EICR Remedial Works: Costs, Deadlines & Hiring Guide

EICR remedial works are the electrical repairs highlighted as “unsatisfactory” on your Electrical Installation Condition Report. They must be completed within 28 days—or immediately when a C1 danger is found—and they can cost anything from roughly £150 for replacing a few damaged sockets to several thousand pounds for a consumer-unit upgrade or partial re-wire in a London property.

Ignoring those faults isn’t simply cutting a corner; it breaches the Electrical Safety Standards 2020, attracts fines of up to £30,000, can void insurance and, most critically, leaves occupants exposed to shock and fire hazards. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or a facilities manager responsible for hundreds of circuits, certified remedial work is an obligation, not an optional extra.

This article walks you through every stage: what legally counts as remedial work, how the 28-day deadline is enforced, realistic cost guides, a five-step path from “unsatisfactory” report to sign-off, a hiring checklist to avoid cowboy quotes, and quick-fire FAQs for busy landlords and property professionals.

What Exactly Counts as EICR Remedial Work?

In simple terms, EICR remedial work is any corrective action needed to turn an “unsatisfactory” Electrical Installation Condition Report into a “satisfactory” one. It is not the same as elective improvements (e.g. swapping white sockets for brushed-chrome), nor routine maintenance such as replacing a blown lamp. Remedial tasks are dictated solely by the observation codes in the report; if the inspector has flagged a defect that compromises safety or compliance, it lands on your to-do list. Once the work is complete and certified, the installation moves back into compliance with BS 7671 and, for landlords, the 2020 Regulations.

EICR Observation Codes & Their Meaning

• C1 — Danger Present
  Immediate risk of shock or fire. Power often needs isolating until fixed.

• C2 — Potentially Dangerous
  No immediate shock, but an unsafe situation could arise. Must be rectified within 28 days.

• FI — Further Investigation Required
  Inspector could not confirm safety; testing or dismantling is needed before a verdict. Treat as C2 until resolved.

• C3 — Improvement Recommended
  Not unsafe today, but upgrading would enhance protection. Optional, yet wise to plan for it.

Only C1, C2 and FI items are compulsory elements of eicr remedial works; C3 observations are advisory.

Common Examples of Remedial Items

Domestic properties often throw up:

• Missing or faulty RCD protection on socket or shower circuits

• Broken or scorched sockets and light switches

• Inadequate main earthing or bonding to gas and water pipes

• Oversized MCBs protecting undersized cables

• Low insulation resistance on ageing ring circuits

• Loose connections in consumer-unit terminals

Commercial installs add their own flavour:

• Overloaded three-phase boards in kitchens or workshops

• Emergency lighting not connected to a dedicated supply

• Steel trunking lacking protective earth continuity

• Data cabinet power strips fed from lighting circuits

Why Prompt Remediation Matters

Leaving faults unaddressed piles up risk on several fronts:

• Safety – arcing at a loose connection can escalate into a full-scale fire within minutes.

• Legal – landlords have a hard 28-day clock; employers face enforcement under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

• Financial – insurers frequently refuse claims where known electrical defects were ignored, and local authorities can fine up to £30 000.

• Practical – small repairs like tightening a loose terminal cost pennies now but morph into costly rewires if heat damage spreads.

Acting quickly on your EICR findings is therefore not bureaucracy—it’s essential risk management.

Legal Responsibilities & Deadlines You Must Meet

An “unsatisfactory” EICR is more than a helpful heads-up—it is a statutory red flag. Once the inspector issues C1, C2 or FI observations you step into the realm of legal obligation. The specific rules differ slightly for landlords, business operators and owner-occupiers, but they all trace back to one principle under BS 7671 and safety law: a defective installation must be made safe without undue delay.

