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Inspection & testing

Electrical inspection and testing (EICR)

A periodic inspection reports on the condition of an existing electrical installation: anything dangerous or potentially dangerous, anything that should be improved, and whether it is satisfactory for continued use. We inspect and test the installation and record the findings on an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), with each observation coded by urgency.

Request a quote 020 3883 1321
You receive
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
On the day
Power is off in parts of the property while circuits are tested
Remedial work
Quoted separately, and you choose who does it

  1. The consumer unit, accessories, visible cables, earthing and bonding are checked for damage, overheating, wear and anything missing.

  2. A multifunction test instrument measures how each circuit performs, including its protective devices and the condition of its insulation.

  3. Every reading is recorded against its circuit, so the next inspection can compare like with like.

  4. Anything found is classified as C1, C2, C3 or FI, so it is clear what needs doing first.

  5. The report says whether the installation is satisfactory and recommends when it should next be inspected.

Fig. 1 — A consumer unit, a test instrument plugged into a socket outlet, and the report that records the findings (Illustration)

Sound familiar?

When to arrange an inspection

An inspection has two halves. The visual part looks at what can be seen for damage, deterioration and missing protection. The testing part measures what cannot be seen, such as whether the insulation is sound and whether the protective devices would disconnect a fault quickly enough. Both feed into the report, which ends with an overall assessment.

Do not save a suspected fault for the inspection date. A socket, switch or plug that is hot, scorched or smells of burning should be left alone and kept out of use, and a circuit that trips again after one reset should be left off. For urgent problems, call us. Urgent electrical problems.

  • A new tenancy is about to start and there is no current report
  • The next-inspection date on the last report has passed, or is close
  • An insurer, lender, letting agent or local authority has asked for a report
  • You have bought an older property, or nobody knows when the installation was last inspected
  • The consumer unit is an older type, for example with rewirable fuses, and you want to know where it stands
  • Electrical work has been done without certificates, or nobody knows who did it
  • A previous report recorded observations that have not been dealt with
  • The property is changing use, being refurbished or taking on extra electrical load

Who this helps

  • Private landlords

    Most private tenancies in England are covered by the 2020 regulations: the installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years, and tenants must be given a copy of the report.

  • Managing agents and freeholders

    Landlord’s supplies, communal lighting and the individual flats you manage. Tell us which parts you are responsible for and who holds the keys to meter cupboards and plant rooms.

  • Businesses and workplaces

    A record of the installation’s condition that supports your duty to maintain it, and a report to show an insurer or your landlord if they ask for one.

  • Owners and buyers

    An objective picture of an older or unknown installation before you plan any work. If you are buying, the inspection needs the seller’s agreement and access.

Explained

How to read your inspection report

Every observation on an EICR carries a code. The codes decide whether the report is satisfactory and what needs doing first.

What the codes on an EICR mean · Illustrative animation · 0:36 · no sound
Text version of this animation
  1. What the codes on an EICR mean. Electrical Installation Condition Report, simplified.
  2. C1, danger present: there is a risk of injury. Immediate action is needed.
  3. C2, potentially dangerous: not dangerous at this moment, but it could become so. Urgent remedial work is required.
  4. C3, improvement recommended: does not meet the current standard, but is not unsafe. Fixing it is recommended rather than required.
  5. FI, further investigation: something needs investigating without delay before it can be classified.
  6. Overall assessment: C1, C2 or FI make the report unsatisfactory; C3 on its own does not.
  7. Need an inspection? 020 3883 1321.
C1 Danger present
There is a risk of injury now and immediate action is needed. You are told on the day, and with your agreement the affected part is normally made safe before we leave, for example by isolating it.
C2 Potentially dangerous
Not dangerous at this moment, but it could become so, for example if a fault occurred. Urgent remedial work is required.
C3 Improvement recommended
Does not meet the current edition of BS 7671 but is not considered dangerous. Improving it is recommended rather than required.
FI Further investigation
Something may be dangerous but could not be confirmed during the inspection, such as a result that cannot be explained. It needs investigating without delay.
Unsatisfactory overall
Any C1, C2 or FI observation makes the overall assessment unsatisfactory. C3 observations on their own do not.
Limitations
Anything that was not inspected or tested, such as a locked room or a circuit that could not be switched off, is listed. The overall assessment covers only what was inspected.

Step by step

How the work is done

Before we quote

Before we quote, we ask about the property: its type and size, roughly how many circuits or consumer units it has, whether it is occupied, and whether there is a previous report. That tells us how long the inspection is likely to take.

The extent of the inspection, and any limitations such as a locked room or equipment that cannot be switched off, are agreed with you before it starts and written on the report.

The inspection itself has to be done on site. It cannot be carried out from photos.

  1. Agree the extent and a date

    We agree what the inspection covers, such as outbuildings or a landlord’s supply, and a date with whoever arranges access. Tell us beforehand about anything that must stay powered.

  2. Look before testing

    The visual inspection comes first: the consumer unit, wiring that can be seen, earthing and bonding, and the condition of sockets, switches and fittings.

  3. Test circuit by circuit

    Most tests are done one circuit at a time, with that circuit switched off. A few, such as checks on the main earthing, need the whole supply off for a short period.

  4. Record and code

    Readings go on the schedule of test results, and each observation is given a code that shows how urgent it is.

  5. Issue the report

    The EICR gives the overall assessment, the coded observations, any limitations and a recommended date for the next inspection. Ask us about any item you are unsure of.

  6. Quote for remedial work

    If the report lists work to be done, the quote for it is separate from the inspection. You can use us or any other qualified electrician.

  7. Certify the remedial work

    Remedial work we carry out is certified when it is finished, on a Minor Works certificate or an Electrical Installation Certificate depending on the work, with the written confirmation landlords need.

