EICR Landlord Electrical Safety Inspections — Requirements, Process, and Remedial Works for UK Electricians

Legal Framework — Who Needs an EICR?

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply to all privately rented residential dwellings in England. Key requirements:

• An EICR must be carried out by a qualified person — typically a registered electrician holding a relevant qualification (NVQ/SVQ Level 3, City & Guilds 2391, or equivalent).
• The report must be issued before a new tenancy begins, or within 28 days of an existing tenancy at the time the regulations took effect.
• Subsequent EICRs are required at least every five years, or more frequently if the report specifies.
• Landlords must supply the EICR to new tenants before they occupy, to existing tenants within 28 days of the report date, and to local authorities within 7 days of request.
• Remedial works coded C1 or C2 must be completed within 28 days (or sooner if the report specifies a shorter period for C1 dangers).

Wales has equivalent requirements under The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (Electrical Safety) Regulations 2023, which also mandate 5-yearly EICRs. Scotland operates under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 with a similar 5-year cycle. Northern Ireland retains different provisions.

Importantly, EICRs also apply to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) under the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018 — also on a 5-year cycle.

Who Can Carry Out an EICR?

The regulations specify that EICRs must be conducted by a "qualified person" — defined as someone competent to undertake the inspection and testing safely and to interpret the results. In practice this means:

• Membership of a Part P competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, SELECT) satisfies the qualified person requirement in most cases.
• The inspector must hold a current qualification in inspection and testing — City & Guilds 2391-51 or 2391-52, EAL equivalent, or the legacy 2391-10.
• Test equipment must be calibrated and compliant with GS38 guidance on leads and probes.

EICR Inspection Scope — What Gets Checked

An EICR follows the requirements of BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations) and the guidance in the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. The inspection covers:

Visual Inspection

• Consumer unit condition — enclosure integrity, labelling, suitable for purpose (metal consumer units required in domestic properties since 2016)
• Distribution board, MCBs, RCDs, and RCBOs — correct ratings, correct types, no signs of overheating or arc damage
• Main protective bonding — presence and correct sizing at gas, water, and oil service entries
• Supplementary bonding in bathrooms — correct connections at Zone 1/Zone 2 metalwork where required
• Socket outlets — condition, correct polarity, suitable for location (IP rating in bathrooms/outdoors)
• Light fittings — especially in bathrooms (IP rating), kitchen circuits (suitable for heat)
• Cable condition and routing — no damage, adequate protection through joists and walls, no unnecessary joints
• Earthing arrangements — earthing conductor size, connection at cut-out
• Presence of SPD where required by 18th Edition

Test Procedures

Testing follows the sequence in BS 7671 Appendix 14. Electricians must carry out:

• Continuity of protective conductors — confirms CPC integrity on all circuits using the r1 + r2 method (null method at consumer unit, measuring CPC and line conductor resistance in ring)
• Continuity of ring final circuit conductors — confirms ring integrity; measured line-to-line, neutral-to-neutral, CPC-to-CPC, then cross-connected to identify any spurious connections or broken rings
• Insulation resistance — L–N joined and tested L/N to Earth at 500V DC; minimum acceptable value 1 MΩ. Electronic equipment and fluorescents must be disconnected.
• Polarity — verified at consumer unit and at a sample of accessories on each circuit
• Earth electrode resistance (TT systems only) — using 3-terminal method with rods
• Earth fault loop impedance (Ze and Zs) — Ze measured at the origin; Zs measured at furthest point on each circuit; values must comply with maximum permitted Zs for the protective device (per BS 7671 Table 41.2 / Appendix 14)
• Prospective fault current — measured at origin; devices must be rated to interrupt
• RCD operation — tested at I∆n and 5 × I∆n; 30 mA RCDs must trip within 300 ms at I∆n and 40 ms at 5 × I∆n; Type A RCDs required where circuits may carry pulsating DC (EV chargers, variable speed drives)
• AFDD operation — where fitted, tested per manufacturer procedure

Observation Codes — Understanding C1, C2, C3, and FI

Each defect or deviation found during the EICR is allocated an observation code:

• C1 — Danger present: Risk of injury. Immediate remedial action required. The electrician should, where possible, make safe before leaving (e.g. disconnect the circuit, remove the fuse). Examples: missing earth connection creating live metalwork, accessible bare conductors.
• C2 — Potentially dangerous: Urgent remedial action required within 28 days. Examples: no RCD protection on kitchen socket circuits, undersized overcurrent protection, overloaded consumer unit.
• C3 — Improvement recommended: Not immediately dangerous but recommended for safety improvement. Does not prevent the report from being classified as "Satisfactory". Examples: no SPD fitted, no supplementary bonding in pre-2008 bathroom (where deemed no longer required under current regs but may still be best practice).
• FI — Further investigation required: Used where full assessment cannot be completed during the inspection (e.g. concealed cables, inaccessible consumer unit areas). A follow-up investigation is required within the 28-day period.