The headline piece of legislation for rented homes in England is The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. For workplaces it is the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (enforced through the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974). Homeowners are not policed by statute in the same way, yet mortgage lenders, insurers and Building Control expect them to keep wiring compliant with the IET Wiring Regulations. Ignore the remedial works in any of these scenarios and you could face fines, legal action, or an invalidated insurance policy when you need it most.

Below are the key timeframes and enforcement mechanics you need to know.

28-Day Rule for Landlords Explained

Under the 2020 Regulations a private landlord must:

1. Ensure any C1, C2 or FI items are rectified—or further investigated—in no more than 28 days from the date of the report, or by the shorter period the inspector states.

2. Obtain written evidence of completion, usually an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC).

3. Supply that evidence to both the tenant and the local housing authority within a further 28 days.

The clock starts the moment the electrician emails the final EICR, not when you open it. Where immediate danger (C1) exists the corrective action must be carried out immediately, often before the tenant is allowed back into the affected area.

Commercial & Homeowner Obligations

Business premises fall under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which require every employer or duty-holder to keep electrical systems “maintained to prevent danger.” There is no explicit 28-day window, but the Health & Safety Executive interprets “as soon as reasonably practicable” in days or weeks, not months. Directors can be held personally liable for injury caused by known electrical faults.

For owner-occupiers the driver is usually insurance: most policies contain a compliance clause stating claims may be refused if the installation was knowingly unsafe. BS 7671 recommends that remedial works stemming from an EICR be completed promptly and certified, regardless of whether you plan to sell or rent the property.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

• Local authorities can issue improvement notices and civil penalties up to £30,000 per breach against landlords.

• For commercial sites the HSE may serve a Prohibition Notice (shutting down equipment) and prosecute under the Health & Safety at Work Act. Fines frequently exceed £100,000, especially after a fire.

• Tenants can seek rent-repayment orders for up to 12 months’ rent if a landlord ignores electrical safety duties.

• Insurers may void a claim if an incident is traced back to ignored C1/C2 faults.

• In extreme cases directors or landlords could face criminal prosecution leading to an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

In short, completing your EICR remedial works on time is not optional bureaucracy—it is legal, financial and moral self-preservation.

Typical Remedial Works & Their Average Costs in the UK (2025)

Before you can sign off an “unsatisfactory” report you’ll almost certainly be paying for at least a handful of fixes. Prices swing wildly depending on whether you own a one-bed flat in Bromley or a three-phase bakery in Shoreditch, but the figures below give a solid planning baseline for 2025. All numbers assume London labour rates, include standard materials and 20 % VAT, and presuppose easy access. Expect the rest of the UK to come in 10–15 % cheaper.

Key Cost Factors to Budget For

• Property size & circuit count – A four-bed Victorian house with two consumer units costs more to test, isolate and refit than a modern studio.

• Type of board – Swapping a single-phase plastic consumer unit for an 18th-edition metal board is quicker than changing a 24-way three-phase distribution panel.

• Access & occupancy – Tenanted flats with furniture everywhere add labour hours; empty refurb jobs are faster and cheaper.

• Urgency – “Need it done yesterday” jobs attract premium call-out rates or overtime for evening work.

• Materials & compliance upgrades – RCDs, AFDDs, Type 2 SPD and fire-rated enclosures push up the parts bill.

• Certification & testing time – Every repair must be tested and recorded on an EIC or MEIWC, usually charged as a fixed percentage of labour.

• London overheads – Congestion charge, parking suspension and ULEZ add £25-£60 to many city centre visits.

Price Guide: Common Repairs

Remember: these are ballpark ranges. Final quotes should reference the specific observation number from your EICR so you can see exactly what you’re paying to rectify.

Ways to Keep Costs Under Control

1. Bundle everything into one visit. Every extra site attendance triggers another minimum charge and fresh parking fees.

2. Ask for a schedule of observations. Insist the electrician prices each code separately so you can spot inflated allowances.