The testing half

Measuring what cannot be seen.

Testing checks whether the insulation is sound and whether the protective devices would disconnect a fault quickly enough. With the visual inspection, it feeds into the report, where each observation is coded by urgency.

Scope

What is included

Included

  • Visual inspection of the installation within the agreed extent
  • Testing of each circuit that can be safely reached and switched off
  • An Electrical Installation Condition Report with coded observations and a schedule of test results
  • A recommended date for the next inspection
  • A separate written quote for any remedial work

Depends on what we find

  • How long the visit takes, which depends on the number of circuits and how easy they are to reach
  • Whether every circuit can be fully tested; anything that cannot be is recorded as a limitation
  • Whether a result needs further investigation before it can be explained
  • What remedial work, if any, the report leads to, and so what that work costs
  • The interval recommended before the next inspection, which reflects the condition of the installation and how it is used

Afterwards

  • Keep the report with your property documents: insurers, buyers and letting agents may ask to see it
  • Landlords: give each existing tenant a copy within 28 days of the inspection, and new tenants a copy before they move in
  • Landlords: have any remedial or investigative work the report requires done within 28 days of the inspection, or any shorter period the report specifies, then send the written confirmation to your tenants and the local authority within 28 days of completion
  • Book the next inspection for the date the report recommends, and give the report to whoever carries it out

Not covered by this service: Gas safety checks and fire risk assessments, which need other specialists; Portable appliance testing, which is a separate service; Tracing a known fault, such as a circuit that keeps tripping, which is fault finding.

The paperwork you receive

  • Electrical Installation Condition Report

    Periodic inspection and testing of an existing installation.

    • Observations coded C1, C2, C3 or FI
    • A schedule of test results
    • An overall assessment and the recommended date of the next inspection

Simplified outline, not a real certificate (Illustration)

Standards and regulations

We are a NICEIC Approved Contractor, registration number 619998000, and fully insured. How to check our registration and insurance.

  • REFPeriodic inspection and testing to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, with the existing installation assessed against the current edition and reported on an Electrical Installation Condition Report
  • REFThe Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 apply to most private tenancies in England and, since they were extended in 2025, to social housing. Landlords must have the installation inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, or sooner if the last report says so; give tenants a copy of the report; and have any remedial or further investigative work the report requires done within 28 days of the inspection, or any shorter period the report specifies
  • REFThe Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems at work to be maintained so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable. They do not set an inspection interval; periodic inspection and testing is a common way of showing that an installation is being maintained

Questions

Questions about compliance & testing

Will the power be off all day?

No. Most testing is done one circuit at a time, so the rest of the property usually keeps power. Some tests need the whole supply off for a short period. Tell us beforehand about anything that must not lose power, such as medical equipment, a freezer, an alarm system or computers, so the testing can be planned around it.

How long does an inspection take?

It depends on how many circuits and consumer units there are, how easy they are to reach and what turns up during the inspection. A one-bedroom flat is a much shorter job than a house with outbuildings or a shop with several distribution boards. Ask for an estimate when you request a quote; it is based on the details you send.

Do I need an EICR for a home I own and live in?

There is no legal requirement to have your own home inspected. The legal duties apply to most rented homes in England, private and social, and to electrical systems at work. An inspection is still worth having if nobody knows when the installation was last checked, before you buy or renovate, or once the date recommended on your last report has passed.

How often does a rented home need inspecting?

At least every five years under the 2020 regulations, which cover most private tenancies in England and, since 2025, social housing. If the last report recommends a shorter interval, that interval applies instead. The local authority can ask to see the report, so hold on to it until the next inspection is due.

Can the inspection go ahead with tenants living there?

Yes, an occupied home can be inspected. The tenant needs notice of the date from the landlord or agent, and we need access to the consumer unit and to every room. Power will be off in parts of the home at times during the visit.

What happens if the report is unsatisfactory?

The observations coded C1, C2 or FI are the reasons, and each one needs putting right or, for FI, investigating. For a rented home in England, the landlord must have that work done by a qualified person within 28 days of the inspection, or any shorter period the report specifies, and then give written confirmation to the tenants and the local authority. Ask us to quote for the work listed.

Does an unsatisfactory report mean the property needs rewiring?

Not necessarily. Each observation is listed separately, and many can be put right on their own. Whether a rewire is worth considering depends on the condition of the installation as a whole, which the test results show. An old consumer unit on its own is not a reason to rewire.

Do I have to use you for the remedial work?

No. The remedial quote is separate from the inspection, and you can use any qualified, competent electrician. Whoever does the work should certify it and, for a rented home, give you the written confirmation that it has been done.

Often needed alongside

Read before you book

Next step

Ask for an inspection quote

The more we know about the property, the closer the quote can be to the time the inspection actually takes. If you do not know something on the list, leave it out and tell us what you do know.

What to send us

  • The property type and postcode
  • Roughly how many bedrooms, units or floors, and how many consumer units
  • When it was last inspected, and the previous report if you have it
  • Whether it is occupied, and who arranges access
  • Anything that must not be switched off, and any parts that are hard to reach or locked
  • Who the report is for, such as a letting agent, insurer or lender

An enquiry is not a booking: we contact you first, and you see a written quote before anything goes ahead.

We list towns in London and surrounding areas, Kent, Essex, East Sussex and West Sussex. Check your postcode.

Call or email us for a free quote

Tell us the postcode and a little about the job. We will contact you to discuss it, and you get a written quote before any work starts. Quotes are free. Some survey or diagnostic visits may be charged: ask when you book.

Call 020 3883 1321 Email us

Our email address: support@dualcurrent.co.uk

Helpful to include

  • The postcode of the property
  • What the job is, or what is going wrong
  • Photos, if you have them, taken without removing any covers
Call us Request a quote