What is an EICR?
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection of a property's fixed wiring: every circuit tested, the consumer unit and a sample of accessories examined, and every defect recorded with a code from C1 (danger now) to C3 (improvement recommended). It is the definitive answer to 'are the electrics safe?', and for rented homes in England it is a legal requirement every five years.
Think of it as an MOT for the wiring, with one difference: it inspects the installation (cables, circuits, boards, sockets), not your appliances. The inspector tests each circuit electrically, dead and live, and inspects the physical condition of what can be seen and sampled.
The output is a coded report rather than a pass certificate. Observations are classified C1 (danger present, immediate action), C2 (potentially dangerous, remedial work required), C3 (improvement recommended, not a failure) or FI (further investigation needed). A report with any C1, C2 or FI is 'unsatisfactory'; C3s alone leave it satisfactory.
Who needs one: landlords by law (England, every five years), buyers as due diligence before exchange, and homeowners whenever the honest answer to 'when were the electrics last checked?' is silence. Insurers and mortgage lenders increasingly ask too.
A genuine EICR takes two to four hours in a typical home. Treat very fast, very cheap versions with suspicion: the value is in the testing, and the testing is what takes the time.
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