An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is the closest thing UK property owners have to an MOT for the wiring in their home. It's a thorough, regulated inspection that tells you whether your installation is safe, where the weak points are, and what (if anything) needs fixing. For landlords it's a legal obligation; for homeowners it's the cheapest way to catch a fire-risk problem before it happens.
What an EICR Actually Tests
We test the entire fixed wiring of the property, every circuit, every consumer unit, every accessory, against the current edition of the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671). The test is part visual inspection and part electrical measurement.
- Visual inspection: Consumer unit condition, signs of overheating or scorching, cable damage, missing covers, accessible parts.
- Continuity tests: Earth conductors, bonding to gas/water/structural metalwork, ring final circuits.
- Insulation resistance: Each circuit's insulation between live and earth, between live and neutral. Low values point to damaged cables or moisture ingress.
- Polarity tests: Every accessory and connection point.
- RCD tests: Confirmed trip times and trip currents on every protective device.
Who Needs One
EICRs are required by law for some property types and recommended for everyone:
- Landlords: Legally required every five years under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020. Without a satisfactory report, you can't legally rent the property.
- HMOs: The same five-year cycle, with extra paperwork around the licence.
- Buying or selling a home: Strongly recommended, buyers regularly negotiate the price down by the cost of any remediation work flagged by an EICR.
- Homes over 25 years old: Recommended every 10 years if no major rewire has been done.
- After major renovation: An EICR confirms that the new work integrates safely with the existing installation.
Need an EICR in Norfolk?
Call Sheen Electrical on 07362 252 536. Detailed report from £160, certificate within 48 hours.
Call for a Free QuoteThe Inspection Process
For a typical three-bed home, allow 2 to 3 hours. Larger properties or those with multiple consumer units take longer.
- Pre-inspection chat: We confirm what's on the schedule, talk through any known issues, and check that vulnerable equipment (computers, fish tanks, etc.) is shut down before we start isolating circuits.
- Visual sweep: Consumer unit, every accessible socket, switch, light fitting and junction box. We're looking for signs of overheating, damage, or non-compliant work.
- Dead-tests: With each circuit isolated, we measure earth continuity, insulation resistance, and polarity. Each test is documented.
- Live-tests: Power restored circuit-by-circuit. We verify RCD trip times, fault loop impedance, and confirm the installation matches the consumer unit labelling.
- Report write-up: A formal report listing every circuit, its observations, any code numbers, and a clear "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" overall verdict.
Understanding the Codes
Any issues we find get tagged with one of three codes. Only C1 and C2 mean the report is unsatisfactory.
- C1, Danger present, immediate action required. Live exposed parts, missing earthing, anything that could cause an injury today. We'll usually fix or isolate on the spot.
- C2, Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required. A fault that needs fixing soon to bring the installation up to standard, but isn't actively dangerous right now.
- C3, Improvement recommended. Non-compliance with the current regs that doesn't make the installation unsafe. Common on older homes wired before the latest regs were introduced. Doesn't fail the report.
- FI, Further investigation required. Something we couldn't fully diagnose during the inspection (often a hidden fault). Triggers an unsatisfactory result until investigated.
Cost Guide
Standard domestic EICRs are between £160 and £320 depending on property size and number of circuits. A few rough benchmarks:
- 1- or 2-bed flat: £160 – £200
- 3- or 4-bed semi-detached: £200 – £260
- 5+ bed detached: £260 – £320
- HMO licensed property: Quoted on inspection, depends on circuit count and licence requirements.
- Small commercial unit: Quoted on inspection.
Remediation work (if the report is unsatisfactory) is quoted separately after the inspection. Most C2 fixes are minor and can be done within the same week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Landlords need one every 5 years by law. Homeowners are recommended one every 10 years, or whenever buying / selling. Commercial properties typically every 5 years.
We'll explain exactly what we found, what's needed to bring it up to standard, and quote the work. Most remediation can be done within the same week, with a fresh test at the end to issue a satisfactory certificate.
Yes, ideally. We need access to every part of the property, and there'll be times when the power is off in some rooms. If you can't be there, a key handover with a neighbour or letting agent works fine.
We email the formal report within 48 hours of the inspection. Hard copies on request. We keep a digital archive of every report we issue.
