21 Mar What is an EICR and How it Can Help Prevent Electrical Fires in UK Homes?
An EICR (Electric Installation Condition Report) is a safety check that evaluates the overall quality and performance of an electrical installation. It’s an integral part of your property’s maintenance program to guarantee your home remains secure for you and your family members.
Legislation has now made EICRs a legal requirement for all landlords in the UK. This means you must have your home inspected and tested by an electrician at least every 10 years for private homes, or 5 years if renting out your rental property.
What is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR for short, is a document that certifies the safety of electrics in a property. It’s mandatory for both commercial and residential landlords to complete at least once every five years.
Electrical installations that become old or insufficiently maintained can become dangerous if not regularly examined. This could result in serious injuries such as fires and electrocution.
The government has issued guidelines to enhance electrical safety in homes and businesses across the UK. This includes requiring EICR reports be completed every five years for private rental properties, as well as upon changing tenancies in both residential and commercial buildings.
Maintaining your EICR as a landlord is imperative, as this can affect both your insurance and the safety of tenants. Keeping an up-to-date EICR can save you money in the long run by decreasing liability for damages or injuries sustained during construction projects.
An electrician conducting an EICR will need to conduct a visual inspection of the electrical installations in a property and then compose a report outlining any issues discovered. They then advise the client on any remedial work that must be done to restore these systems back into working order.
Every property’s EICR will differ – for instance, a small domestic townhouse may need different testing than a large commercial building due to factors like location and size of the structure. This also influences how long an inspection lasts.
What is an EICR report?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a critical document that pinpoints any issues or damage to an electrical system. This can help reduce the risk of electricity-related fires and injuries in UK households.
EICR reports are mandatory for all rental homes in the country and also recommended for homeowners as part of a regular check-up. Campaigning charity Electrical Safety First and the Institution of Electrical Engineers both recommend that landlords obtain a new EICR at each change of occupancy or when prepping the property for sale or rental out.
Typically, an electrician will inspect your property and compile a 7-page report on your wiring and fuse board. This report outlines any issues with the system, such as faulty or old wiring or any potential hazards like faulty switches or sockets that could cause electric shocks.
Your wiring inspection report will outline which parts need checking and how often. It also contains a breakdown of any faults or damaged electrical installations that should be repaired, as well as an assessment of how safe your appliances and electrical equipment are.
If there are any electrical faults that need fixing, this work should be done within 28 days of the EICR being finished. This helps avoid misunderstandings regarding what needs to be done and also guarantees any remedial works can be carried out quickly and efficiently.
When searching for an experienced electrician to carry out an EICR on your property, make sure they possess extensive expertise in this area. Not only should they provide you with a report regarding the condition of your electrical systems, but also offer advice on how best to improve them.
If you are a Landlord in London, get an EICR London, booked through any registered electrical safety certificate provider company.
Why do I need an EICR?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a report issued after an electrical installation in a property has been assessed and checked for safety by a qualified electrician. This formal document serves to protect individuals in both domestic and commercial buildings alike.
The primary purpose of an EICR in a property is to guarantee its electrical system remains functioning optimally and secure for everyone who resides there. This helps reduce the risk of fire damage, shock damage and electrocution.
No matter if you are a landlord or tenant, it’s essential to get your EICR checked annually as this will guarantee the electrical system in your property remains functioning optimally. Always choose an experienced specialist for this work as they will know what to look for, have all necessary equipment and can issue you with a certificate after their visit.
As part of your inspection, you should verify if all electricals in your property are functioning as expected and adhere to current UK legislation. This may involve conducting fixed wire testing.
If your electrician passes this test and determines that the electrical system in your property isn’t functioning as it should be, they will suggest remedial work be done and record this in their report as either a code or observation.
These codes alert the duty holder that their property’s electrical system does not meet current UK legislation, and they must take steps to rectify it.
How often do I need an EICR?
Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) are a staple of the industry and an invaluable aid in helping landlords and property owners meet electrical safety regulations. Also referred to as ‘Landlord Safety Tests’ or ‘Homebuyers’ tests’, EICRs can detect any issues with an electric system before they become hazardous or cause a fire.
An EICR is a test conducted by a certified electrician to inspect the electrical systems in a property, such as wiring, sockets and consumer units (fuse boxes). They look for damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions or non-compliance with current safety standards.
They will make a series of observations and assign each one a recommendation code, describing its severity. These codes serve as guidelines for work that needs to be done to guarantee the electricals in a property remain safe for future use.
The frequency of inspections depends on the type of building and its use. For instance, swimming pools require more frequent assessments than office spaces or educational establishments do. Furthermore, environmental conditions like flooding or misuse/vandalism to electrical systems may influence how often a property needs inspection.
Landlords of residential rental homes and accommodation must obtain an EICR every five years or after a change of tenancy.
In 2019, new regulations were implemented that make it a legal requirement for all tenants in England and Scotland, as well as new occupation contracts in Wales, to have an EICR performed on their premises. Landlords must provide tenants with a copy of the report within 14 days of beginning or renewing their tenancy.
What should I expect from an EICR?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a safety check that evaluates the electrical installation in your property and detects any flaws or hazards. They are legally required for landlords, and an effective way to reduce the risks of electrical fires in your home.
It will identify any components that don’t meet the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Wiring Regulations, which ensure a home’s electrical system is secure and meets minimum standards. An electrical engineer will then suggest any necessary repair or replacement work.
Once an electrician has finished their inspection, they will compile their findings into a report and send it to the property’s landlord or occupant. This document outlines any issues identified as well as their corresponding categorization codes.
The inspector will discuss the findings with you to assess if remedial work is necessary and estimate costs. A report should be sent to you within a few days, complete with an Electronic Safety Certificate (ESC) as well as any recommendations for further investigations.
In addition to ensuring your electrical systems are in top condition, the EICR process can save money in the long run by decreasing insurance costs by decreasing the risk of electric fires in your home.
It’s essential to note that the inspection and testing process should never be substituted for regular maintenance and inspection of your electrical systems. In fact, it’s much more cost-effective to address any problems early before they become major headaches with potentially expensive fixes in the future.
