What An EICR Actually Checks (And What The Codes Mean)

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a periodic inspection of the fixed wiring in a building — distribution boards, circuits, accessories, earthing and bonding. It's a snapshot of safety, not a guarantee, and it's mandatory for commercial premises and rented residential property.

The four observation codes

• ▸C1 — Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate action required (we make safe before leaving site).
• ▸C2 — Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial work needed; report is unsatisfactory until fixed.
• ▸C3 — Improvement recommended. Not a failure, but worth addressing.
• ▸FI — Further investigation required. The engineer can't determine safety without more work.

How often you need one

• ▸Commercial premises — every 5 years, or on change of occupancy.
• ▸Rented residential (England) — every 5 years, before each new tenancy.
• ▸Industrial / high-risk — every 3 years.
• ▸Construction sites & temporary installations — every 3 months.

What a good EICR looks like

A proper EICR runs to 8–20 pages depending on circuit count: a schedule of inspections, a schedule of test results (insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, RCD trip times) for every circuit, and a summary of observations with codes and recommendations. If your report is two pages with no test data, it isn't an EICR — it's a tick sheet.

Typical remedial costs

Most C2 findings on a well-maintained installation are minor — missing covers, loose terminations, RCD additions. Budget £150–£600 to clear a typical small commercial unit. Older installations with rewireable fuses or no RCD protection can run into the thousands; we'll always quote before any work begins.