Emergency service:

EICR and fixed wire testing

An EICR is a health check for the fixed wiring: what is safe, what needs attention, and what has to be fixed now.

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Home Services EICR and fixed wire testing

In plain English

What an EICR actually tells you

An Electrical Installation Condition Report inspects and tests the fixed wiring of a property against BS 7671 and records every observation with a classification code.

C1 means danger present. Risk of injury, and we make it safe immediately.
C2 means potentially dangerous. It has to be corrected for the report to be satisfactory.
C3 means improvement recommended. Not a fail, and no obligation to act.
FI means further investigation is required before an opinion can be given.

A report with only C3 observations is satisfactory. Any C1, C2 or FI makes it unsatisfactory until the work is done.

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Electrician recording test readings on a schedule

What we look at

What the inspection actually covers

Fixed wire testing means the permanent installation: the wiring, the board, the accessories and the earthing. Anything you plug in is a separate matter.

The consumer unit

Device types and ratings, RCD provision, enclosure condition, terminal tightness and evidence of overheating inside the board.

Earthing and bonding

The main earthing conductor, the supply earthing arrangement, and protective bonding to gas, water and other services entering the property.

A sample of accessories

Sockets, switches and outlets opened and inspected for damage, heat, poor terminations and unsuitable modifications, with the sample size recorded.

Cable condition and routing

Insulation condition where visible, correct cable types for the location, and whether cables run in the safe zones the standard defines.

Special locations

Bathrooms and kitchens have specific requirements about what equipment may go where, and those zones are inspected against them.

Circuit testing

The full dead and live test sequence on every circuit, with each reading written onto the schedule of test results.

Reading your report

The codes, and what each one obliges you to do

Every observation gets a code, and the codes decide whether the report is satisfactory and what happens next.

C1: danger present

Risk of injury right now. We make it safe before leaving, and the report records both the defect and the action taken.

C2: potentially dangerous

Not dangerous this second, but it could become so. Must be corrected before the report can be satisfactory.

C3: improvement recommended

Does not meet the current standard but is not unsafe. No obligation to act, and a C3 alone does not make a report unsatisfactory.

FI: further investigation

Something could not be reached, proved or explained on the day, and no opinion can be given until it is resolved. Counts against a satisfactory outcome.

Satisfactory

No C1, C2 or FI observations. The installation is fit for continued use and the report states the next inspection date.

Unsatisfactory

One or more C1, C2 or FI observations. Not a disaster, just a list: we quote the remedials, complete them, retest and reissue.

Know the difference

EICR, EIC and Minor Works, compared

Three certificates, routinely confused, and asking for the wrong one wastes everybody time.

EICR

A condition report on an existing installation. Inspects and tests what is already there and codes the findings. This is what landlords, buyers and councils ask for.

Electrical Installation Certificate

Issued for new installation work, such as a rewire or a new consumer unit. It certifies work that has just been done, and it is not a condition report on the rest of the property.

Minor Works Certificate

For an alteration or addition to an existing circuit that does not involve a new circuit, such as adding a socket. Smaller in scope, same principle of recorded testing.

What the inspection covers

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Consumer unit and protection

Correct devices, correct ratings, RCD protection where required, and enclosure condition.

Sample of accessories

Sockets, switches and outlets opened and inspected for damage, overheating and poor terminations.

Earthing and bonding

Main earthing conductor and protective bonding to gas, water and any other extraneous parts.

Full test sequence

Continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, loop impedance and RCD trip times on every circuit.

Written schedule of results

Every circuit, every reading, so the next electrician can see exactly what was measured and when.

Coded observations

Each defect explained in plain English alongside its code, with a separate quote for the remedial work.

Reports that stand up to scrutiny

An EICR is only as good as the person signing it. Ours record every circuit reading on the schedule, photograph significant defects, and code observations to the standard rather than to whatever drums up remedial work.

Agents and buyers get a document they can rely on, and you get a clear split between what is required and what is merely advisable.

EICR prices

Codes explained in plain English

C1, C2, C3 and FI decide what happens next. We walk you through every observation before we leave the property.

Landlord certificates

The two that must be fixed

C1 means danger is present right now, and we make it safe before we leave the property. C2 means potentially dangerous, and it has to be corrected before the report can be satisfactory. Both come with a separate written quote.

Remedial pricing

The detail

EICRs, beyond the basics

What the codes mean when they land on your report, and the defects that produce them most often in this part of Sussex.

The observation codes, with real examples

Every observation on an EICR carries a code, and the codes decide everything.

