The lead service
What an EICR is, and who needs one
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a health check on the fixed wiring of a property. Everything behind the plaster and inside the fuseboard, tested and written up. Here is what happens, in plain English.
What an EICR actually is
An EICR is an inspection and test of the fixed electrical installation. Fixed means the parts that stay with the building: the consumer unit, the cables in the walls and loft, the sockets, the switches, the light fittings, the earthing and bonding. It does not cover the kettle, the washing machine or anything else you could carry out of the door.
Part of it is visual. We take covers off, look inside the board, check for scorching, cracked accessories, old rubber or fabric cable, and connections that have worked loose. The rest is testing with instruments, circuit by circuit, with the power off. Numbers come out of that: insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, RCD trip times. Those numbers are the evidence behind the verdict.
At the end you get a report with one of two outcomes: satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Anything we find is written down against a code, and each code is explained so you know what it means for the property.
The codes, without the jargon
Four codes can appear on a report. Only three of them make an installation unsatisfactory.
| Code | What it means | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present. Someone could get a shock or a burn from this now. | We make it safe before we leave, then tell you what the permanent fix is. Report is unsatisfactory. |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous. Not live and waiting to bite today, but it will hurt someone if something else fails. | Needs putting right. Report is unsatisfactory until it is done. |
| C3 | Improvement recommended. Safe as it stands, but it would be better done to the current standard. | Your choice. A C3 on its own does not fail the report. |
| FI | Further investigation needed. Something is not adding up and we cannot see why without digging. | Report is unsatisfactory until it is chased down. We quote for the investigation separately. |
If the report comes back unsatisfactory, that is not a disaster and it is not a sales tactic. It means specific items need attention, and each one gets its own line and its own price.
Who needs one
- Landlords in England. A legal duty, at least every five years. See the section below.
- Letting agents. Whoever manages the tenancy usually carries the paperwork, so agents across Poole, Bournemouth and Weymouth book these on the landlord's behalf.
- Home owners. No legal duty, but sensible if the wiring has never been checked or the board looks like it predates you.
- Anyone buying. A survey will say "consider further investigation of the electrical installation". This is that investigation.
- Anyone selling. A recent satisfactory report closes a question the buyer's solicitor would otherwise ask twice.
The landlord duty, in plain English
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 set out what a private landlord has to do. The two dates that matter:
- Inspect and test at least every five years. The report itself can say sooner if the condition of the installation calls for it, and if it does, that shorter interval is the one to work to.
- Give the report to the tenants within 28 days of the inspection and test.
If the report is unsatisfactory, the remedial work has to be carried out and you need written confirmation that it has been done. That is why we quote remedials line by line off our own report: you can see exactly which code each item clears.
Rented across Dorset, not just the conurbation
The duty is the same whether the property is a student let in Winton, a seafront flat in Weymouth, a cottage in Corfe Castle or a terrace in Bridport. The drive is different. The paperwork is not.
What happens on the day
Most of it is quiet, and most of it happens at the fuseboard.
We get in
Access agreed with you, the tenant or the agent beforehand. We need to reach the board, the loft hatch and every room.
Power off in stages
Testing needs the circuits dead. We work round the property so the whole place is not off for the full visit.
Inspect and test
Covers off, sample of accessories opened, every final circuit measured, RCDs timed, results recorded as we go.
Report and codes
Everything back on and checked. The signed PDF follows by email, with any codes written out in plain words.
Questions we get asked
If yours is not here, ring and ask.
How long does an EICR take?
It depends on the number of circuits and how easy the board is to reach. A one bed flat with a handful of circuits is a much shorter job than a four bed house in Sherborne with an outbuilding and a garden supply. We will tell you what to expect for your property when we price it.
Does the power have to go off?
Yes. Some of the tests only work with the circuit dead. We do it in stages rather than pulling the main switch for the whole visit, and we tell the tenant beforehand so nothing important is mid cycle.
Do I have to use you for the remedials?
No. The report is yours and you can take it to anyone. Most people use us because we already know the installation and the codes are ours to clear, which saves a second survey.
What if the report is unsatisfactory?
You get a written quote against each C1, C2 and FI. You decide what gets done. Once the work is cleared, the report is updated so the file shows a satisfactory outcome.
Will you find things just to sell me work?
No. Codes are coded as we find them, and C3 items are marked as improvements rather than failures. Plenty of reports come back satisfactory with nothing to do.
How much is an EICR?
From £160, with the exact figure fixed in writing before we book. See the prices page for what moves it.
Shall we get a date in?
Give us the postcode and the property type and we will price the EICR before you commit to anything. Anywhere in Dorset, from Lyme Regis to Christchurch.