An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection and test of a property's fixed wiring: the consumer unit, the circuits, the sockets, switches and light fittings. It tells you whether the installation is safe to keep using and lists anything that needs attention, graded by how urgent it is.
For landlords in England this is not optional. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require a satisfactory EICR for every private tenancy, renewed at least every five years, with copies for tenants and the local authority. If the report identifies C1 or C2 defects, remedial work must be completed within 28 days and written confirmation supplied. Councils can fine landlords up to £30,000 for non-compliance.
Homeowners use EICRs too: before or after buying a property, when wiring is 25 years old or more, or when nobody can remember it ever being tested. We carry out EICRs across Greater London and we write reports you can actually read, with photographs of defects and a plain-English summary alongside the formal codes.
What's included
Visual inspection of the whole installation
Consumer unit condition and protective devices, signs of overheating or DIY alterations, cable types and condition, earthing and bonding arrangements, and accessories in every room.
Dead and live testing of circuits
Continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation, tested and recorded circuit by circuit to BS 7671. This is what separates a real EICR from a walk-round with a clipboard.
Clear observation codes
Defects are coded C1 (danger present, immediate action), C2 (potentially dangerous, remedial work required), C3 (improvement recommended, does not fail the report) or FI (further investigation). We explain what each one on your report actually means.
Photographs and plain-English summary
Every C1 and C2 is photographed and described in normal language, so you know exactly what the problem is and where, whether you use us for the remedials or someone else.
Honest remedial quote, only if needed
If the report is unsatisfactory we price the remedial work separately and itemised. C3 items are recommendations, not failures, and we will never dress one up as mandatory work.
How the job runs
- 1
Book the inspection
Tell us the property size, the number of consumer units and, for rentals, your renewal deadline. We confirm a fixed price up front based on the number of circuits.
- 2
Access and tenant coordination
For rented properties we can liaise directly with your tenants for access. Power is off intermittently during testing, and we work around home workers where we can.
- 3
Inspection and testing on site
A typical one or two bed flat takes two to three hours; a house takes three to five. We inspect, test every circuit and investigate anything suspicious as far as access allows.
- 4
Report delivered
You receive the full EICR as a PDF, with codes, test results, photographs and a summary of anything that needs action.
- 5
Remedials and re-certification if required
If the outcome is unsatisfactory, we quote the C1 and C2 items, complete them within the regulation timescale if you instruct us, and issue written confirmation that the installation now satisfies the report.
What it costs
EICRs start from £150 for a typical one or two bed flat with a single consumer unit, and most London properties fall between £150 and £250. The price follows the number of circuits and boards: a six-way flat board is a few hours' work, a large house with twelve or more circuits, or an HMO with multiple boards, takes proportionally longer. We confirm the exact price before booking.
Be wary of very cheap EICRs advertised across London. Testing every circuit properly takes hours, and a certificate produced in 45 minutes usually means circuits were not tested. Remedial work is always quoted separately and you are under no obligation to use us for it.