Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

Quick Answer: An EICR is a formal inspection and test of a fixed electrical installation against BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the Wiring Regulations), producing a report classifying observed defects as C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended) or FI (further investigation required). For privately rented homes in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require a satisfactory EICR every 5 years. An installation is "satisfactory" only if it contains no C1, C2, or FI codes; C3 codes do not fail the report.

Summary

The Electrical Installation Condition Report replaced the older Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) terminology in 2012 and is now the standard document a competent electrician issues after assessing a fixed installation. It covers the consumer unit, all fixed wiring, switches and accessories, earthing and bonding, circuit protective devices, and the means of isolation. It does not cover portable appliances (that's PAT) or new installation work (which gets an Electrical Installation Certificate, or EIC, instead).

The EICR has shifted from optional best-practice to legal requirement in several contexts. Since 1 June 2020 (new tenancies) and 1 April 2021 (all existing tenancies), private landlords in England must hold a satisfactory EICR no more than 5 years old. Welsh and Scottish regulations differ slightly (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) but trend in the same direction. Mortgage lenders, insurers, and conveyancers increasingly request an EICR before completion, especially on older properties.

A common misconception is that an EICR is a pass/fail document. It is not — it is a risk-coded report. The classification codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) describe the severity of observations. Only C1, C2 and FI codes render the installation "Unsatisfactory" overall. C3 codes are recommendations for improvement (typically against earlier wiring regulation editions) and do not require remedial work to satisfy the report. Tradespeople and landlords sometimes panic at long C3 lists when no remedial work is legally required.

Key Facts

Quick Reference Table

Spending too long on quotes? squote turns a 2-minute voice recording into a professional quote.

Try squote free →
Observation Likely Code Typical Example
Exposed live parts C1 Broken socket faceplate, missing CU blank
No RCD protection on sockets C2 Older 16th Edition CU without RCD
Cables in walls without mechanical protection or RCD C2 Pre-17th Edition concealed wiring
No main earthing or bonding C1 / C2 Depends on system; usually C2 if equipotential broken
Damaged outer sheath of cable C2 Visible inner cores
No AFDD on socket circuits C3 Not mandatory in domestic (18th Ed Amendment 2 recommends)
Plastic CU in domestic premises C3 (typically) Pre-18th Edition; combustible enclosure
Lack of identification at consumer unit C3 Circuit labels missing/incorrect
Old VIR or rubber-insulated cable C2 / FI Brittle insulation common; FI for testing
Suspect TT system without RCD C1 No fault disconnection method
Inadequate disconnection time (Zs too high) C2 Fault current cannot trip device in time
Insulation resistance <1 MΩ C2 Indicates breakdown of insulation
Reverse polarity at socket C2 Live-neutral swapped
Missing earth at lampholder (Class I) C2 Older twin-and-earth where earth not connected
Plastic socket with no RCD on bathroom circuit C2 17th Edition zone non-compliance

Detailed Guidance

What the EICR Covers

The inspection is divided into visual inspection (without dismantling) and dead/live testing. The competent person assesses each item against BS 7671 and the relevant amendment in force.

The fixed installation includes:

Not included: portable appliances (PAT), equipment connected by plug, electrical appliances built into kitchen units (covered by manufacturer commissioning), telecoms, ELV signalling.

Test Sequence

A typical EICR test sequence in a domestic property:

DEAD TESTS (installation isolated):
1. Continuity of protective conductors (R1 + R2)
2. Continuity of ring final circuit conductors (r1, rn, r2)
3. Insulation resistance (live-to-live and live-to-earth) at 500 V DC
4. Polarity (verify line-neutral-earth correct)
5. Earth electrode resistance (TT systems)

LIVE TESTS (installation energised, with isolation precautions):
6. Earth fault loop impedance (Ze at origin, Zdb at DB, Zs at each circuit)
7. Prospective fault current (PFC) — line-to-earth, line-to-neutral
8. RCD/RCBO operation — manual button + electronic tester at IΔn and 5×IΔn
9. Functional checks — switches, interlocks, MCBs trip

Always issue a Limitations Schedule recording what could not be tested (e.g. furniture preventing access to sockets, sealed ceiling lights, ring continuity unverifiable due to spurs). The customer signs to confirm awareness.

