An unsatisfactory EICR can feel like a bill arriving without a price. It doesn't have to. Each observation on the report tells you what's wrong and how urgent it is, and many have a straightforward fix. Here's how we take you from "unsatisfactory" to the certificates that show the work is done.
What counts as remedial work?
Every observation on an EICR has a code. On the latest report forms (BS 7671 Amendment 4, 2026):
- C1 — danger present. Risk of injury: immediate remedial action is necessary.
- C2 — potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action is necessary.
- C3 — improvement recommended. It doesn't make the report unsatisfactory.
- FI — further investigation is advised. Something needs a closer look before it can be properly assessed.
On these forms only a C1 or C2 makes the report unsatisfactory. On older-format reports an FI is "required without delay" and counts as unsatisfactory too. Our advice: treat every C1, C2 and FI as remedial work, and plan the C3s for when it suits you. EICR codes explained goes into more detail.
The deadlines for landlords
If you let a home in England, the regulations give you 28 days — or less, if the report says so — to complete the remedial work or further investigation the report requires. Then, within 28 days of the work being finished, you must send written confirmation that it's done, together with the report, to your tenants and the council.
Miss the deadline and the council can serve a remedial notice, arrange urgent work itself with your tenant's consent and recover the cost, or impose a financial penalty of up to £40,000. What to do after an unsatisfactory EICR walks through the timeline step by step.
Homeowners and businesses aren't bound by the 28-day rule, but a C1 or C2 is still a safety problem. Treat it as urgent.
First, make sure it's safe
A C1 should already have been made safe during the inspection — usually by switching off the affected circuit. If it hasn't, don't use that circuit or equipment, and get it dealt with straight away. Everything else on the report can then be planned properly.
How it works
- Send us the report. Ours or another electrician's — email it to [email protected], or mention it when you request a quote.
- We go through it with you. Each observation explained in plain English: what it is, why it matters and how urgent it is.
- Further investigation first, where it's needed. An FI might be a circuit that couldn't be traced or a reading that needs checking. Investigating may clear the item or show that work is needed — we tell you which before going any further.
- A fixed quote, item by item. You see exactly what each fix costs, and choose what to do now.
- The work, planned around your deadline. Tell us when your 28 days run out and we'll plan the work with that date in mind. For tenanted homes, we arrange access with your tenant or agent.
- Tested and certified. New circuits and consumer unit replacements get an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). Smaller jobs that don't add a circuit get a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
- Paperwork for your tenants and the council. The certificates, together with the original report, give you the written confirmation the regulations ask for. You usually don't need a whole new EICR.
Keep the certificates with your EICR. Your next full inspection is still due on the date shown on the report.
On the day of the work
The circuits we're working on are switched off while we work on them, and we tell whoever is at home before anything goes off. Make sure we can reach the consumer unit and every area named in the quote, and let us know about anything that must stay on, such as medical equipment.
Common remedial items
Every property is different, but typical items include:
- missing or undersized bonding to gas and water pipes;
- no RCD protection on circuits that need it — an RCD being the safety switch that cuts the power in a fault;
- damaged sockets, switches and fittings, especially where live parts can be touched;
- loose or overheating connections, sometimes with scorch marks;
- metal light fittings without an earth;
- fittings unsuitable for bathrooms and other wet areas;
- an old consumer unit that can't give a circuit the protection it needs.
Some fixes are notifiable building work: a new circuit, a consumer unit replacement, and additions or alterations in bathroom and shower zones. We notify Building Control before that work starts, and tell you upfront what it involves. If your report points to the fuse board, see consumer unit replacement.
What about the C3s?
C3s don't make a report unsatisfactory, and the 28-day rule doesn't apply to them. But if an electrician is already on site, or you're about to redecorate, it can make sense to deal with some of them at the same time — and it may mean fewer observations on your next report. We'll tell you which are worth doing now and which can wait.
What remedial work costs
It depends entirely on what the report found — replacing a damaged socket and replacing a consumer unit are very different jobs. That's why we price each item separately and give you a fixed quote before any work starts. The quote includes the certificates and, for notifiable work, the Building Control notification. You're under no obligation to accept it.
No obligation — really
You're free to use any qualified electrician for remedial work, whoever carried out your EICR. If a report from someone else has left you with questions, send it over and we'll explain what each item means.
Why book your remedial work with us
- A fixed quote first — item by item, before any work starts.
- Any electrician's report — ours or someone else's.
- The right certificate for every job — an EIC or a Minor Works certificate, ready to send to tenants and the council.
- Notifiable work done properly — Building Control notified before the work starts.
- Access handled — we arrange it with your tenant or agent.
- Insured — £5m public liability insurance.
- London-wide — all 32 London boroughs and the City of London.
Haven't had your inspection yet? Start with a landlord EICR.
Request a quote
Request a quote — tell us what the report says and we'll call to talk it through and confirm a fixed price. Or call us on 07301 010244 with your report to hand.