Electrical Installation Condition Report

What is EICR?

Although electrical installations and wiring might age or deteriorate over time, you wouldn’t know it until it was too late. EICRs will examine the general state of the property’s electrical installation and help identify any problems, electrical damage, and wiring that doesn’t adhere to current rules.

It’s crucial to remember that periodic inspection reporting is a process, with an electrical installation condition report serving as the final product (EICR).

Whereas current BS7671 Wiring Regulations (Regulation 135.1) specify that you should keep your electrics in good working condition and ensure their safety, there is currently no law requiring you to have an EICR performed on your owned property. You are strongly advised to get an EICR periodic examination every ten years.

EICR TESTS

Safety requires that electrical installation adheres to established standards. Fuse board, switch, or socket malfunctions could result in electric shock or fire, injuring or harming inhabitants.

In the UK, 20,000 homes are affected by electricity fires each year, according to a survey from Electric Safety First. 89% of fires are started by electrical items, and 11 % result from Regular examination and repair of electrical systems that could prevent the majority of these events.

Every tenant’s safety should be guaranteed by the landlord for the duration of the tenancy. This entails ensuring that electrical equipment, wiring, and fuse boxes are installed, maintained, and functionally safe.

Visual inspections must be performed frequently to look for potential electrical problems. However, certain cables and wires are concealed from view and can go unnoticed by an inexperienced electrician.

Have a licenced electrician inspect your house and create an electrical installation condition report (EICR) to certify that it complies with strict safety requirements.

How does EICR Work?

After thoroughly evaluating the electrical systems within any commercial, residential, or industrial property, an electrician or electrical engineer will create a formal document known as an EICR. The Landlord Safety Test and the Homebuyers Test are other names for it.

Based on the most recent guidelines for The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector, every rental property needs to have an EICR. All private landlords are required by law to guarantee the proper operation of all electrical installations.

An EICR guarantees that all electrical systems and installations on the property are properly installed, secure, and well-maintained. It offers an essential evaluation of all types of properties, from tiny houses to large industrial complexes.

What is the purpose of an EICR – Electrical Safety Certificate?

A thorough description of each check must be included in an EICR report to ensure legal compliance.

If faults or potential issues with electrical safety are found, the report will contain any suggested corrective actions or adjustments that landlords will either need to make to achieve certification or consider keeping the property as safe as possible in the future.

WHAT DOES AN EICR DO?

Five primary goals of an EICR include:

• Ensure that all of the property’s electrical installations are secure: The electrical system will be examined by a skilled engineer or electrician to ensure it is free of damage, wear and tear, and degradation. They also detect whether a setup or piece of equipment has been placed correctly.
• Determine any deterioration or damage that could jeopardise a building’s residents’ safety: When problems are found, the electrician will suggest fixes to make sure the electrical system is in good working order.
• Finding electrical installation parts that don’t adhere to Institution of Engineering and Technology wiring regulations, The adequacy of the switchgear and wires, their bonding and earthing, and the quality of the sockets are all considered criteria.
• Which electrical equipment is most probable to produce fires and shocks? An EICR identifies which electrical appliances exhibit damage and wear-and-tear, and it advises the repair and replacement of any unsafe appliances.
• Note the state of an electrical installation for use in subsequent inspections: Additionally useful in the event of an accident is the EICR. It serves as evidence that you have taken all essential steps to safeguard the security of your staff and consumers.

WHAT HAPPENS IF Your ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS NOT TESTED?

You are legally responsible for the welfare and safety of your renters and staff, according to a number of health and safety laws. If someone gets hurt on the property or things get damaged due to electrocution or electric fire, you could be liable if you don’t fix the electrical system problem.

A weak defence states that you are unaware of any electrical problems on your property. If you violate the Electrical Safety Standards, you could be prosecuted with a violation and subject to fines of up to £30,000.

If your insurer pays for damages to your property brought on by electrical problems could potentially be determined by an EICR. You’re likely to lose your insurer’s coverage for damages if an accident or fire is considered to have been started by electricity. It is later determined in court that you were careless about electrical safety. If an employee or client sues you, you’ll be responsible for paying their legal fees and the price of repairing and replacing the property and other assets.