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An EICR is a legal obligation for all landlords in England and Scotland and as of June 1st, 2020, new electrical safety standards have been introduced.  All landlords are responsible for the electrical safety and functionality of all electrics and electrical items included on the property.

What does an EICR check cover?

• Your Fixx electrician will record all results found during their site inspection, ensuring that the electrics on the premises are of a safe standard for use.
• All damage and or noticeable usage will be noted and recorded indicating potential dangers of usage.
• All items and electrical ports that could cause shocks and or high temperatures will be noted.
• All electrical installations requirements will be checked to ensure they meet the IET wiring regulations.
• A note of the site inspection, time and date will also be recorded.
• All electrical items within the property such as fridges and freezers must be checked and of a safe standard. We would recommend portable testing on items such as these, sooner than the 5 year recommended period for fixed electrical fittings.
• All fixed electrical fittings must be installed by a EICR registered engineers and be considered to be in safe working order.

What this means for all landlords in England.

• Privately rented properties must provide a copy of an EICR to their tenants pertaining to the property that they have rented. This must be shown within 28 days of the test being conducted, or before a new tenancy begins.
• This legal requirement comes into effect from 1st July 2020 for all new tenancies and from April 2021 for all pre-existing tenancies.
• A copy should be provided to the local authority within 7 days of request
• If any faults are noted by the engineers during the inspection, these must be rectified within 28 days. In some circumstances, the engineer may express an urgent repair and must specify how soon this must be acted upon.
• Once repairs have been conducted, a written notification must be provided .
• An EICR inspection is necessary every 5 years or sooner.
• Every floor within a rental property must have a functioning smoke alarm.

What information does the EICR provide?

An EICR informs all private landlords of the electrics within a property and the condition of these, explaining and recommending any action that will be required to bring the electrics within the property to a safe standard for tenants, in accordance with the British Standard for electrical safety (BS 7671). Codes are detailed where electrics fail to meet the standards required for the electrical safety inspection, Code C1, Code C2, and Code C3.

Code C1 indicates that there is a danger present from the electrical item or fitting and measures must be put in place to rectify this to meet the electrical safety standards.

Code C2 indicates that the electrical item and or fitting shows potential signs of danger and measures should be taken to rectify this to meet the electrical safety standards.

Code C3 indicates that a particular electrical appliance or fitting would benefit from some remedial works whilst not being immediately dangerous.

If your inspection states that electrical codes C1 or C2 are evident, remedial works should be conducted within 28 days or within the time frame stated by your electrician.  Written evidence must be provided, stating that the premises are now meet with the electrical safety standards and a copy provided to the tenants of the property with the original site inspection report.  These reports may also be requested by your local authority.  Failure to comply with the new safety regulation can incur a £30,000 penalty fine.

In some instances, an electrical fixture or item may be given an F1 code which infers that a further investigation is necessary as soon as possible to determine a potentially dangerous or serious electrical state. Any remedial work must be documented in a separate Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. This certificate must be shown to the person requesting the work to resolve a fault.