Safety & testing
What is an EICR, and does my property need one?
An EICR is a documented inspection and test of a property's fixed wiring, resulting in a satisfactory or unsatisfactory report. Rented homes in England need a satisfactory one at least every five years.
By KS Electrical, Uttoxeter · Updated 19 August 2026 · 6 min read
What's actually inspected
The fixed installation: consumer units, circuits, sockets, switches, light fittings, earthing and bonding. Not your appliances: a kettle or a washing machine is a separate matter (that's PAT testing, which is a different thing entirely).
It combines a visual inspection with actual measurements: insulation resistance, continuity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD operation. That's why it takes hours rather than minutes, and why parts of it need the power off.
Who needs one, and how often
- Private rented homes in England, a legal requirement. A satisfactory report at least every five years, a copy to existing tenants within 28 days, and to new tenants before they move in.
- Owner-occupied homes, not compulsory. Sensible roughly every ten years, when buying, after an extension, or when odd faults start appearing.
- Commercial premises, driven by duties under the Electricity at Work Regulations and usually by your insurer. The interval depends on the type of premises and is recommended on the report itself.
The codes, in plain English
This is where most of the confusion, and, frankly, most of the mis-selling, happens.
- C1, danger present. Something is unsafe right now. It gets made safe before the electrician leaves. Report is unsatisfactory.
- C2, potentially dangerous. Not dangerous today, but it will be if something else fails. Report is unsatisfactory.
- C3, improvement recommended. Worth doing, not urgent, and it does not fail the report.
- FI, further investigation required. Something couldn't be resolved on the day. Report is unsatisfactory until it's looked into.
A report can be perfectly satisfactory with several C3s on it. If you've been told your property has failed on the strength of C3 observations, or that a full rewire is needed without any test results to support it, ask to see the report and have each observation explained.
What happens on the day
Around three to four hours for a typical three-bedroom house. Longer for bigger properties, older installations with unlabelled circuits, and commercial premises.
The power goes off circuit by circuit for the dead testing, then comes back on for the live tests. Access matters more than people expect: the consumer unit, the loft hatch, and any accessible junction boxes need to be reachable. A cupboard packed to the ceiling in front of the board slows everything down.
If it comes back unsatisfactory
It's common, particularly on older properties, and it isn't a disaster. You should get an itemised quote for remedial work set against the coded observations, so you can see exactly what you're paying to fix and why.
For landlords in England, C1, C2 and FI items must be dealt with within 28 days of the report, or sooner if the report specifies, with written confirmation to the tenant and, on request, the local authority.
You are never obliged to use the inspecting electrician for the remedial work, and a reasonable one won't mind you getting a second quote.
FAQs
Related questions
How much should an EICR cost?
It depends on the number of circuits and the size and age of the property rather than on a flat rate. Be wary of a headline price far below everyone else's, an inspection done properly takes hours, and a very cheap one is often a very quick one.
Is an EICR the same as a landlord safety certificate?
In everyday use, yes'landlord electrical safety certificate' is what people call the EICR required for rented homes in England. The formal name is the Electrical Installation Condition Report.
Can I be present during the inspection?
Yes, and it's helpful. You can point out any known faults, and it's much easier to explain observations while standing in front of them than in an email afterwards.
Does an old fuse board automatically fail an EICR?
No. Age alone isn't a code. What matters is whether the installation provides the protection it needs and is in a serviceable condition. An old board with no RCD protection on circuits that now require it will attract an observation, but the code depends on the specifics.