What is a Periodic Electrical Inspection (EICR) — Landlord Guide

What Is an EICR?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — also known as a periodic inspection report or a landlord electrical safety certificate — is a comprehensive inspection and test of the fixed electrical installation in a property. It covers the consumer unit (fuse board), all wiring, sockets, switches, light fittings, earthing, and bonding. The report is produced by a qualified and competent electrician and rates the condition of the installation against BS 7671 (the current 18th Edition wiring regulations).

An EICR is not a test of portable appliances (those are covered by PAT testing), and it does not test intruder alarms, smoke alarms, or television aerial systems.

The Legal Requirement for Landlords

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/312) require that landlords:

• Have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years
• Obtain a report from the person conducting the inspection (the EICR)
• Supply a copy to each existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection
• Supply a copy to any new tenant before they occupy the premises
• Supply a copy to any prospective tenant who requests it within 28 days
• Retain a copy of the report until the next inspection
• Where the report identifies that investigative or remedial work is required, arrange for it to be carried out by a qualified person within 28 days (or sooner if urgent)

What Does an EICR Inspection Test?

A full EICR involves both a visual inspection and electrical testing:

• Visual inspection: Condition of the consumer unit, visible wiring, accessories (sockets, switches, light fittings), earthing and bonding connections, presence of smoke alarms and CO alarms (noted for information only)
• Continuity tests: Testing that protective conductors (earth wires) have continuity from each accessory back to the consumer unit
• Insulation resistance tests: Testing that cable insulation has not deteriorated — measures the resistance between live and earth conductors
• Polarity tests: Confirming live, neutral, and earth conductors are connected to the correct terminals throughout
• Earth fault loop impedance: Measuring the impedance of the fault path to confirm protective devices (fuses, MCBs) will disconnect fast enough in a fault condition
• RCD testing: Verifying that residual current devices trip within the time and at the current threshold specified in BS 7671 (typically 40ms at rated sensitivity)

Understanding the C1, C2, C3 Codes

Each observation on the EICR is assigned a classification code indicating its severity:

• C1 — Danger present: Risk of injury — immediate remedial action required. A C1 code means the installation has a condition that poses a direct risk of electric shock, fire, or injury to persons. Examples: missing earth connections on metal accessories, damaged live conductors accessible to touch, a consumer unit with no suitable enclosure. An EICR with any C1 code is unsatisfactory.
• C2 — Potentially dangerous: Urgent remedial action required. The condition could lead to danger under foreseeable circumstances. Examples: absence of RCD protection on socket circuits serving outdoors or bathrooms, deteriorated cable insulation, bonding absent in a bathroom. An EICR with a C2 code is unsatisfactory.
• C3 — Improvement recommended: Not immediately dangerous but below current best practice. Examples: lack of RCD protection on circuits installed before modern requirements applied, wiring in old (but not failed) colour coding (red/black rather than brown/blue). An EICR with only C3 codes is satisfactory. Landlords are not legally required to address C3 observations but are advised to do so.
• FI — Further investigation: An observation that cannot be fully assessed during the inspection and requires further investigation, which may be intrusive. Examples: concealed wiring suspected to be aluminium, circuits that could not be tested due to inaccessibility.

What Happens After a Failed EICR?

An EICR is unsatisfactory if it contains any C1 or C2 codes. The Regulations require the landlord to arrange remedial works within 28 days of the date of the EICR (or sooner if the inspector recommends urgent action for C1 issues). After remedial works are completed, a minor works certificate or full installation certificate is issued. The landlord must provide written confirmation to the tenant that works have been completed and provide the remedial works certificate.

Local authorities can require a landlord to provide copies of EICRs and remedial works certificates. Failure to comply with a remedial notice from a local authority can result in a civil penalty of up to £30,000.