Classification — Decision Logic

The judgement on whether an observation is C1, C2, or C3 is the inspector's professional opinion. ESC/EFP and IET joint guidance gives the framework:

Is there immediate danger of injury or fire?
  YES → C1
  NO  → Is there potential for injury or fire if a fault or
        sequence of events occurs?
          YES → C2
          NO  → Does it fall short of current regs but pose
                no realistic risk?
                  YES → C3
                  NO  → No code (compliant)

Can a definitive opinion not be reached without further work?
  YES → FI

The Electrical Safety First "Best Practice Guide 4" is the de facto standard for code classifications and is updated periodically. Disputes between inspectors and remediating contractors usually trace to different interpretations of this guide — always carry the latest version.

Common Findings on Older UK Installations

Pre-1966 rubber-insulated (VIR) cable — Insulation embrittles after 50+ years; classic finding in homes not rewired since the 1960s. Usually C2 even without visible damage; FI if uncertain.

Plastic consumer units in domestic premises — Following 18th Edition (2018), enclosures within escape routes (including under-stairs cupboards housing the CU) should be non-combustible. Code as C3 typically; if positioned where it could ignite materials, C2.

Mixed RCD protection — A CU with RCBOs on some circuits and unprotected MCBs on others (especially socket circuits). Sockets without RCD protection where the cable is concealed in walls less than 50 mm deep is a C2.

Bathroom non-compliance — Pre-17th Edition bathrooms with no supplementary bonding and no RCD, or with sockets within zone 1/2 (now permitted in some configurations under 18th Ed but typically not on older installs). Code by zone violation severity.

Borrowed neutrals / shared neutrals — Lighting circuits where the neutral is shared between two MCBs is now a C2 — operating one MCB does not isolate.

Lack of main bonding — Gas supply not bonded, or bonding via inadequate (e.g. 6 mm² required where supply is up to 100 mm² CSA tails). Usually C2.

Remedial Work and Re-Inspection

When an installation receives an Unsatisfactory result, the landlord must complete remedial work within 28 days or sooner if specified by the inspector (e.g. C1 immediate). The remediating electrician issues:

After remedial work, the landlord should hold both the original Unsatisfactory EICR and the certification of the remedial works. There is no requirement to re-do the entire EICR unless the inspector recommended further investigation that has now been undertaken.

Costs and Pricing (UK Market 2026)

Typical EICR prices (London 25–40% premium):

Remedial work is quoted separately. Pricing the EICR alone keeps the inspection independent — bundling it with remedial work creates a perverse incentive to find C2s.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an EICR to sell my house?

No, an EICR is not legally required for a domestic sale in England, Scotland, or Wales. However, many buyers' conveyancers ask for one on properties more than 10 years old, and mortgage lenders may make it a condition. An EICR found at survey stage is a frequent point of price renegotiation. Sellers of older homes often commission one proactively.

What's the difference between an EICR and a PAT test?

EICR covers the fixed wiring of a building — the consumer unit, sockets, switches, and cables in the walls. PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) covers the appliances that plug into those sockets — kettles, lamps, tools. They are different competences and different documents. Landlords need an EICR every 5 years; PAT is not legally required for residential landlords but is sometimes provided for furnished lets.

Can I do an EICR myself if I'm a homeowner with electrical experience?

No. An EICR must be carried out by a "qualified person" with competence in inspection and testing — typically a registered electrician with relevant training (City & Guilds 2391 or 2394/2395). Building Regulations Part P also restricts notifiable work in dwellings. Beyond regulation, EICRs require multifunction test instruments costing £400–1000+ and the technical knowledge to interpret results against BS 7671 — neither is realistic for a DIY exercise.

My EICR is "Unsatisfactory" — what does that mean in practice?

It means one or more C1, C2, or FI observations were recorded. For a private rented home in England, the landlord must complete the remedial work within 28 days (or sooner if the inspector specifies) and provide written confirmation of completion to the local authority and tenant. The original EICR plus the remedial certification together form the compliance record.

Why are AFDDs listed as C3 if they're supposed to be required?

The 18th Edition Amendment 2 (BS 7671:2018+A2:2022) made AFDDs (Arc Fault Detection Devices) recommended but not mandatory for most domestic circuits — the regulation uses "recommended" language for higher-risk situations. Absence of AFDDs is therefore typically coded C3 (improvement recommended), not C2. The picture changes for higher-risk premises like HMOs, care homes, and student accommodation, where AFDDs on certain circuits move from recommended to required and absence becomes C2.

Regulations & Standards