Understanding Your EICR Report in London: C1, C2, C3, and FI Codes Explained

An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a formal inspection of the electrical installation in a property. For London landlords it is a legal requirement every five years. For homebuyers it is increasingly required by conveyancers and mortgage lenders. When the report comes back with classification codes, understanding what they mean determines how urgently you need to act and what it will cost.

What an EICR Covers

The inspection assesses the fixed electrical installation — the consumer unit (fuse board), wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings, and earthing and bonding arrangements. It does not cover portable appliances (those are covered by PAT testing) or the meter and cables owned by the DNO. The inspector tests circuits for continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD operation.

The Classification Codes

C1: Danger Present

A C1 code means the inspector has identified an immediate risk of injury or death. Examples include exposed live conductors, absent earthing on metal pipework in a kitchen or bathroom, or a consumer unit with missing blanks leaving live terminals accessible. A C1 finding means the installation is unsatisfactory and the specific fault must be remedied before the property can be considered safe. In practice, inspectors will often make the specific fault safe before leaving the property if it can be done quickly — isolating a circuit, for example — and note this in the report.

C2: Potentially Dangerous

C2 indicates a condition that could become dangerous. Typical C2 findings in London properties include absent or inadequate RCD protection on circuits serving bathrooms or kitchens, overloaded circuits, cables run without mechanical protection in accessible locations, and older consumer units without current surge protection. A C2 finding makes the installation unsatisfactory but the risk is not as immediate as C1. Remediation should be carried out promptly — within 28 days is the standard recommendation for landlord compliance.

C3: Improvement Recommended

C3 codes indicate conditions that do not meet current standards but do not represent an immediate or potential danger. These are advisory — the installation is satisfactory, but improvement would bring it closer to current regulations. Common C3 findings in London Victorian and Edwardian properties include older wiring that still functions safely, single-pole switching on light circuits, and absent supplementary bonding in bathrooms. C3 findings do not make the EICR unsatisfactory and do not require remediation to sell, let, or insure the property.

FI: Further Investigation Required

An FI code means the inspector was unable to determine whether a condition is safe because further investigation is needed. This typically arises where concealed wiring cannot be assessed without destructive investigation, or where test results were inconclusive. FI codes should be followed up — an unresolved FI in a rental property is professionally unacceptable, and insurers may query FI codes on claims related to electrical faults.

EICR Outcomes

A report is either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Any C1 or C2 finding makes the report Unsatisfactory. A report with only C3 or FI codes is Satisfactory. For London landlords, an Unsatisfactory EICR triggers a 28-day legal obligation to complete remedial works and provide a remediation confirmation to tenants and the local authority on request.

Typical Remedial Costs in London

• Consumer unit replacement with RCD protection: £400 to £700 fitted
• Adding supplementary bonding to a bathroom: £80 to £150
• Rewiring individual circuits: £150 to £300 per circuit
• Full property rewire in a London terrace: £3,500 to £7,000 depending on size and access
• Smoke and heat alarm installation to LD2 standard: £200 to £500 depending on property size

Always obtain at least two quotes for remedial work from NICEIC or NAPIT registered electricians. The report itself provides a clear specification of what needs doing, so quotes should be directly comparable.