Everything You Need to Know About Getting An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
All electrical installations will deteriorate with use and age. This means that they should be tested and inspected at regular intervals to ensure that they remain in a satisfactory condition to enable continued use.
These safety checks are often referred to as a “periodic inspection and testing” and once completed, you will be issued with an Electrical Installation and Condition Report or EICR.
What’s Involved in a Periodic Inspection?
There are a number of important reasons for a periodic inspection. It will reveal if there are electrical equipment or circuits that are overloaded, if there are any potential fire hazards or electric shock risks.
During the inspection, any defective electrical work will be identified, and any lack of bonding or earthing will be highlighted. Tests will also be performed on fixed electrical equipment and wiring to check that everything is safe.
A periodic inspection should be performed every ten years for owner occupied homes, every five years for rental homes, three years for caravans and annually for swimming pools.
Periodic inspections should also be carried out every time a property is being made ready for letting or if you’re selling or buying a previously occupied property.
Who Can Perform a Periodic Inspection?
Any periodic inspections and testing should only be carried out by an electrically competent person. A professional electrician will check the current condition of your electrics against the latest UK standards for the safety of electrical installations.
During the inspection, the electrician will check the adequacy of bonding and earthing, and examine the suitability of your switchgear and control gear.
For example, you may have an old fuse box that has cast iron switches, a wooden back or a mix of both that need to be replaced.
The electrician will also check the serviceability of sockets, light fittings, and switches.
These items may need to be updated or replaced, such as round light switches, black switches, skirting board mounted sockets, older round pin sockets or cables with a fabric coating that are hanging from your ceiling roses to your light fittings.
It is also important that the condition and type of your wiring system is checked.
For example, you may have cables that are coated in black rubber that were actually phased out during the 1960s. Older properties may have cables coated in fabric or lead that are even older and need to be upgraded to the longer lasting PVC used in modern cables.
Once the inspection has been completed, the competent person will issue the Electrical Installation Condition Report.
This will detail any observed deterioration, damage, dangerous conditions, defects or any non compliances with the current safety standards that could pose a threat.
If there is anything potentially dangerous or hazardous, the overall condition of your electrical installation will be declared “unsatisfactory.” This will mean remedial action will be required immediately to remove any of the risks that could harm the property occupants.
If you are in need of an EICR, you can rest assured that all our recommended electricians are equipped to help you.
They can not only perform the inspection necessary for the EICR but also conduct any necessary repairs to ensure that your property is free of hazardous electrics.
If you’d like to speak to our recommended electrician in your area, you can find them here.
Need an Electrical Installation Condition Report?
Popular Local Electricians
Need an Electrical Installation Condition Report?
Recent Reviews About The Electricians
James responded to my enquiry and had my lightfitting fixed the same day. Excellent service from James and great communications with the lady I placed the enquiry with who was very friendly and helpful Would highly recommend and will definitely use again
Julie
Professionalism & Quality
Samira
Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, & Value!
Gavrila
Electrician was friendly and worked efficiently. Deffo recommend
Matt
Nice friendly blokes good job done no mess left a happy guy
Chapman
The electrician turned up on time, he was friendly and dealt with the job efficiently. Thank you.
Mrs C, Falkirk
Efficient and friendly service from my first phone call to completion of the work, would recommend to anyone.
Hayrack Gallery
Had two boys came and do my electrics they were very nice lads and knew what that were doing there work was clean and nice very impressed Will be using your company again in the future thanks again
Daphne harris
Very good service prompt and efficient, will definitely be using them again!
Jo Prior
Excellent service can not recommend highly enough. Had a problem with a rcd keep tripping they came out within 2 hours went through all my sockets found and fixed the problem all at a very reasonable price, Very friendly and kept me informed on what they had foundand how they fixed it. if only there were more companies out there like this life would be a lot easier.
Mark Maynard
very quick came same day
pearl veikens
We didn't actually end up using them so this rating is based on their response time and courtesy.
Dennis
Very quick response, good neat job with no hassle.
Victor Pallett
Power all up and running once again, and a very good job too for the price..
Derek Eley
Very quick service. Guys were thorough, left everything where they found it. Good job definitely use them again
Lilian Lindsay
Went beyond putting in new board and earthing everything. Would recommend in a heartbeat.
Gillian Storar
Excellent service
Daphne Conroy
I had a problem with the fuse box in my flat with some of the plugs not working. This was at 9pm and I rang to state what the problem was. I was told to take a picture and see if we could solve it there and then - which we were able to. This was a great service given I could easily have asked them to have come round and charged me. It was greatly appreciated and saved a lot of late night worrying
Kieran
We can’t recommend Adam and Yusuf enough! They were brilliant start to finish. We had our electrical panel fully replaced to include RCDs on each circuit. We also had spotlights replaced, dimmer switch installed, a number of new light fittings and plug sockets replaced across the house. They are super efficient, professional and the work carried out was done to such a high standard.
Kelly
We got home from a weekend away to find all the electricity down and couldn’t sort it ourselves at the fuse box. The guys turned up quickly, on a Sunday afternoon, did a thorough investigation to find the problem and fixed it for us. Overall great service, would use again and would recommend!
Jenny
My Trusted Expert Guarantee
Experts Have Been Vetted & Certified