What Is A Domestic Electrical Installation Condition Report
A domestic electrical installation condition report is a formal inspection of the fixed wiring and electrical systems inside a home. It checks whether everything, from your consumer unit to your sockets, light fittings, and circuits, is safe and up to current standards. The report grades each circuit using observation codes that tell you exactly what needs attention and how urgently.
Whether you're a landlord meeting your legal obligations or a homeowner who hasn't had the electrics looked at in years, this report gives you a clear picture of your property's electrical health. For landlords in England specifically, it's not optional, it's a legal requirement under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
At Electrical Testing London, our engineers carry out domestic EICRs across London, Greater London, and the South East every day. Below, we'll walk you through exactly what the report covers, how the inspection works, what the results mean, and what you should expect to pay.
Why a domestic EICR matters for safety
The wiring inside most homes is invisible and largely forgotten. You switch lights on, plug in appliances, and rarely stop to think about what is happening behind the walls, under the floorboards, or in the loft. But electrical faults are one of the leading causes of domestic fires in the UK, and the majority trace back to ageing or deteriorating installations that had not been tested in years.
The real risks of unchecked wiring
Outdated wiring, overloaded circuits, and deteriorating insulation all create serious fire and electrocution hazards without giving any obvious warning. A socket that works fine on the surface can still have loose connections, corroded terminals, or damaged conductors behind the wall. That is exactly why a domestic electrical installation condition report exists: a trained engineer can identify problems that a working light switch will never reveal to you.
An electrical fault can develop gradually over years. By the time any visible sign appears, the risk to your property and the people inside it is already serious.
Wiring installed before 1966 may not have an earth conductor at all. Wiring from the 1970s and 1980s often used PVC insulation that becomes brittle and cracks with age, exposing live conductors. Without a proper inspection, you have no way of knowing what condition your installation is actually in, and home insurance policies can be invalidated if an electrical fault causes a fire in an uninspected property.
Who is legally required to have one
If you rent out a property in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 make an EICR a legal requirement. You must have the fixed installation inspected at least every five years, provide a copy of the report to each tenant within 28 days, and carry out any required remedial work within 28 days of the inspection. Civil penalties for non-compliance can reach up to £30,000.
For owner-occupied homes, an EICR is strongly recommended every ten years under current guidance from BS 7671, the UK wiring regulations standard. You should also arrange one sooner if you are buying a property, moving into a home where you have no record of the last electrical inspection, or undertaking significant renovation work that affects the fixed wiring.
What an EICR inspection involves
When an engineer carries out a domestic electrical installation condition report, they are inspecting the fixed wiring and components that make up your home's electrical system. This is not a simple visual check; the process involves physical testing of circuits, sockets, switches, and your consumer unit using specialist equipment. The engineer measures insulation resistance, confirms earth continuity, and checks that each circuit's protection device is correctly rated for the load it serves.
What the engineer checks
The engineer works through a structured inspection schedule set out in BS 7671. They will check your consumer unit (fuse board) for correct protection devices, test each circuit for insulation integrity, verify that earthing and bonding are adequate, and confirm that wiring is correctly installed and protected. Older installations often reveal missing protective conductors, overloaded circuits, or deteriorating insulation that would not be visible to the naked eye.
- Consumer unit condition and correct protective devices
- Insulation resistance of each circuit
- Earth and bonding connections
- Socket and switch condition
- Wiring routing and protection
How long it takes
For a typical two or three-bedroom home, the inspection usually takes between two and four hours. Larger properties or those with older wiring will take longer because the engineer must test every individual circuit and document each finding separately. You do not need to do anything during the inspection beyond providing access to the consumer unit and all rooms.
A thorough inspection takes time. Be cautious of any engineer who claims they can complete a full EICR on a large property in under an hour.
Who needs a domestic EICR and how often
Understanding who is required to have an inspection and how regularly it should happen saves you from unexpected legal problems or safety risks. The answer depends primarily on whether you own or rent out the property, and how old the existing installation is.
