What Is An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report, commonly called an EICR, is a formal document produced by a qualified electrician after a thorough inspection of a property's fixed wiring and electrical systems. It tells you whether the electrics are safe, identifies any faults or deterioration, and confirms whether the installation meets current British Standards (BS 7671). If you're a landlord, it's a legal requirement. If you're a homeowner or business, it's a critical part of managing risk.

At Electrical Testing London, we carry out EICRs across London and the South East for domestic, commercial, and rental properties. Our engineers each have a minimum of 10 years' experience, and we see first-hand how much confusion still surrounds this report, who needs one, what happens during the inspection, how often it should be repeated, and what the results actually mean.

This article breaks all of that down. We'll explain exactly what an EICR covers, walk through the inspection process, outline the legal obligations for landlords and homeowners, and give you a clear picture of costs and timescales. By the end, you'll know whether you need one, and what to expect when you book it.

Why an EICR matters for safety and liability

Electrical faults are one of the leading causes of house fires in the UK. Faulty wiring and defective electrical installations account for thousands of fires every year, and many of them could have been prevented with a routine inspection. Understanding what is an electrical installation condition report helps clarify why this single document carries so much weight: it is the mechanism that identifies problems before they become emergencies.

The hidden risks of ageing wiring

Electrical installations degrade over time. Insulation on older wiring can crack and become brittle, protective devices can fail to operate correctly, and consumer units installed decades ago may not meet current safety standards. None of this is visible to you without opening up the installation. A qualified electrician conducting an EICR checks these components systematically and flags anything that puts your property or its occupants at risk.

Overloaded circuits and poorly executed DIY electrical work are two other common findings during inspections. Properties often accumulate additional sockets, lighting circuits, and appliances over the years, and unless a qualified electrician manages those changes, the original installation can end up carrying far more load than it was designed to handle.

Your legal exposure if something goes wrong

If a fire or injury occurs at your property and you cannot produce evidence of a valid EICR, your insurance provider may refuse to pay out. This applies to landlords and commercial property owners alike. Courts have increasingly treated the absence of routine electrical inspection records as evidence of negligence, which means your liability exposure is substantial without a current report on file.

An up-to-date EICR is one of the clearest ways to demonstrate that you have taken reasonable steps to maintain electrical safety at your property.

For landlords specifically, the consequences extend beyond insurance. Fines of up to £30,000 can be issued under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 for non-compliance, and local authorities have the power to issue remedial notices or prohibit a property from being let until the required work is completed.

When you need an EICR in the UK and in London

The timing of an EICR depends on who you are and how your property is used. Regulatory requirements differ between landlords, commercial operators, and private homeowners, so it is worth understanding exactly where you stand before you book an inspection.

For landlords in the private rented sector

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 make EICRs a legal requirement for landlords. You must have a valid EICR in place before a new tenancy begins and renew it at least every five years. You are also required to provide a copy of the report to your tenant within 28 days of the inspection, and to any prospective tenant who requests one within 28 days of that request.

For homeowners and buyers

No law currently requires owner-occupiers to hold an EICR, but industry guidance recommends an inspection every ten years for owner-occupied properties, or whenever you move into a home whose electrical history you do not know. This is exactly the situation where understanding what is an electrical installation condition report becomes practically useful rather than theoretical.

Buying a property is another moment where an inspection adds real value. A Homebuyers Electrical Report carried out before completion gives you a clear picture of the installation's condition and any remedial costs you might face after moving in.

If your property is over 25 years old and has never had a formal inspection, booking an EICR is the most direct way to understand the true state of your electrics.

What an electrician checks during an EICR

Understanding what is an electrical installation condition report is easier once you know what the engineer actually examines. The inspection covers the fixed electrical installation only, meaning the wiring, sockets, switches, and other components built into the fabric of the building. It does not cover portable appliances like kettles or computers; those are assessed separately under PAT testing.

Fixed wiring, earthing, and bonding

The engineer inspects the condition of cables throughout the property, looking for deterioration, incorrect cable types, and any evidence of damage or overheating. Earthing and bonding are verified to confirm that fault current has a safe path to ground, which is what prevents electric shock when something goes wrong.

Key checks in this area include:

• Condition and type of fixed wiring and insulation
• Main protective bonding to gas, water, and other services
• Circuit continuity and insulation resistance test results

Consumer unit and protective devices

Your consumer unit is examined closely to confirm it contains the correct protective devices for each circuit and that those devices will actually operate under fault conditions. The engineer also tests residual current devices (RCDs) and circuit breakers individually to verify they trip within the required time and at the correct threshold.

The condition of your consumer unit often gives the clearest indication of how well the overall installation has been maintained over the years.

Each circuit is recorded against the limits set out in BS 7671, producing the evidence base that underpins the report's final classification.

How the EICR inspection works and how to prepare

Knowing what to expect when you book an inspection, and understanding what is an electrical installation condition report in practice, makes the process far less disruptive to your day. A typical domestic EICR in London takes between two and four hours depending on the size of the property and the number of circuits. Commercial properties with larger installations will take longer.

What happens on the day

Your engineer works through each circuit systematically, running tests that include insulation resistance measurements, earth loop impedance testing, and RCD trip time tests. During these tests, power to individual circuits will be switched off briefly, so planning the inspection for a time when disruption is manageable is sensible. The engineer also carries out a visual inspection of all accessible fixed wiring, sockets, switches, and the consumer unit.

The inspection is non-destructive, so the engineer will not need to open walls or remove plasterwork to complete the assessment.

How to prepare your property

Before the inspection, clear access to your consumer unit and any electrical panels is the single most useful step you can take. Make sure all areas are accessible, including loft spaces and cupboards where cables or junction boxes may be located.

If you hold any previous electrical certificates or records of work carried out, having these ready on the day gives the engineer useful context and can reduce the time needed to complete the report accurately.

How to read EICR codes and what to do next

Once your engineer completes the inspection, you receive a report containing classification codes for every observation recorded. Understanding what is an electrical installation condition report means understanding these codes, because they tell you exactly how serious each finding is and what action you need to take.

Understanding the code classifications

The report uses three codes to classify observations. A C1 (Danger Present) means there is an immediate risk of injury and work must be carried out before the installation is used again. A C2 (Potentially Dangerous) means urgent remedial work is required, but the risk is not immediate. A C3 (Improvement Recommended) means no immediate action is required, though addressing the point will bring the installation closer to current standards.

A single C1 or C2 code is enough for the report to be classified as Unsatisfactory, meaning the installation cannot be confirmed as safe in its current state.

What to do after you receive your report

If your report is classified as Satisfactory, no mandatory action is required, and you simply retain the certificate for your records. If the report is Unsatisfactory, you need to arrange remedial electrical works to address every C1 and C2 observation, typically within 28 days for landlords under the 2020 Regulations. Once the work is complete, your engineer issues an Electrical Installation Certificate confirming the remediation, which sits alongside the original EICR.

Book your EICR with Electrical Testing London

Now you have a complete picture of what is an electrical installation condition report, from the legal obligations it satisfies to the classification codes it produces. Whether you are a landlord preparing for a new tenancy, a homeowner buying a property, or a business managing its compliance obligations, the EICR is the document that tells you the true condition of your fixed electrical installation.

Ignoring the inspection does not make the risks disappear. Ageing wiring, overloaded circuits, and faulty protective devices remain hazards regardless of whether they have been formally assessed, and the legal and financial consequences of non-compliance are significant.

Our qualified engineers cover London and the South East, bringing a minimum of 10 years' experience to every inspection. If you are ready to book or want a transparent quote before committing, request your EICR quote here and we will get back to you promptly.