EICR Remedial Works for London Landlords: What to Do When Category 1 or 2 Faults Are Found

Understanding EICR Fault Classifications

An Electrical Installation Condition Report grades electrical defects found during the inspection into three categories. A C1 code, described as Danger Present, indicates an immediate risk of injury and requires urgent remediation. A C2 code, described as Potentially Dangerous, indicates a condition that could become dangerous and requires prompt attention. An FI code, Improvement Recommended, indicates a defect that does not create an immediate safety risk but should be addressed at the next opportunity. An EICR is classified as Unsatisfactory if it contains any C1 or C2 codes, and Satisfactory if it contains only FI codes or no codes at all.

For London landlords, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require that an EICR is obtained for every privately rented dwelling at least every five years, and that where an EICR is returned as Unsatisfactory the landlord must arrange for the necessary remedial works to be carried out within twenty-eight days of receiving the report. Where the EICR identifies a C1 Danger Present fault, the twenty-eight-day period still applies, but the description of the fault as Danger Present means that in practice a competent landlord should arrange for the C1 defect to be addressed as a matter of urgency, and many managing agents and compliance advisers treat C1 faults as requiring same-day or next-day remediation rather than waiting the full twenty-eight-day period.

Common Category 1 and Category 2 Faults in London Rental Properties

In London properties, the C1 and C2 faults most frequently encountered during EICR inspections reflect the age of the housing stock and the history of electrical installation work carried out over several decades. C1 faults commonly include exposed live conductors, a damaged electrical accessory where live parts are accessible, an installation that lacks adequate protection against electric shock because the earthing or bonding arrangements are defective, and a wiring installation that has been subject to damage that exposes conductors. These are immediate safety hazards that place occupants at risk of electric shock and require immediate attention.

C2 faults in London rental properties commonly include consumer units that lack residual current device protection for circuits serving sockets in potentially damp areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, wiring that uses rubber-insulated cable of a type that has become brittle with age and is at risk of insulation failure, circuits that lack earthing continuity at certain accessories, and protective devices that are not of the correct rating for the circuit they protect. While these conditions do not present an immediate danger in the same way as a C1 fault, they create a risk of harm if the condition deteriorates further or if a fault occurs on the circuit.

The Remediation Process and Evidence of Completion

Once an EICR has been returned as Unsatisfactory, the landlord must arrange for the remedial works to be carried out by a qualified electrician and must obtain written confirmation that the works have been completed. The Regulations require the landlord to provide the local housing authority with written confirmation of the completion of the remedial works if the authority requests it. The confirmation should take the form of either a certificate issued under Part P of the Building Regulations for notifiable electrical work, or a written confirmation from the electrician who carried out the works confirming that the installation has been brought into compliance with the relevant standard.

London landlords should ensure that the electrician carrying out the remedial works is either a member of a competent person scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT, or Elecsa, or that the works are carried out under a building control application. Works carried out by an unregistered electrician without building control approval may not produce the certification required to demonstrate compliance with the Regulations, leaving the landlord unable to satisfy a local authority request for evidence of completion. Prestige Engineers provide EICR testing and electrical remedial works across London through qualified electricians registered with a competent person scheme, ensuring that the certification produced satisfies the Regulations requirements and provides London landlords with the documentation they need to demonstrate full compliance.