Electrical wiring and cables are out of sight and hidden as we go about our daily business, so it’s not surprising that often we leave the safety of our loved ones, colleagues and tenants to chance.

What is an EICR report?

An EICR or Electrical Installation Condition Report is an inspection carried out periodically on the condition of existing electrical installations. The purpose is to identify any safety shortcomings and to adhere to National Safety Standards and the current electrical regulation, BS7671 (Regulation 135.1).

It is recommended all installations should be inspected every 3 to 5 years for commercial properties, every 10 years or on change of ownership for domestic dwellings.

This in-depth electrical testing and inspection offer invaluable security that electrics in your industrial, commercial and domestic property are functioning correctly and safely. It ensures that measures have been taken to prevent dangerous electrical accidents.

Think of them as an M.O.T for your home.

Homeowners & EICR’s

Do I Need an EICR as a Homeowner?

Although currently in the U.K. there is no official requirement for an EICR, as a homeowner, could you sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that due to potential negligence you could cause a person’s death or serious injury? Read on for information on how EICR can give you peace of mind and the reassurance you are taking the right and important steps to ensure the safety of your loved ones.

Do I Need an EICR Report to Sell My House?

No. Currently, there is no legal requirement to obtain an EICR for a private dwelling, however many house buyers request one before exchanging contracts and it can be a value-added extra to your buyers knowing you have taken care of electrical installations in your property and the safety of the occupants to a high standard. This will give potential buyers extra reassurance and may even assist in obtaining the sale.

Additional Certifications a Seller Needs Relating to Electrical Installations.

If you have had any major building works in your property since 1st January 2015, you will be required to obtain a ‘Part B building regulation certificate’. This is a requirement to be passed on to your buyer.

It covers everything from large works to minor electrical installations such as:

Installation of any new electrical circuits ● Replacing a fuse box ● Altering or adding to an existing circuit ( such as adding new sockets) in special locations, such as bath and shower rooms, pools or saunas.

Landlords & EICR’s

Is EICR Mandatory for Landlords?

In January 2020, the government announced the much-anticipated introduction of mandatory electrical safety inspections for private landlords.

The new regulations, titled The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, were officially brought in on 1st April 2020.

In July 2020, all new tenancies required an EICR. As of 1st April 2021, this requirement applies to all tenancies – new and existing.

Manage your property well and the risks to you as landlord or agent are minimal, but manage it badly and your risks are high.

You are advised to make visual inspections yourself as landlord or agent in residential properties (record on a safety checklist) and have legally required periodic checks carried out by a qualified electrician.

Ideally, ensure that the electrical system complies with the latest wiring regulations.
Make sure a circuit breaker (RCD) is fitted to power circuits.
Keep supplied appliances to a minimum.
Make sure appliances supplied are complete and in working order – keep purchase receipts.
Pay particular attention to second hand equipment – always have these items checked.
Ensure that operating instructions and safety warning notices are supplied with the appliances.
Ensure that flexes are in good order and properly attached to appliances and plugs.
Ensure that earth tags are in place.
Ensure that plugs are of an approved type with sleeved live and neutral pins.
Ensure that plugs and sockets conform to BS1363 or BS1363/A for heavy duty uses.
Ensure that all fuses are of the correct type and rating.
Make sure that tenants know the location of and have access to the main consumer unit, fuses and isolator switch.
Make a note of all fuse ratings on the inventory.

Landlords of privately rented accommodation must:

Ensure national standards for electrical safety are met. These are set out in the 18th edition of the ‘Wiring Regulations’, which are published as British Standard 7671.
Ensure the electrical installations in their rented properties are inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at an interval of at least every 5 years.
Obtain a report from the person conducting the inspection and test which gives the results and sets a date for the next inspection and test.
Supply a copy of this report to the existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection and test.
Supply a copy of this report to a new tenant before they occupy the premises.
Supply a copy of this report to any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving a request for the report.
Supply the local authority with a copy of this report within 7 days of receiving a request for a copy.
Retain a copy of the report to give to the inspector and tester who will undertake the next inspection and test.
Where the report shows that remedial or further investigative work is necessary, complete this work within 28 days or any shorter period if specified as necessary in the report.
Supply written confirmation of the completion of the remedial works from the electrician to the tenant and the local authority within 28 days of completion of the works.