3. Query ‘nice-to-haves’. Decorative faceplates or USB sockets are upgrades, not mandatory remedial works.

4. Get three like-for-like quotes. Provide the same EICR PDF, photos and access notes to each contractor so you’re comparing apples with apples.

5. Offer flexible access. Allowing weekend or daytime shutdowns can avoid costly out-of-hours rates for commercial premises.

6. Check VAT status. Smaller sole traders below the threshold can legally exclude VAT, shaving 20 % off small jobs—but confirm they can issue valid certificates.

Sticking to these tips keeps your EICR remedial budget realistic and prevents a nasty surprise when the invoice lands.

Step-by-Step Process: From Unsatisfactory EICR to Signed-Off Repairs

Turning an “unsatisfactory” report into a clean bill of electrical health doesn’t have to be chaotic. Follow the sequence below and you’ll glide from red-flag observations to stamped certificates well inside the 28-day window.

1. Read & Understand Your EICR

• Open the PDF and jump to the observation schedule – usually a numbered list.

• Note the code (C1, C2, or FI) and the circuit reference (e.g. “Ring final L/L1”) for each defect.

• Highlight any limitations or ‘Further Investigation’ notes; they influence the scope of work.

• If jargon trips you up, call the inspecting engineer and ask for a plain-English explanation. You’re entitled to clarity before spending money.

2. Gather Competitive Quotes

1. Email the EICR, plus any photos, to at least two other NICEIC or NAPIT contractors.

2. Request an itemised quote that cross-references each observation number.

3. Ask them to specify:

   • Labour hours

   • Materials and part numbers

   • Certification fees

   • Expected start and finish dates

4. Beware blanket “£2,000 – make safe” estimates; they’re impossible to audit later.

3. Carry Out Remedial Works Safely

• Schedule the job when the property can be de-energised – school holidays, tenant change-overs, early mornings for shops.

• Agree a method statement covering isolation points, lock-off procedures and dust control.

• Keep occupants in the loop; a five-minute power outage feels longer when nobody warned them.

• For multi-day projects, insist the electrician re-energises essential circuits (fridges, servers) before leaving site.

4. Certification After Repair

Every fix must be documented:

• Single-circuit jobs → Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC).

• Multiple circuits or board changes → Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC).

The contractor should append these certificates to the original EICR and mark each observation as “rectified”. Store PDFs in a cloud folder; you’ll need them for insurers and, if you’re a landlord, for the local authority.

5. Do You Need Another Full EICR?

• Minor works only? No – the MEIWC or EIC proves compliance.

• Consumer-unit swap or extensive rewiring? Best practice is a fresh, short-form EICR or at least the “schedules of test results” section repeated.

• If the council served a remedial notice, they may demand a brand-new EICR showing “satisfactory” throughout.

By ticking off each step promptly you’ll convert those outstanding eicr remedial works into certified safety – and keep regulators, insurers and occupants happy.

How to Choose the Right Electrician for Remedial Works

A failed EICR is stressful enough; the last thing you need is a cowboy quoting eye-watering sums or disappearing before the paperwork is finished. Picking a competent, accredited contractor is therefore critical. The right electrician will finish the eicr remedial works on time, charge fairly, and hand you watertight certification that stands up to council or insurer scrutiny.

Essential Qualifications & Memberships

• NICEIC or NAPIT Approved Contractor – proves regular auditing, calibrated test gear and the ability to self-certify under Part P.

• JIB Gold Card – shows the individual electrician is a qualified Installation Electrician with the NVQ3/AM2 level of competence.

• £5 million public liability insurance (minimum) – essential if something goes wrong on site.

• 18th Edition BS 7671 & current CPD – ask when they last updated their Regulations course.

• DBS check & PPE compliance – especially important for schools, care homes and HMOs.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring

1. Can you start—and finish—within my 28-day deadline?

2. Will you issue EIC/MEIWC plus an updated EICR summary page?

3. Is your quote fully itemised against each observation code?

4. What warranty do you provide on workmanship and parts? (12 months is the norm; good firms offer up to five years on consumer units.)

