You can't see inside your walls. Wiring ages, previous owners make changes, and a DIY job from decades ago can hide behind a neat-looking socket. An EICR — an Electrical Installation Condition Report — tells you whether your home's electrics are safe to keep using, and exactly what, if anything, needs attention.
Do homeowners need an EICR?
The legal duty to have an EICR applies to landlords, not owner-occupiers. But IET guidance recommends inspecting an owner-occupied home every ten years, and every report states when the next inspection is due. There are also moments when it pays to book one sooner.
You're buying a home
A standard survey doesn't test the electrics circuit by circuit. An EICR before you commit shows what you're taking on — a consumer unit that needs replacing or a rewire can change what you're willing to pay. You'll need the seller's permission for the visit, usually arranged through the estate agent.
You're selling
An EICR isn't a legal requirement for selling a home in England and Wales. But the TA6 — the property information form sellers fill in — asks about electrical work and certificates, and question 11.3 asks directly whether the property has an EICR. A recent report lets you answer "yes" and gives your buyer's surveyor less to query. Our guide to EICRs when selling or buying explains more.
It's been ten years — or you don't know
If you can't find a previous report, or the last one is more than ten years old, an EICR gives you a baseline and a date for the next check.
You're planning a renovation
A new kitchen, an extension or an EV charger usually means new circuits, and new circuits are notifiable building work. Knowing the condition of the installation first helps you plan and budget — and saves opening up freshly plastered walls later.
You've noticed warning signs
- switches or RCDs tripping for no obvious reason;
- scorch marks, a burning smell, or sockets and switches that feel warm;
- buzzing or crackling from a switch or the consumer unit;
- lights that flicker;
- an old fuse box with fuse wire.
If you see scorching or smell burning, switch off at the consumer unit if it's safe to do so, and get an electrician to look at it.
What we check, step by step
- The consumer unit (fuse board) — its condition, and whether each circuit has the right protection, including RCDs: the safety switches that cut the power in a fault.
- Earthing and bonding — the main earth, and the bonding to gas and water pipes.
- Wiring and accessories — sockets, switches, light fittings and fixed appliances such as cookers, electric showers and extractor fans, checked for damage, overheating and wear.
- Every circuit tested — continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD trip times.
- Everything recorded — the results, each observation and anything we couldn't inspect.
An EICR covers the fixed installation. Portable appliances such as kettles and lamps are a separate check — see EICR vs EIC vs PAT for the difference.
What an EICR can and can't tell you
An EICR records the condition of the installation on the day. Cables buried in walls and under floors can't be seen, so they're assessed through testing. Anything we can't reach or safely switch off — a socket behind fitted furniture, say — is listed on the report as a limitation, so you always know exactly what was covered.
How long it takes and how disruptive it is
A small flat usually takes a few hours; a larger house takes longer. The power goes off for short periods while circuits are tested, and we tell you before anything is switched off. If you work from home, plan calls around it, and keep the freezer door shut. We need to reach the consumer unit and every room, so clear a path to sockets where you can — preparing for an EICR has a short checklist.
Your report
You receive the full EICR by email as a PDF: the overall result (satisfactory or unsatisfactory), every observation with its code, the test results for each circuit, and the recommended date of the next inspection. See a sample EICR report.
The codes, in plain English:
- C1 — danger present. Immediate action is needed.
- C2 — potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial work is needed.
- C3 — improvement recommended. It doesn't make the report unsatisfactory.
- FI — further investigation is advised.
A C1 or C2 makes the report unsatisfactory. On the latest report forms (BS 7671 Amendment 4, 2026) an FI is advisory; older-format reports count it as unsatisfactory.
If something needs fixing
We talk you through each item: what it is, why it matters and how urgent it is. If we find something dangerous, we tell you straight away and, with your agreement, make it safe. For anything that needs work you get a clear written quote, and you're free to use any qualified electrician. Common fixes include a consumer unit replacement and small repairs to sockets, fittings or earthing.
Selling with an unsatisfactory report?
You have choices. You can put the items right before you market the home and keep the certificates with the report, or share the report and let the price reflect the work. Either way, finding out early puts you in control — rather than hearing it first from your buyer's surveyor.
What it costs
Our EICRs start at £90 inc VAT (£75 + VAT) for a studio, one or two-bedroom flat with one consumer unit. Houses and larger flats are priced by size, and extra consumer units add to the price. Our price checker shows the price wherever one is set; anything marked "confirmed on booking" is agreed with you on the phone first. Remedial work is always quoted separately — see EICR prices.
Why homeowners book with us
- The price first — shown with VAT before you book.
- Tested properly — every circuit, to BS 7671.
- Plain English, no pressure — every code explained, and no obligation to use us for any fixes.
- Insured — £5m public liability insurance.
- London-wide — all 32 London boroughs and the City of London.
- Nothing booked until we call to confirm the details with you.
- Your right to cancel — as a consumer you can cancel within 14 days of us confirming your booking. If you ask us to visit within those 14 days and then cancel, you pay only for the work done up to that point.
Book your EICR
Get your price — tell us about your home, pick a preferred date and a morning or afternoon, and we'll call to confirm. Prefer to talk first? Call us on 07301 010244.