An EICR, an Electrical Installation Condition Report, is a formal inspection and test of a property’s fixed electrical installation: the wiring, the consumer unit, the sockets and switches. It is the electrical equivalent of an MOT, with one difference: the result is a graded report rather than a plain pass or fail.
Who legally needs one
Landlords in England. Rental properties must have a satisfactory EICR at least every five years, and at each change of tenancy. Tenants must be given a copy within 28 days of the inspection, and councils can issue fines of up to £30,000 for non-compliance. If you rent out property, this is not optional.
Homeowners. No legal requirement, but the IET recommends a condition report at least every ten years, and sooner for older installations or when buying a house. Insurers and mortgage surveys increasingly expect one on older properties.
What the codes mean
- C1: danger present, needs immediate action. A responsible tester makes a C1 safe before leaving.
- C2: potentially dangerous, must be fixed for the report to be satisfactory.
- C3: improvement recommended. Worth doing, but not a failure.
- FI: further investigation needed before a judgement can be made.
Only C1, C2 and FI make a report unsatisfactory. A page of C3s is common on older installations and is not a crisis.
What if it fails?
An unsatisfactory report usually means one or two specific faults, not a condemned house. The remedial work gets quoted, done and certified, and the report is then satisfactory. For landlords, remedial work must be completed within 28 days of the report, or sooner if the report says so.
How long testing takes, what affects the cost, and what you get on the day are all covered on our EICR and certification page. We test for landlords, letting agents, homebuyers and homeowners across Essex, and we explain every code in plain English before we leave.
Ready to get it sorted?
Read about the service itself, or get in touch for a free, no-obligation estimate: EICR & Certification in Essex.