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An Electrical Safety Certificate (EICR) is a document issued by a certified electrician, after testing all electrical circuits and appliances in a property assessing they in working order and safe to use. These safety tests are often referred to as Periodic Inspection and testing.
An electrical safety inspection will:
If the electrical installation meets the latest BS 7671 – 18th Edition standards then it will be deemed a pass and we will issue a satisfactory electrical safety check (EICR). This may include some advisories (Noted as C3’s on the EICR). We will highlight these observations that could be improved to meet the latest regulations. These will be optional as they are recommendations only.
If the property is deemed unsafe, the electrician will then issue a failed Electrical Installation Condition Report detailing any requirements (Noted as C2’s on the EICR) observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions, non-compliances and any further investigations (Noted as FI’s on the EICR) to the present-day safety standard that might give rise to danger. If there is any immediate danger (Noted as C1’s on the EICR) these will be made safe at the time of the test.
If anything dangerous or potentially dangerous is found, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be declared to be ‘unsatisfactory’, meaning that remedial action is required without delay to remove the risks of the property. The landlord must ensure further investigations or repairs are completed by a qualified person within 28 days of the inspection, or within the timeframe set out in the report if this is shorter.
A mandatory electrical safety check will be required from 1 July 2020, for all new private tenancies in England. Landlords will need to ensure that the domestic property is inspected and tested by a qualified person and the property is in satisfactory condition prior to the start of a new tenancy.
The landlord will then be required to ensure that the installation is inspected and tested at least every five years, and more regularly if the most recent safety check (EICR) advises.
For existing tenancies, an electrical safety test will need to be carried out by 1 April 2021, with regular tests in accordance with the new regulations, which will apply to all privately rented properties.
While landlords are required under current UK law to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate and carry out annual checks, similar requirements are only just coming into place for Electrical Safety in England.
Private landlords are responsible for ensuring that an electrical safety survey of their property is carried out by a registered electrician at least once every five years, as well as at the beginning of a new tenancy.
Your electrics should be inspected and tested every:
Privately owned home: Every 10 years for an owner-occupied home.
Rented accommodation: Every 5 years. Be aware – New laws are coming into place for electrical safety checks to become mandatory.
Other times when a periodic inspection should be carried out are:
Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) should be carried out only by electrically competent persons, such as registered electricians. They will check the condition of the electrics against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations (IET Wiring Regulations).
The person conducting the inspection must be a member of (or an employee of a business that is a member of) an accredited registration scheme operated by a body such as the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) or similar.
These will be issued at the end electrical inspections. They detail any observed damage, dangerous conditions and any non-compliances with present-day safety standards, which could be potentially dangerous.
In cases where there is immediate or potential danger, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be deemed unsatisfactory. Corrective actions will then be required, without delay, to eliminate these risks.
New lets will be required to have an electrical test (EICR) as of 1st July 2020. The landlord will then be required to ensure that the installation is inspected and tested at least every five years, and more regularly if the most recent electrical safety inspection advises.
All existing tenancies will require an electrical safety check from 1st April 2021.
You should also think about arranging one if you are planning on letting or selling your property as well as if you are going to purchase a house from a previous owner.
As of 1st July 2020 failure to comply with an electrical safety check the for new tenancies could result landlords being fined up to £30,000.
Landlords are exposing themselves to significant financial risks, including large fines and invalid insurances by not acting on their electrical safety obligations. Landlords are also putting many UK private tenants at risk of serious accident or fire if these checks aren’t put into place. To meet these requirements a landlord will need to regularly carry out basic safety checks to ensure that the electrical installation and appliances are safe and in working order.
We are an NICEIC Approved Contractor. We specialise in Electrical testing and inspections however we can carry out all aspects of electrical work, therefore feel free to get in contact for any of the following services:
Once you’ve booked in your test, you will receive an email confirming your appointment date and time.
Many people are under the false impression that electrical inspections are costly, in terms of both time and money. However, many of them are little hassle and leave the customer with peace of mind and reassurance that their property is electrically safe.
An electrical test tends to take a few hours to do and the inspection will check on the adequacy, suitability and serviceability of your electrical installation. E.g. checking the fuseboard, cabling, switches, sockets and light fittings.
Any immediate danger will be made safe whilst carrying out the test, however, there may be some potentially dangerous or non-compliant defects with your installation. These will be listed under the observations section within your certificate. We will issue a quotation stating what works are required and any recommended improvements.
To ensure your property is safe, these works will have to take place, which would then warrant a satisfactory and valid safety certificate.
Please give us as much notice as possible if you can no longer make your booking slot. We hold a strict 50% cancellation fee if appointments are cancelled less than 24 hours beforehand.
If you need to reschedule the appointment feel free to contact us on 01245 471289 to change your booking.