EICRs Explained
Electrical safety reports,
in plain English.
An EICR is the legally required electrical MOT for rented homes and the gold-standard safety check for homeowners. Here's what it covers, why it matters, and how to book one with a NAPIT approved contractor.
Landlords (legal)
Required every 5 years for all private rentals in England. Must be issued to tenants and, on request, to the council.
Businesses & HMOs
Required for commercial premises, HMOs, hotels and shared occupancy — typically every 5 years, sometimes annually.
Homeowners
Advised every 10 years, when moving in, before major work, or if you spot tripping, scorching or old wiring.
What gets inspected
Fuse board, circuits, accessories checked, calibrated instruments.
Fuse board checked
Consumer unit condition, RCD/RCBO protection, AFDD where required, correct labelling.
Circuits & cabling checked
Insulation resistance, continuity, polarity and earth loop impedance on every circuit.
Earthing & bonding checked
Main earthing conductor and protective bonding to gas, water and structural metalwork.
Accessories checked
Sample of sockets, switches and light fittings opened, inspected and tested with calibrated instruments.
Understanding the codes
What C1, C2, C3 & FI actually mean.
An EICR is judged Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory based on coded observations. If your report shows C1, C2 or FI, remedial work is required to bring it up to standard.
- C1
Danger present
Risk of injury. Immediate action required.
- C2
Potentially dangerous
Urgent remedial work needed.
- C3
Improvement recommended
Not dangerous — report can still be Satisfactory.
- FI
Further investigation
Something needs digging into before a verdict can be given.
Real-world examples
Typical observations & how they're coded
Examples aligned with Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide 4 (model coding for periodic inspections). Final codes are always judgement calls made by the inspector on the day.
- Exposed live conductors — broken socket faceplate, missing consumer unit blank, damaged pendant lampholder with copper visible.
- Incorrect polarity at the origin or a socket (line and neutral reversed).
- Accessible conductive part energised due to a fault (e.g. metal appliance frame live).
- Circuit protective conductor (CPC) disconnected or missing on a Class I circuit.
- Main earthing conductor disconnected from the MET.
- Bare live busbar in an old fuse board with no shrouding.
- No RCD protection for socket-outlets likely to supply portable equipment used outdoors.
- No RCD protection for cables buried in walls at a depth of less than 50 mm without mechanical protection.
- Main protective bonding missing or undersized to gas and/or water services.
- Zs (earth fault loop impedance) exceeds the maximum permitted value for the protective device.
- Signs of thermal damage or overheating at a consumer unit, connection or accessory (scorching, melted insulation).
- Loose connections in a distribution board or at an accessory.
- Non-standard, damaged or unenclosed junction boxes above ceilings.
- No surge protection device (SPD) fitted where the current edition of BS 7671 would now require one.
- No AFDD fitted on final circuits where the latest amendment recommends them (e.g. HMOs, care homes).
- Consumer unit in a combustible cabinet (e.g. plastic) in a domestic property — no signs of damage.
- Old rubber or lead-sheathed wiring present but currently in serviceable condition.
- Absence of circuit labelling or an out-of-date distribution board schedule.
- No RCD protection on lighting circuits (not required at time of install, recommended now).
- Socket-outlet mounted less than 150 mm above a worktop surface.
Source: Electrical Safety First Best Practice Guide 4 — Electrical Installation Condition Reporting: Classification Codes for Domestic and Similar Electrical Installations. Examples paraphrased for clarity; refer to the current issue for the full model wording.
Industry standard
Working to Best Practice Guide 4.
Every EICR carried out by All Cabling© Limited follows Electrical Safety First guidance — the UK charity dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents. Their Best Practice Guide 4 is the industry-agreed reference for how EICRs and periodic inspections should be conducted and coded.
Best Practice Guide 4
Electrical Safety First
A concise summary of what BPG 4 covers:
- Consistent, fair use of C1, C2, C3 and FI classification codes.
- Model observations and coding examples for common installation issues.
- How to handle older installations that pre-date current BS 7671 amendments.
- Guidance on inspection extent, sampling and safe isolation.
- Surge protection, RCD/RCBO and AFDD coding recommendations.
- How to report clearly so the client understands what needs doing.
Link opens the Electrical Safety First downloads page so you always receive the current issue of the guide.
Extent of inspection
100% tested. 20% opened up.
Industry guidance is clear: every circuit in the fixed installation should be inspected and tested, with an internal examination of a sample of at least 20% of accessories on each circuit. Any limitation — inaccessible loft space, occupied rooms, a tenant's belongings blocking access — must be agreed with the client beforehand and written on the report.