The overall classification of the EICR is either Satisfactory (no C1 or C2 codes) or Unsatisfactory (one or more C1 or C2 codes present). A C3-only report is Satisfactory.

Common EICR Failures — and the Remedial Works Required

Absence of RCD Protection

This is the single most common C2 code on older installations. Pre-2008 consumer units typically have MCB-only protection on socket and lighting circuits. Current regulations (18th Edition BS 7671:2018) require RCD protection for all socket outlet circuits rated up to 20 A (Regulation 411.3.4) and for all cables concealed in walls at depths less than 50 mm unless mechanically protected.

Remedial options:

• Replace the consumer unit with a dual RCD or RCBO split-load board — the most comprehensive solution, required if the existing enclosure is plastic (non-metal enclosures are not permitted for new installations or full replacements in domestic premises since 2016)
• Install RCBO breakers in place of MCBs where the consumer unit accepts them and the enclosure is metal
• Install plug-in RCDs for individual socket outlets as an interim measure — acceptable as a temporary measure but not ideal long-term

Outdated or Plastic Consumer Unit

Consumer units must have a metal enclosure in domestic premises (Amendment 3 to BS 7671:2015, Regulation 421.1.201). Any plastic consumer unit in a domestic property is a C2 where it is being replaced or modified, or a C3 if still in service and not being disturbed. Full replacement with a compliant metal consumer unit is the standard remedial action.

Overloaded or Incorrect Overcurrent Protection

An MCB rated too high for the cable it protects (e.g. a 32 A MCB on 2.5 mm² T&E) will generate a C2. Equally, a fuse board with rewirable fuses that have been incorrectly fused is a common failure. Remedial action involves replacing overcurrent devices with correctly rated MCBs or RCBOs.

Missing or Undersized Main Bonding

Main protective bonding conductors at gas and water service entries must be correctly sized — typically 10 mm² for 150 mm² service cables. Missing bonding clamps, corroded connections, or bonding to the wrong side of the stopcock are frequent C2 findings.

High Earth Fault Loop Impedance (Zs)

Long cable runs, ageing T&E with oxidised conductors, or incorrect circuit design can result in Zs values exceeding the maximum permitted for the protective device. Remedial options include: re-cabling the circuit, installing an RCBO (which permits higher Zs where the disconnection time can be met by the RCD element), or installing a surge protective device in combination with revised overcurrent protection.

Low Insulation Resistance

Values below 1 MΩ indicate insulation degradation — moisture ingress, cable damage, or ageing rubber insulation (pre-1966 rubber-insulated wiring). If localised, the damaged section can be replaced. Where rubber wiring is widespread, full re-wire is the appropriate long-term recommendation.

RCD Failure — Slow Trip or No-Trip

RCDs that fail the 300 ms / 40 ms trip time test, or that do not trip at all, must be replaced. On older consumer units this may mean replacing the entire RCD main switch.

Remedial Works — Products Electricians Need on Van

EICR remedial works are a stock-and-carry business. The products electricians need most often for remedial works include:

• Metal consumer units — dual RCD split-load boards (6, 10, 12, 14-way) and fully RCBO consumer units for larger installations
• RCBOs — Type B 6 A, 10 A, 16 A, 20 A, 32 A; Type C for motor loads; 30 mA sensitivity for final circuits, 100 mA for main incoming protection
• MCBs — Type B and Type C; compatible with the consumer unit being used
• Main bonding conductors — 10 mm² green/yellow sleeved, with compression clamps for gas and water services
• Cable and T&E — 1.5 mm² (lighting), 2.5 mm² (power), 4 mm² and 6 mm² (cooker, shower) for partial re-wiring
• Green/yellow sleeving — for exposed CPC tails
• Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) — Type 2 SPDs for consumer unit installation where required by 18th Edition (circuits supplying equipment with sensitive electronics; recommended on all circuits in Amendment 2)

Recommended Products for EICR Remedial Works

EICR Documentation and Record-Keeping

The EICR itself must be completed on the model form set out in BS 7671 Appendix 6 (or an equivalent). Electricians should record:

• Details of the installation (address, occupation, earthing system, supply characteristics)
• Extent and limitations of the inspection (which circuits were tested, what was inaccessible)
• Results of all tests, referenced to each circuit
• All observations with their codes
• Overall assessment (Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory)
• Recommended date for next inspection
• Signature and qualification details of the inspector

Electricians who carry out the remedial works must also issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) for any new circuit or significant modification, or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) for smaller remedial jobs. Both documents must be supplied to the landlord and retained for the property file.

EICR Pricing — What the Market Supports

EICR pricing varies by property size and region, but typical rates are:

• 1-2 bedroom flat: £150
• 3-bed house: £180
• 4-bed house: £220
• HMOs: £250+, depending on the number of circuits

Remedial works are charged separately at standard day-rate or fixed prices per item. A consumer unit replacement typically adds £300 to the job. Electricians who offer EICR plus remedial package pricing often win more landlord accounts, particularly from property management companies managing multiple units.