What’s involved
We turn up with full test equipment, dust sheets, and good shoes. A thorough visual inspection of the consumer unit, sockets, switches, and accessible cabling, followed by a series of live tests: insulation resistance, earth fault loop, RCD timing, polarity, continuity. Power needs to be off for a chunk of the testing. We’ll let you know when that is so you can plan around the freezer and the home office.
How long it takes
A 1-bed flat: 1.5 to 2 hours. A 3-bed semi: 3 to 4 hours. A larger property or one with awkward access: half a day. The report is usually with you by the end of the next working day, often sooner.
How we quote
Property size, circuit count, and access to the consumer unit are the main variables. Tell us the bed-count and whether it’s an owner-occupier or tenancy property, and we’ll quote a fixed price before we start. The price doesn’t change if it takes us a bit longer than expected.
What you get
- Full digitally signed EICR report with every observation graded (C1, C2, C3, FI).
- C1 danger made safe on the spot.
- Plain-English walk-through of every code before we leave.
- Certificate emailed the same day, ready to pass to your letting agent or tenant.
- Clear quote for any remedial work needed to bring the installation to satisfactory.
Frequently asked
Do landlords need an electrical safety certificate?
Yes. In England, rental properties legally need a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years and at each change of tenancy, with a copy to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection. Councils can fine landlords who don’t comply. We work with landlords and letting agents across Essex and can schedule around tenants.
How often do I need an EICR?
For rental properties in England, every 5 years (or change of tenancy, whichever comes first), this is a legal requirement. For your own home, every 10 years is the IET recommendation, sooner if the installation is older or you’ve had any concerns.
How long does an EICR take?
A 3-bed semi typically takes 3 to 4 hours. Larger properties, or installations with limited access to the consumer unit, can take longer. Power will need to be off for a chunk of the time, we’ll let you know in advance which parts of the day that affects.
What affects the cost?
Property size, circuit count, access to the consumer unit, and whether the install needs any temporary fixes during testing. We quote a fixed price before we start. The price doesn’t change if it takes us a bit longer than expected, and we don’t charge for extra circuits afterwards.
What's a C1, C2, C3 code?
C1 means danger present, requires immediate action, we’d make it safe on the spot. C2 means potentially dangerous, must be remedied for the report to be satisfactory. C3 is improvement recommended but not urgent. We’ll explain every code we issue and give you a clear quote for any remedial work.
What if my property fails?
An unsatisfactory EICR isn’t a disaster, it usually means one or two specific issues need fixing. We’ll quote the remedial work, do it, and re-test or amend the certificate. For landlords: you have 28 days from the date of the report to get remedial work done.