Ensuring a property is safe for occupancy before putting it up for rent is a legally binding responsibility that must be upheld by every landlord. Due to how dangerous electrical hazards can be, electrical safety should always be prioritized. To do so, a proper understanding of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is essential. Let’s take a simplified look through the EICR certification process next.
EICR Certificate: What is It?
An EICR is a report that contains relevant information, warnings, and recommendations from a certified electrical safety inspector. It is generated by the visiting professional, based on the observed condition of each inspected electrical item at the rental property.
Now, the point to remember here is that Electrical Installation Condition Reports are not necessarily certificates of electrical safety assurance by default. They are reports that contain the findings, warnings, and suggestions from a certified electrical safety inspector.
The EICR can only be considered as an electrical test certificate if:
- The final EICR does not contain any of the codes that signify danger or recommend immediate action/investigation
- All restorative actions are taken within 28 days and the concerned inspector supplied a letter of confirmation stating the same
How to Read the EICR Codes
Slightly different wording could be used to deliver the same message, but EICR codes are universal in their respective meanings across the UK. Every inspected item found to be safe will either be marked as such, or they may not have any marking beside them at all, indicating that no further action is required or suggested.
Inspected items marked as Code 3 (C3) are indicative of suggestions for better electrical safety, but they are not mandatory recommendations. However, if any of the following codes are marked on the EICR beside one or more inspected items, all recommended actions must be taken immediately or within 28 days maximum.
- Code 1 (C1) – Actively dangerous, risky, potentially injurious
- Code 2 (C2) – A risk of becoming dangerous and injurious
- Further Investigation (FI) – Further investigation is an urgent necessity
If a landlord ignores the codes, the report will simply become proof of the rental property’s electrical hazards. Instead of being a certificate of electrical safety assurance, an unaddressed EICR Code (except C3) makes the report a document that will prevent the informed landlord from legally letting out that property.
How to Resolve Problems in Your EICR?
The answer is quite simple really because the possible solutions will most likely be explained and offered by the electrical safety expert who created the report. Making necessary changes and repairs will add more to your total EICR cost, of course, but you can find out how much an EICR certification costs in advance. Note that if there are any codes mentioned (except C3), the final EICR certificate cost after repairs will be naturally higher than the cost of just an inspection report.
Take their professional advice and do what must be done to make your property compliant with the latest electrical safety standards and regulations. If you don’t give the go-ahead to solve mentioned problems as quickly as possible, you will need to do so within 28 days. Past 28 days, the EICR will become invalid, and you will need to pay for a new inspection and electrical test certificate.