An EICR issued from a partial test with undeclared limitations is not a compliant report, and a council can reject it.
Checking your inspector is competent
The regulations say only "qualified and competent person". These are the checks industry guidance expects a landlord to make:
- Registered with a government-authorised Competent Person Scheme — verify at electricalcompetentperson.co.uk.
- Qualified in the current edition of BS 7671 (2018+A4:2026).
- Holds a periodic inspection & testing qualification (C&G 2391 or equivalent).
- Public liability insurance of at least £2 million.
- Professional indemnity insurance of at least £250,000.
- Relevant experience on comparable properties.
- Test instruments with in-date calibration certificates.
CPD: not named in the GOV.UK guidance and not a statutory landlord check — but scheme registration itself requires ongoing competence and re-assessment against the current amendment, which is the practical proxy.
Sources: GOV.UK electrical safety standards guidance (private and social rented sectors); Electrical Safety Roundtable landlord guidance. Last reviewed August 2026.
FAQ
Common EICR questions.
What is an EICR?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal document produced after a thorough inspection and testing of the fixed electrical installation in a property. It records the condition against BS 7671 (the UK Wiring Regulations) and flags anything unsafe or non-compliant.
Who legally needs an EICR?
Since 2020, private landlords in England must have a valid EICR for every rented property, renewed at least every 5 years and given to tenants and the local authority on request. Homeowners aren't legally required to have one but are strongly advised every 10 years, or before buying/selling a property.
What is inspected during an EICR?
The consumer unit (fuse board), all circuits, sockets, switches, light fittings, earthing and bonding, cabling condition, RCD/RCBO protection, and any signs of overheating, damage or DIY work. A sample of accessories is opened and tested with calibrated instruments.
How long does an EICR take?
A typical 1–3 bedroom flat or house takes 2–4 hours. Larger properties, HMOs and commercial premises take longer. The circuits must be temporarily switched off during testing.
What do C1, C2, C3 and FI codes mean?
C1 = Danger present, immediate action required. C2 = Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial work. C3 = Improvement recommended (report can still be Satisfactory). FI = Further Investigation required. A report is 'Unsatisfactory' if any C1, C2 or FI codes are present.
What does a C1 code mean on an EICR?
C1 means 'Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required.' The inspector has found something that could cause injury right now — for example exposed live parts, missing earthing on a Class I circuit, or a disconnected main earthing conductor. The installation should be made safe before the inspector leaves site if possible, and the report is automatically Unsatisfactory.
What does a C2 code mean on an EICR?
C2 means 'Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required.' The issue is not immediately injurious, but it could become dangerous — for example no RCD protection for outdoor sockets, missing protective bonding, or Zs values exceeding tabulated limits. The report is Unsatisfactory and the work should be carried out as soon as practicable.
What does a C3 code mean on an EICR?
C3 means 'Improvement recommended.' The installation is not unsafe in itself, but it falls short of current standards or best practice — for example no surge protection where one is now recommended, an absence of circuit labels, or old but serviceable wiring. A C3 alone does not make the report Unsatisfactory, and the client can decide whether to act on it.
How much of the installation is actually tested?
Industry guidance (Electrical Safety Roundtable) is that 100% of the fixed installation should be inspected and tested — every circuit — with an internal examination of a sample of at least 20% of accessories on each circuit. Any limitations must be agreed with the client in advance and recorded on the report. A report based on a partial test with undeclared limitations is not a compliant EICR.
What qualifications should a landlord check before booking an EICR?
The regulations only say 'qualified and competent person'. Industry guidance sets out the practical checks: registration with a government-authorised Competent Person Scheme (verifiable at electricalcompetentperson.co.uk), a qualification in the current edition of BS 7671, a specific periodic inspection and testing qualification (City & Guilds 2391 or equivalent), at least £2 million public liability insurance, at least £250,000 professional indemnity insurance, relevant experience on similar properties, and in-date calibration certificates for test instruments.
Do landlords need to check an electrician's CPD?
There is no statutory duty on a landlord to check CPD, and CPD is not mentioned in the GOV.UK guidance. It matters indirectly — Competent Person Scheme registration requires ongoing competence, including periodic assessment and re-qualification against the current amendment of BS 7671. Confirming current scheme registration is the practical way to verify a contractor is up to date.
How much does an EICR cost?
Prices vary by property size and number of circuits. Get in touch with Paul on 07770 880255 for a straight, no-obligation quote — remedial work (if any) is quoted separately.
Ready to book
NAPIT approved. Fully insured. Straight quote.
Landlord, business or homeowner — Paul will inspect, test and certify to BS 7671.