What about Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)?

A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a property rented out by at least 3 people who are not from one ‘household’ (for example a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. If an HMO is a tenant’s only or main residence and they pay rent, then these Regulations apply to the HMO.

The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 previously put specific duties on landlords around electrical safety. This requirement has now been repealed, and HMOs are now covered by the new Electrical Safety Regulations.

HMOs with 5 or more tenants are licensable. The Housing Act 2004 has been amended by these Regulations to require a new mandatory condition in HMO licences ensuring that every electrical installation in the HMO is in proper working order and safe for continued use. See guidance on HMO licences.

What will be inspected and tested?

The ‘fixed’ electrical parts of the property, like the wiring, the socket-outlets (plug sockets), the light fittings and the consumer unit (or fuse box) will be inspected. This will include permanently connected equipment such as showers and extractors.

What will happen in the inspection?

The inspection will find out if:

any electrical installations are overloaded
there are any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards
there is any defective electrical work
there is a lack of earthing or bonding – these are 2 ways of preventing electrical shocks that are built into electrical installations

What about electrical appliances like cookers, fridges, televisions etc?

The Regulations do not cover electrical appliances, only the fixed electrical installations.

We recommend that landlords regularly carry out portable appliance testing (PAT) on any electrical appliance that they provide and then supply tenants with a record of any electrical inspections carried out as good practice.

Tenants are responsible for making sure that any of their own electrical appliances are safe.

The report

Landlords must obtain a report (usually an Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR) from the person conducting the inspection and test which explains its outcomes and any investigative or remedial work required.

Landlords must then supply a copy of this report to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection and test, to a new tenant before they occupy the premises, and to any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving a request for the report.

If a local authority requests it, landlords must supply them with a copy of this report within 7 days of receiving the request.

If the report requires remedial work or further investigation, landlords must provide written confirmation that the work has been carried out to their tenant and to the local authority within 28 days of completing the work.

Landlords must retain a copy of the report to give to the inspector and tester who will undertake the next inspection and test.

What will the report show?

The electrical installation should be safe for continued use. In practice, if the report does not require investigative or remedial work, the landlord will not be required to carry out any further work.

Inspectors will use the following classification codes to indicate where a landlord must undertake remedial work.

Code 1 (C1): Danger present. Risk of injury. The electrical inspector may make any C1 hazards safe before leaving the property.
Code 2 (C2): Potentially dangerous.
Further Investigation (FI): Further investigation required without delay.
Code 3 (C3): Improvement recommended. Further remedial work is not required for the report to be deemed satisfactory.

If codes C1 or C2 are identified in on the report, then remedial work will be required. The report will state the installation is unsatisfactory for continued use.

If an inspector identifies that further investigative work is required (FI), the landlord must also ensure this is carried out.

The C3 classification code does not indicate remedial work is required, but only that improvement is recommended. Landlords don’t have to make the improvement, but it would improve the safety of the installation if they did.

What about new build properties or new electrical installations?

If a property is newly built or has been completely rewired, it should have an Electrical Installation Certificate known as an EIC.

Landlords can provide a copy of the EIC to tenants and, if requested, the local authority. The landlord will then not be required to carry out further checks or provide a report for 5 years after the EIC has been issued, as long as they have complied with their duty or duties under the Regulations.

Remedial work

If the report shows that remedial work or further investigation is required, as set out above, landlords must complete this work within 28 days or any shorter period if specified as necessary in the report. Landlords must then provide written confirmation that the work has been carried out to their tenant and to the local authority within 28 days.

What if the remedial work isn’t carried out?

If a local authority has reasonable grounds to believe that a landlord is in breach of one or more of the duties in the Regulations, they must serve a remedial notice on the landlord requiring remedial action.