5. Are you happy to liaise with my tenant/agent and arrange keys?

6. Do you carry spare breakers, RCDs and bonding clamps on the van? avoiding delays if surprises crop up.

7. How will you protect décor and clear up afterwards? dust sheets, vacuum, waste removal included?

Document their answers by email so any promises become part of the contract.

Spotting Red Flags & Overpricing

• Vague scope: “make installation safe – £1,800” with zero reference to observation numbers.

• Pressure to re-wire the whole property when the EICR only flagged a few C2s.

• Refusal to supply accreditation number or show insurance schedule.

• Quotes that spike after you mention an insurance claim.

• Extra charges for issuing certificates—legitimate contractors include these in the price.

• Cash-only demands or no VAT number when the firm’s turnover clearly exceeds the threshold.

• Reluctance to agree a written variation process for unforeseen work.

Walk away from anyone exhibiting two or more of these warning signs; the risk to safety, budget and legal compliance simply isn’t worth it. Instead, shortlist electricians that tick all the qualification boxes, communicate clearly, and provide transparent, fixed-price quotations.

Quick-Fire FAQs Landlords & Property Managers Ask

Pressed for time? The answers below cut straight to the chase, covering the queries we hear every week from letting agents, portfolio landlords and block managers across London.

Do I need another EICR after remedial work?

Not usually. If the fixes were minor (e.g. replacing a cracked socket or adding bonding) your electrician issues a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) or an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and attaches it to the original report—job done. A fresh, full EICR is only recommended when large sections have been rewired or a new consumer unit fitted, or if the local authority specifically requests one during enforcement.

What happens if the deadline is missed?

The local housing authority can serve a remedial notice the moment day 29 rolls around. Ignore that and they may arrange the work themselves, bill you, and add a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per breach. You could also face rent-repayment orders and invalidated insurance if an incident occurs while faults remain outstanding.

Can a different electrician do the remedial works?

Yes. The Regulations don’t tie you to the original inspector. A new contractor simply needs the full EICR, access to the installation and the competence to certify their own repairs. Once complete, they must supply the MEIWC/EIC along with written confirmation that all C1, C2 and FI items are now resolved.

How long can a C2 fault be left?

Legally, no more than 28 days in a rented property. Best practice is to treat C2 issues almost as urgently as a C1—because “potentially dangerous” can become “immediately dangerous” without warning. Commercial duty-holders should adopt the same mindset and schedule repairs at the earliest practicable slot.

Who pays for remedial works in a rented property?

The landlord. Electrical safety is a statutory duty, so costs cannot be passed to the tenant through service charges or rent hikes mid-tenancy. Budget for remedial works just as you would for boiler servicing or fire-alarm maintenance and treat them as an essential operating expense.

Keeping Your Property Electrically Safe

Staying on the right side of the regulations boils down to five habits:

• Know what counts. Remedial works are only the C1, C2 and FI issues listed on your EICR—fix those first, worry about cosmetic upgrades later.

• Respect the clock. Landlords have 28 days (or less for C1) to provide written proof of rectification; businesses and homeowners should work to the same prompt timeline.

• Budget smartly. Use the cost table as a sense-check, insist on itemised quotes and bundle jobs into a single visit to avoid repeat call-outs.

• Follow the five-step process. Read the report, gather like-for-like quotes, schedule safe access, obtain the correct certificates, and file everything together.

• Hire competence, not convenience. Choose an NICEIC or NAPIT contractor with clear paperwork, realistic pricing and a track record of meeting deadlines.

Tick those boxes and you’ll convert an “unsatisfactory” report into a fully compliant, low-risk installation—plus a stack of certificates ready for auditors, insurers and tenants.

Need an accredited electrician who can handle testing and remedial repairs anywhere in London or the South-East? Request your free, itemised quote from Electrical Testing London today.