An electrical safety check is an inspection and test of a property’s fixed wiring, consumer unit, sockets, switches and light fittings, and the result is written up as an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Landlords in England must have one carried out at least every five years, and homeowners are advised to have one about every ten years and when they buy a home, because it finds hidden faults before they cause a shock or a fire.

What an electrical safety check covers

The EICR looks at the fixed parts of the electrical installation, the parts that are wired in rather than plugged in. Electrical Safety First lists the main things it assesses: whether circuits and equipment are overloaded, whether earthing and bonding are adequate, the suitability of the switchgear, the condition of the wiring and its insulation, and whether RCD protection is in place where it is needed.

Covered by an EICR	Not covered by an EICR
Consumer unit (fuse box), circuit breakers and RCDs	Plug-in appliances such as kettles and TVs (that is PAT testing)
Wiring and cables you can reach, and their insulation	Gas appliances and pipework (that is a gas safety check)
Sockets, switches and light fittings	Lifting floors or opening walls to look at hidden cables
Earthing and main bonding to gas and water pipes	Anything the electrician could not access, which is recorded as a limitation
Fixed appliances such as electric showers and cookers wired to their own circuits	Design approval of new work (that is an Electrical Installation Certificate)

If you are booking one for a rental, our EICR and electrical safety certificate page explains how we handle it for landlords and homeowners.

What happens on the day

1. Agreeing the extent. The electrician confirms what will be inspected and whether any sampling applies, and records this on the report.
2. Visual inspection. They look at the consumer unit, a selection of accessories and the visible wiring for damage, overheating, missing covers, poor DIY and signs of age.
3. Dead testing. With the power off, they test continuity of the protective conductors, insulation resistance and polarity on each circuit.
4. Live testing. With the power on, they test earth fault loop impedance and check that RCDs trip within the required time.
5. The report. Findings are coded, and the report states whether the installation is satisfactory or unsatisfactory for continued use, with a recommended date for the next inspection.

The power will be off for parts of the visit, so plan around freezers, alarms, home working and medical equipment. How long it takes depends on the size of the property and the number of circuits.

What the EICR codes mean

Code	Meaning	What you need to do
C1	Danger present. Risk of injury	Immediate action. The electrician will usually make it safe before leaving
C2	Potentially dangerous	Remedial work needed. The report will be unsatisfactory
C3	Improvement recommended	Not mandatory, but worth considering
FI	Further investigation required without delay	Have it investigated promptly, as the true condition is unknown

A common C2 is missing RCD protection on circuits that need it, or a missing earth. A common C3 is a consumer unit that works safely but no longer meets current standards.

How often do you need an electrical safety check?

Property	Recommended interval
Owner-occupied home	Every 10 years, and when buying a previously occupied home
Privately rented home in England	At least every 5 years (legal requirement)
Social rented home in England	At least every 5 years (legal requirement)
Before letting a property	Before the new tenancy starts
Any property	Sooner if the last report recommends it, or if warning signs appear

The intervals for owner-occupied and rented homes are those recommended by Electrical Safety First. The rented-sector requirement comes from the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, which have since been extended to social housing.

Signs you should not wait

• Breakers or RCDs that trip regularly.
• Scorch marks, buzzing, crackling or a hot smell from sockets, switches or the consumer unit.
• An old fuse box with rewireable fuses, or no RCDs at all.
• Old cable with black rubber or fabric insulation, or round pin sockets.
• DIY alterations, extensions or loft conversions you do not have certificates for.
• Water damage from a leak or flood near electrics.

If you already have a fault, rather than a routine check, our electrical repairs and fault finding service is the better starting point.

What landlords must do

For landlords in England, the government guidance sets out these duties:

• Have the installation inspected and tested by a qualified and competent person at least every five years.
• Give a copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, to new tenants before they move in, and to prospective tenants within 28 days of a request.
• Give a copy to the local council within 7 days if it asks for one.
• Where the report requires remedial work or further investigation, complete it within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, then give written confirmation to the tenant and the council within 28 days of the work.
• Keep the report until the next inspection and give a copy to the next inspector.

Councils can impose substantial civil penalties for breaches. Our landlords page covers how we handle EICRs, gas safety records and remedial work together, and many landlords book the EICR alongside their landlord gas safety certificate.

EICR, EIC, minor works or PAT: which one do you need?

Document	What it is for
EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)	A check of the condition of an existing installation
EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate)	Issued for new installations, new circuits and consumer unit replacements
Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate	Issued for small additions or alterations that do not include a new circuit
PAT test record	Testing of portable, plug-in appliances, often requested for furnished lets

An EICR is not a substitute for the certificate you should have received for new work. If you are buying a home with an extension or a new consumer unit, ask the seller for those certificates too.

How to prepare for the check

• Clear access to the consumer unit, and make sure you know where it is.
• Move furniture away from sockets where you can.
• Give access to the loft and any outbuildings with power.
• Have previous reports and certificates ready.
• If the property is let, arrange access with the tenants and warn them the power will be off.

What it costs with Vantage

Every rate is published on our prices page, so you know what you will pay before we arrive. If the report identifies remedial work, we explain each item and quote it before anything is done, so you can decide what goes ahead. Evening and weekend visits are charged at the out-of-hours rates.

Frequently asked questions

Is an EICR a legal requirement for homeowners?

No. There is no legal requirement for owner-occupiers to have an EICR, but Electrical Safety First recommends one every ten years and when you buy a home. The legal duty applies to landlords of rented homes in England.

How long is an EICR valid for?

The report records a recommended date for the next inspection. For rented homes that must be no more than five years, and it can be sooner if the electrician finds the installation needs checking more often. For owner-occupied homes it is typically up to ten years.

Does an EICR check every socket?

Not always. The electrician agrees the extent of the inspection and any sampling with you before starting, and records it on the report. Every circuit should be tested, but not necessarily every accessory, and anything that could not be accessed is listed as a limitation.

What happens if my EICR is unsatisfactory?

An unsatisfactory report means at least one C1 or C2 was found. The dangerous items need putting right, and for landlords that must be within 28 days or sooner if the report says so. Once the work is done, you receive confirmation or a certificate for the remedial work.

Who can carry out an electrical safety check?

A qualified and competent electrician, experienced in inspection and testing to BS 7671. The government guidance for landlords suggests checking the electrician’s competence, for example membership of a competent person scheme. Our guide to choosing an electrician in Hertfordshire goes through what to ask.

Electrical safety checks in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire

If your home is due a check, you are buying a property, or you are a landlord with a renewal coming up, our EICR and electrical safety certificate page explains how to arrange it. You can also call 01462 506374, answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.