Should a landlord not comply with the notice, the local authority may arrange for remedial action to be taken themselves.

The local authority can recover the costs of taking the action from the landlord. The landlord has the right of appeal against a demand for costs.

Urgent remedial action

If the report indicates that urgent remedial action is required, and the landlord has not carried this out within the period specified in the report, the local authority may with the consent of the tenant arrange to carry out remedial work.

The local authority must authorise a qualified and competent person in writing to undertake the remedial action and give at least 48 hours’ notice to the tenant.

The costs for carrying out the remedial work can be recovered from the landlord.

Financial penalties

Local authorities may impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 on landlords who are in breach of their duties.

To discuss your requirements further with one of our qualified electricians, please contact us.

General EICR Info

What Does an EICR Contain?

An EICR will check that the electrical installation and/or work carried out is:

New, whereby the whole installation has been installed as new, or if a complete rewire has been carried out.
Addition, this applies if modifications have been carried out by adding one or more new circuits.
Alteration, one or more existing circuits have been modified, extended (for example to add extra electrical sockets) or items such as a consumer unit, known more popularly as a ‘fuse box’ and switching equipment have been replaced.

An EICR MUST be issued for all new electrical installations and may also be required for alteration and additions, depending on whether or not a new circuit has been installed. Where an alteration or addition is carried out but does NOT include a new circuit, a MEIWC OR an EICR may be used.

How Long Does an EICR Take?

At Chorlton Electrical Services we guarantee to undergo your EICR with diligence and expertise. Our highly skilled and fully qualified electricians will undergo a thorough and expert evaluation of your installation.

Exact time frames for inspections are difficult to ascertain without a prior site visit, which can take around an hour to assess as each installation is varied and will have different requirements.

The same applies to works that may need to be carried out as a result of an inspection. But with our years of experience means you can rest assured we will undertake the work in an efficient manner, with minimal disruption to complete your work to the highest standard. As a general guide on timing, you should expect to allow for the following time frame…

One Bed Property – Up to Three Hours
Two Bed Property – Up to Four Hours
Three Bed Property – Around Three to Five House

Our electricians are also happy to answer any questions you may have before the work is undertaken, relating to:

Whether additional wiring will be required to install storage or combi heaters
Any requirements when using specific hot water tariffs, for example, efficient off-peak use

How Much Does an EICR Cost?

Typically a fair price for EICR costs between £150 to £180 for a two bedroomed dwelling, and between £200 and £250 for three to four bedroomed house. These prices are based on reasonably new wiring. If you’re a homeowner, manage a commercial enterprise, or a landlord with an HMO, or multiple buildings, do get in touch with us for a free quote.

How Do I Obtain an Electrical Installation Certificate?

To start this process, an official EIC report can be obtained by using the services of qualified electricians and companies who offer a full range of domestic and commercial electrical solutions.

Do your homework and make sure you choose a reputable company with highly skilled electricians who are members of the NICEIC. All companies displaying this membership will be an approved contractor and certified by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting.

Why Do I Need to Keep My Electrical Installation Certificate?

Your EICR provides you, as the person responsible for the safety of electrical installations, with a declaration and written confirmation that the new installation, or any alteration or any addition to, is safe to use from the time it was put into service.

Keeping hold of your certificates provides a basis for any further inspection and testing as this saves considerable time and cost on any work required to explore the previous installation.

Most importantly, in the event of any claim or injury from a fire caused by faulty electrical installations, the certificate provides evidence which helps to prove the electrics had been installed to a satisfactory legal and safe standard

And Finally…

As a competent and compliant owner and provider of electrical services within your home or tenanted property, it is paramount to ensure you obtain a current EICR to remain compliant and a diligent homeowner.

Here at Chorlton Electrical Services, we’re your locally established domestic electricians service. We’re based in Sale, M33 and have been operating for over a decade across the Cheshire and North West Region.

We can give you a same day quote, a fast response and competitive prices, so do get in touch today to discuss any of your requirements in relation to EICR – or any other enquiries. And let us help you sleep soundly at night.