Electrical Installation Condition Report

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an assessment, which needs to be carried out at regular intervals on all fixed electrical components by a competent person, looking for any faults with a view to rectifying any issues found. Depending on the type of building, risk and number of visitors determines how often you should have an EICR carried out.

If you are responsible for rental properties, then you should have an EICR carried out every five years or before a new tenant is due to move in. Failure to do so could lead to a fine.

Although it is not a legal requirement to possess an EICR for a commercial property, by having one, you are compliant with Health & Safety Regulations. As a business owner, managing director, facilities manager or whoever is responsible for the safety of the building and the workers within it, that person must adhere to The Healthy and Safety At Work Act 1974 and Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Furthermore, it is often compulsory to have one for insurance purposes.

Poor and faulty electrics poses the risk of electric shocks and fire hazards. Causing unintended harm or destruction of property can come with severe punishment, therefore ensuring a current EICR mitigates these risks.

You may require an EICR for a number of reasons: by law, insurance purposes, ISO audits, and more. Whichever your reason, Tidyco is here to help you!

If you have recently had a full rewire then your Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) will cover this however, a partial rewire still means that an EICR is required. Your EIC will state this.

An EICR covers only fixed electrics such as:

• Fuse boxes (including consumer units and distribution boards)
• Plug sockets and switches
• Light fittings
• Cabling

As part of these tests, visual inspections will be carried out, looking for any signs of damage, along with electrical testing, which appraises the safety of the circuits.

An EICR does not cover appliances. These require PAT testing.

Upon completion of the inspection, you will receive a result of either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.  If you receive an unsatisfactory result, you will receive one of the following fault codes:

• Code 1 (C1): Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required. These installations must be made safe as soon as possible
• Code 2 (C2): Potentially dangerous – urgent remedial action required. These installations must also be made safe as soon as possible
• Code 3 (C3): Improvement recommended. You do not need to get this fixed, but it is recommended you do.
• Further Investigation (FI): Further investigation required without delay. This usually means that the inspector will need to return to investigate the issue further, and will determine whether it is safe or unsafe

Fuse board (before)

Fuse board (after)

Should you receive an unsatisfactory outcome, our Electrical division can advise and quote you in order to rectify the problem and make your building compliant

Factors affecting the cost of an EICR for commercial properties, include:

• The size of the building and number of rooms
• Number of circuits
• Ease of access to the electrical circuits

If you are responsible for property, then you will also be responsible for ensuring that you have an up-to-date Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Whether you are a landlord of domestic or commercial properties, or your role is tasked with ensuring the maintenance of commercial properties, you will hopefully find the information below helpful.

To book an EICR inspection, call 01332 851300 or email electrical@tidyco.co.uk