An Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR is a report completed by a qualified electrician to assess the overall safety and condition of the electrical installation in a property.
The report is completed following an in-depth assessment carried out by a qualified electrician. Your electrician will complete a visual inspection and perform tests on the electrical installation to confirm that everything is functioning safely and is compliant with minimum regulatory standards.
Any potentially hazardous defects identified will be included in the report and given a recommendation code. Codes 1 & 2 require immediate action and an EICR will not pass with these codes present. However, an EICR can still pass with a recommendation code 3 present.
On 1st July 2020 regulations were introduced for the electrical safety standards and legal requirements regarding the documentation required in rented property in the private sector. All landlords in England and Wales are required to have an EICR inspection completed on their rental property every 5 years with a copy of the certificate provided to tenants.
From the 1st April 2021 all persons renting a property would have been provided a valid EICR and all new tenants will receive a copy of an EICR when taking out a new tenancy on a property.
Whilst not a legal requirement its recommended that homeowners also have an EICR carried out every 10 years to assess their electrical system and ensure electrical safety.
As with most things, electrical installations deteriorate over time so it’s important to ensure that your property is safe and in line with current regulations.
An EICR inspection does not cover the testing or portable appliances (PAT Testing) so if you are a landlord providing portable appliances in your rental properties these will not be covered and separate PAT testing will need to be scheduled.
PAT testing is not a legal requirement however some local authorities will request that evidence of sufficient PAT testing is provided as a condition of a particular licence. Whilst not a legality PAT testing provides protection to landlords ensuring the safety of tenants and the appliance being used to ensure that they cannot be sued for negligence or injury or damage to belongings damaged by faulty electrics.
When a new EICR is carried out the landlord provides a copy of this to the tenants of the property within 28 days of the inspection. A local authority can also request a copy of the EICR and this must be produced within 7 days. Failure to do so can result in financial penalties for the landlord.
If any failings are found in a rental property the landlord must instruct further investigation or remedial work to be completed within 28 days of the failed report.
An EICR inspection provides invaluable reassurance of electrical safety in the home and could prevent electrical faults developing.
If you require an EICR to be completed on your property, contact J Kirby Electrical to discuss your needs and get a free quotation.
