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

When is an EICR legally required?

The big one is the private rented sector. In England, landlords are legally required to have the electrical installation in their rented properties inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, and to give tenants and the local authority a copy of the report on request. New tenancies and existing tenancies are both covered. Scotland and Wales have their own rules for rented property, so landlords there should check the requirements that apply to them.

Beyond the legal duty on landlords, an EICR is strongly recommended:

• When buying or selling a property, to know the true condition of the wiring.

• On any property where the installation is old or its history is unknown.

• Periodically for owner-occupied homes — a common general guide is around every ten years, or at change of occupancy, though that’s guidance rather than law for your own home.

• For many commercial and business premises, often as part of insurance or safety obligations.

If you’re a trade, landlords are the bread-and-butter market here because the five-yearly cycle creates predictable, repeat demand.

The classification codes

The heart of an EICR is the observation codes. Every trade delivering them, and every landlord receiving one, needs to understand what they mean:

• C1 — Danger present. A risk of injury exists and immediate action is required. A C1 makes the report unsatisfactory and needs sorting straight away.

• C2 — Potentially dangerous. Not an immediate danger, but it could become one and needs remedial work urgently. A C2 also makes the report unsatisfactory.

• C3 — Improvement recommended. Not dangerous and doesn’t fail the report, but bringing it up to current standards would improve safety. A report can be satisfactory with C3s noted.

• FI — Further investigation required. Something needs looking into more deeply before it can be classified. An FI makes the report unsatisfactory until resolved.

An installation is recorded as unsatisfactory if it has any C1, C2 or FI. That means remedial work is needed to make it safe and compliant, after which it can be re-checked and signed off as satisfactory.

What happens after an unsatisfactory report

If the report comes back unsatisfactory, the required remedial work has to be carried out — and for landlords, within a set timescale after the report. The electrician does the repairs, then confirms in writing that the issues have been put right. Only then is the installation compliant. For landlords this is a legal obligation, not optional, so an unsatisfactory EICR is the start of a job, not the end of one.

Pricing and delivering EICRs as a trade

For electricians, EICRs are attractive work: recurring, in demand thanks to the landlord rules, and a natural gateway to the remedial work that follows.

A few practical points on doing them well:

• Price on the size and complexity of the installation. A small one-bed flat and a large house with lots of circuits are very different jobs. Base the price on the number of circuits and the property size rather than a flat figure, and be clear on what the price covers.

• Be clear about remedials. The EICR price is for the inspection and report. Any remedial work identified is a separate, additional job — spell that out up front so there’s no surprise if the report comes back unsatisfactory.

• Allow enough time. A proper inspection and test isn’t a five-minute look. Rushing it risks missing something and undermines the whole point of the report.

• Keep your competence current. You’re certifying safety against BS 7671, so your knowledge, test equipment and calibration all need to be up to date. This is exactly the kind of work where being registered with a competent person scheme and having your credentials in order matters.

Build a base of landlords and the five-year cycle turns EICRs into a stream of repeat work, with re-inspections and remedials on top.

FAQ

How often does a landlord need an EICR? In England, at least every five years for rented residential property, or sooner if the report specifies. Landlords must also provide a copy to tenants and, on request, the local authority. Scotland and Wales have their own rules to check.

What does an EICR cost? It depends on the size and complexity of the property — the number of circuits and the type of installation. A small flat costs less than a large house. Get a price based on the specific property rather than assuming a flat rate.

What’s the difference between C1, C2 and C3? C1 means immediate danger, C2 means potentially dangerous, and C3 is a recommendation for improvement. C1 and C2 make a report unsatisfactory and need remedial work; a report can pass as satisfactory with C3s noted.

Does an EICR cover my appliances? No. An EICR checks the fixed installation — the wiring, board, sockets and switches. Testing plug-in appliances is a separate check and isn’t part of the EICR.

How long is an EICR valid? Up to the period stated on the report, commonly five years for rented property but sometimes shorter if the electrician recommends earlier re-inspection. The report itself states the recommended date for the next inspection.

Turn EICRs into a steady work stream

EICRs are ideal repeat work — and Trade Pilot helps you find the landlords and homeowners who need them. You only pay when a real local job lands in your inbox, never a monthly subscription, and each lead goes to no more than three trades in your area. Line up the inspections, win the remedials that follow, and let a predictable five-year cycle keep the diary ticking over.

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