Landlords renting out property
If you let a residential property in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require you to have a domestic electrical installation condition report carried out at least every five years. You must also provide a copy to new tenants before they move in, and to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection. If the report identifies required work, you have 28 days to complete it and supply written confirmation to your tenants. Local authorities can issue fines of up to £30,000 for landlords who fail to comply.
If your existing EICR is approaching the five-year mark, arrange a new inspection before it expires rather than waiting until you are already in breach.
Owner-occupiers and homebuyers
For owner-occupied homes, an inspection every ten years is the standard recommendation under BS 7671. That interval shortens in specific situations, and it is worth knowing when you should act sooner:
- On purchase: if you have no record of the last inspection, commission one before or shortly after you move in
- After major renovation: any work affecting fixed wiring needs a fresh assessment
- Ageing installations: wiring that is more than 25 to 30 years old warrants an inspection regardless of when the last one took place
- Change of use: converting a garage, loft, or outbuilding into a habitable space requires a new inspection of the affected circuits
How to read EICR codes and next steps
When you receive your domestic electrical installation condition report, the most important part is the observation codes assigned to each finding. These codes tell you whether an issue is immediately dangerous, potentially dangerous, or simply a recommendation that falls below current standards. Understanding what each code means helps you prioritise any remedial work correctly.
What the observation codes mean
The report uses four codes to classify each observation, and each one carries a different level of urgency.
| Code | Meaning | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present | Immediate action required |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Urgent remedial work needed |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | No legal requirement, but advisable |
| FI | Further investigation required | Cannot confirm safety without more testing |
A C1 finding means the installation poses an immediate risk to anyone in the property. The engineer may isolate that circuit before leaving your home. A C2 finding requires you to book remedial work promptly, usually within 28 days if you are a landlord.
A C3 observation does not fail your report, but leaving repeated C3 findings unaddressed means they are likely to become C2 issues at your next inspection.
What to do after you receive your report
If your report comes back with C1 or C2 observations, arrange remedial work as soon as possible and ask your electrician for written confirmation once it is completed. Landlords must send that confirmation to their tenants within 28 days. If your report is clear of C1 and C2 codes, file it somewhere safe and make a note of when your next inspection falls due.
Cost, timing, and booking in London
The cost of a domestic electrical installation condition report in London typically ranges from £150 to £300 for a standard residential property. That figure is not fixed. What you pay depends on the size of your home, the age of the wiring, and how many circuits the engineer needs to test and document. Getting a clear quote before the inspection starts means you will not face unexpected costs when the report is issued.
Always confirm whether the quoted price includes the written report itself, as some providers price these separately.
What affects the price
Property size is the main driver of cost. A one-bedroom flat with a modern consumer unit takes considerably less time to inspect than a five-bedroom Victorian terrace with original wiring spread across multiple floors. Older installations also tend to add time because the engineer must work more carefully to test deteriorating components without causing damage. If significant remedial work follows the inspection, that is priced and agreed separately from the EICR itself.
The table below gives a rough guide to what you might expect to pay in London:
| Property size | Typical EICR cost |
|---|---|
| 1-2 bedroom flat | £150 to £180 |
| 3-bedroom house | £180 to £230 |
| 4-5 bedroom house | £230 to £300 |
How to book your inspection
Booking is straightforward. You contact a qualified electrician, confirm the size and age of your property, and agree a date and time that causes minimal disruption to your household. Most inspections can be scheduled within a few days. At Electrical Testing London, same-week appointments are regularly available across London and the South East, and you receive your written report promptly after the visit.
Next steps for your property
Now that you understand what is a domestic electrical installation condition report and what it covers, the next move is straightforward: find out when your property was last inspected and whether that falls within the required timeframe. If you are a landlord, check your current EICR's issue date and confirm it has not passed the five-year mark. If you are an owner-occupier with no record of a recent inspection, treat that as your prompt to book one now rather than wait.
Your electrical installation does not give you advance warning when something goes wrong. Acting before a problem develops is always cheaper and safer than dealing with the consequences after the fact. Whether you need your first inspection or a renewal before your current report expires, our engineers are available across London and the South East. Request a quote for your domestic EICR and we will get you booked in quickly.
