Electrical service
EICR testing and electrical safety certificates
An EICR is a formal inspection and test of your property’s fixed wiring. It tells you what condition the installation is actually in — and I’ll explain what the report means rather than handing you a document full of codes.
- Tested and reported properly
- Findings explained in plain English
- NAPIT registeredRegistered competent electrician
- Fully insuredInsured on every job
- 15+ years' experiencePeter has been doing this a while
- Free, no-obligation quotesA clear price before I start
What an EICR actually is
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a formal inspection and test of a property’s fixed wiring — the consumer unit, the circuits, the sockets, the switches and the earthing and bonding arrangements. It records the condition of the installation against current standards and lists anything that needs attention.
It is not a visual check. Circuits are tested, readings are recorded, and every observation is assigned a classification code that tells you how serious it is.
What the codes mean
- C1 — danger present. A risk of injury exists and immediate action is required.
- C2 — potentially dangerous. Not an immediate danger, but urgent remedial work is needed.
- C3 — improvement recommended. Not a failure. The installation is safe but could be better.
- FI — further investigation required. Something could not be resolved during the inspection.
A report is recorded as unsatisfactory if it contains any C1, C2 or FI. C3 observations alone do not make a report unsatisfactory — a point that causes a lot of unnecessary worry.
Who needs one, and when
Landlords in England must have the fixed wiring in a rented property inspected and tested at least every five years, and provide the report to tenants. That is a legal duty, not a recommendation. It covers private lets and, since 2025, social housing too; how often landlords need an EICR sets out the detail.
For homeowners there is no legal requirement, but an EICR is worth having when buying or selling, after inherited or unknown wiring, before major work, or simply when the installation is old enough that nobody knows its condition.
What happens on the day
The power will be off for parts of the inspection, because circuits have to be isolated to be tested properly. How long it takes depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits.
You get the report itself, and — more usefully — an explanation of what it says. A report full of codes is not much help on its own.
If your report comes back unsatisfactory
That is common and usually fixable. The most frequent causes are an older consumer unit without adequate protection, and missing or inadequate earthing and bonding. I can carry out the remedial work and issue the paperwork.
How it works
What an inspection involves
Tell me about the property
Size, rough age, and whether it is your home or a rental. That is usually enough to price it.
I’ll give you a price
Agreed before I start. No inspection fee sprung on you afterwards.
Inspection and testing
Circuits are isolated and tested. Power will be off for parts of the day.
Report and explanation
You get the report, plus what it actually means and what — if anything — needs doing.
Areas
EICR testing in your area
Questions
EICR questions
How often does a landlord need an EICR?
At least every five years for a rented property in England, whether a private let or, since 2025, social housing, and the report has to be given to tenants. If the report requires remedial work, that has to be done within 28 days — or sooner if the report says so.
Does an EICR include repairs?
No. An EICR is an inspection and a report. Any remedial work is quoted separately, so you can see exactly what the inspection cost and what the repairs cost. I’ll always tell you which observations genuinely need acting on.
Will the power be off?
For parts of it, yes. Circuits have to be isolated to be tested properly. I’ll give you a realistic idea of how long before you book, so you can plan around it.
What if the report is unsatisfactory?
It means at least one C1, C2 or FI was recorded. It is common and usually fixable — often an older consumer unit or inadequate earthing. I can carry out the remedial work and issue the paperwork.
Is a C3 a failure?
No. C3 means “improvement recommended” — the installation is safe but could be better. A report with only C3 observations is still satisfactory. It is worth knowing, because C3s cause a lot of unnecessary alarm.
How much does an EICR cost?
It depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits, so I price each job individually rather than publishing one headline figure. The quote is free and carries no obligation.
Get an EICR quote
Tell me about the property and I’ll come back to you with a price.