Electrical Installation Condition Reports

Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR)

The electrical wiring regulations are constantly being reviewed and updated, on how best to keep the homeowner safe. Wiring in houses-built 40+ years ago can be very different to modern houses now, especially with DIY projects having been undertaken through the years. We recommend a full electrical test (EICR) of the home is undertaken every 10 years (5 years for rental properties) to ensure it still complies. We also recommend an EICR is completed before every home purchase, this helps give the prospective buyer an insight into the condition of the property’s electrical installation. This can help alleviate any unexpected and maybe costly surprises, that may need repairing after they’ve bought the property.

FAQS

Do I have to have an EICR done?

There’s no legal requirement to have an EICR completed at your home, however we recommend you have one every 10 years. Rental properties are required by law, to have an in date EICR certificate available for their tenants to view. Rental properties are required to have one every 5 years. We also recommend an EICR is completed when purchasing a property, this can save the new homeowner any expensive surprises when they move in.

How long does it take and how much does it cost?

It really depends on how big your home is, from half a day it and costs from £175 + vat.

Does the power have to be switched off?

Yes, the whole consumer unit will have to be switched off to undertake some of the testing, circuits will gradually be turned back on as testing progresses.

What is shown in the report?

The report is comprised of a chart of the circuits in your consumer unit, the test readings for each circuit and a list of observations, which are graded as to how severe they are. A C1 is a defect that presents immediate risk to life and should be made safe at the time of testing, a C2 is a defect that could cause a risk to life, should a fault occur and a C3 means improvement is recommended.