Services/EICRs and landlord electrical certificates
EICRs and landlord electrical certificates
This is the work Steve does most and knows best. A thorough, NICEIC registered inspection of a property's fixed wiring, with a clear report and a fixed price agreed before he starts. Covering Doncaster and the surrounding area.
What an EICR is
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection and test of the fixed electrical installation in a property: the consumer unit (fuse board), the circuits, sockets, switches, light fittings, earthing and bonding. It identifies deterioration, damage, dangerous DIY work, overloaded circuits and anything that doesn't meet the current wiring regulations. At the end you get a report with an overall result of satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Who needs one
- Landlords. A legal requirement in England: the fixed wiring must be inspected and tested at least every 5 years, with a copy of the satisfactory report given to tenants. A new tenancy needs a valid report before the tenant moves in.
- Homeowners. Recommended every 10 years, or sooner for an older installation that has never been checked.
- Buyers and sellers. A clear picture of the electrics before money changes hands.
- After buying an older property, especially with an old fuse board, rubber insulated cabling or obvious past DIY.
What the classification codes mean
- C1
- Danger present. Risk of injury, so immediate action is required.
- C2
- Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial work is needed.
- C3
- Improvement recommended. Not a fail on its own, but worth doing.
- FI
- Further investigation needed without delay.
A report is unsatisfactory if anything is coded C1, C2 or FI. For a rental, that work normally has to be completed within 28 days.
What's involved
- A quick chat about the property, its age and any known issues, so Steve can give you a fixed price.
- Visual inspection of the consumer unit, accessible wiring, accessories and connections.
- Dead testing with the power off: continuity, insulation resistance and polarity. The supply is switched off in stages during this part.
- Live testing: earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation.
- A written report, the observations explained in plain English, and a quote for any remedial work if it's needed.
If the report comes back unsatisfactory
Steve can carry out the remedial work himself. That is commonly a consumer unit replacement, added RCD protection, earthing and bonding improvements, or repairs to specific circuits. He then issues the paperwork confirming the installation is satisfactory, so you have one point of contact for the whole thing.
Questions landlords ask
- How often does a landlord need an EICR?
- In England, private landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at least every 5 years, and give tenants and the local authority a copy of the report on request. A new tenancy needs a valid report in place before the tenant moves in.
- What do the EICR codes mean?
- C1 means danger present: a risk of injury, so immediate action is required. C2 means potentially dangerous, so urgent remedial work is needed. C3 means improvement recommended, which is not a fail on its own. FI means further investigation required. A report is 'unsatisfactory' if anything is coded C1, C2 or FI, and that work needs putting right, normally within 28 days for a rental.
- How long does an EICR take?
- For a typical two or three bedroom house, allow around 2 to 4 hours depending on the number of circuits and how accessible everything is. Larger or older properties take longer. Steve will give you a realistic time when he quotes.
- Do I need to be there for the whole inspection?
- No, but someone needs to let Steve in and the power will be off for periods during testing. For tenanted properties, Steve can arrange access with the tenant directly.
- What's the difference between an EICR and a 'landlord certificate'?
- For the fixed wiring they're the same thing: the EICR is the landlord electrical safety certificate the law requires. It is separate from a Gas Safety Certificate and from PAT testing of plug in appliances, which are different jobs.
- My EICR is unsatisfactory. Can you do the remedial work?
- Yes. Steve can quote to put right whatever the report has flagged, whether that's a consumer unit upgrade, additional RCD protection, earthing and bonding improvements or fixing specific circuits, and then issue the paperwork confirming the installation is satisfactory.
Book an EICR in Doncaster
Landlord certificate due, or just want the electrics checked properly? Call or message Steve for a fixed price.
Call any time, 7 days a week · Covering Doncaster, Bessacarr, Armthorpe, Thorne, Rossington, Bawtry and nearby