C1, danger present: a broken socket with live parts touchable, or a live conductor resting on pipework. We make these safe on the spot, before we leave.
C2, potentially dangerous: no RCD protection on sockets that can serve outdoor equipment, or main bonding missing from the gas and water services. The report cannot be satisfactory until these are corrected.
C3, improvement recommended: old wiring colours without a notice, or a plastic consumer unit in good order. Worth knowing about, no obligation to act.
FI, further investigation: something the inspection could not reach or prove, which must be resolved before an opinion can be given.

A report with only C3 items is satisfactory. That distinction, explained before we leave the property, is most of what landlords and sellers actually need to know.

Inspector recording circuit observations on an EICR schedule

The failures we see most in Sussex homes

After enough inspections in the same housing stock, the same defects keep taking the top spots.

Sockets without RCD protection lead comfortably, especially in homes where the board predates the requirement. Undersized or missing main bonding to gas and water comes next, common in properties where pipework was replaced and nobody reconnected the earth. Then come the loft and garage specials: DIY spurs in connector blocks, junction boxes buried without access, and circuits extended far beyond what the cable was sized for.

None of this is exotic, and almost all of it is economical to put right. The expensive version is the one where it is discovered by a fault instead of an inspection.

Typical defects found at a domestic distribution board during inspection

Step by step

How the visit works

Access agreed

We need the board, the meter, and any loft or cupboard containing accessories. Power is off in stages during the day.

Visual inspection

Damage, wear, overheating, unsuitable modifications and anything that will not meet the current standard.

Dead and live testing

The full BS 7671 sequence, with readings recorded on the schedule as we go.

Coding and discussion

We walk you through what we found before we leave, and what is required rather than merely advisable.

Report issued

The EICR and schedules are emailed within TO CONFIRM working days, with any remedial quote attached separately.

24/7Emergency line answered day and night, including bank holidays

60 minTarget response for a total loss of power in Lewes and the core patch. TO CONFIRM

BS 7671Every circuit tested and certified to the 18th Edition wiring regulations

Part PRegistered for notifiable domestic work in England and Wales

First hand experience

Recent jobs we have completed

The kind of observations that come up in real Sussex properties, and what happened after the report landed.

TO CONFIRM before launch: replace the examples below with real jobs of your own, and add a genuine photograph to each. Do not publish invented case studies.

TO CONFIRM: photograph of this inspection

TO CONFIRM: unsatisfactory report and remedials

Reported: TO CONFIRM: why the inspection was booked.

Testing: TO CONFIRM: the observations found and the codes applied.

Outcome: TO CONFIRM: the remedial work, retest and reissued report.

TO CONFIRM: pre-purchase inspection

Reported: TO CONFIRM: why the inspection was booked.

Testing: TO CONFIRM: the observations found and the codes applied.

Outcome: TO CONFIRM: what the buyer decided to do with the findings.

TO CONFIRM: commercial fixed wire test

Reported: TO CONFIRM: why the inspection was booked.

Testing: TO CONFIRM: the observations found and the codes applied.

Outcome: TO CONFIRM: the remedial work and the certification issued.

What it costs

EICR pricing

An EICR is priced on the number of circuits rather than the number of rooms, because circuits are what get tested.

EICR pricing
Property	Typical circuits	From
One or two bedroom flat	Up to 6 circuits	£175
Three bedroom house	Up to 10 circuits	£235
Four or more bedrooms	10 to 16 circuits	£295
HMO or multi-let	Priced after a look at the board arrangement	On survey
Small commercial unit	Priced per distribution board	On survey
Remedial work	Quoted line by line once the report is issued	Varies

TO CONFIRM: replace with your own pricing, and state your report turnaround time. Power is interrupted circuit by circuit during the visit.

Who does the work

Inspection intervals, explained honestly

You will see confident numbers quoted everywhere. The truth is that the interval depends on the installation and how it is used, and the inspector sets it on the report itself.

Rented homes in England: at least every five years, and at the start of a new tenancy, under the 2020 regulations.
Owner occupied homes: commonly around ten years, or on change of occupancy.
Commercial premises: commonly around five years, adjusted for the environment and the use.
Swimming pools, caravan parks and similar: considerably shorter, because the environment is harsher.

Those are the usual recommendations rather than a blanket rule. Where a property has an older installation, heavy use or a harsh environment, the report will specify a shorter interval, and that date is the one that matters.

TO CONFIRM: add your scheme registration number, public liability cover and the name and qualifications of the electrician who reviewed this page. Only list credentials you can evidence.

Good to know

Questions we get asked

Straight answers to the things people ask before they book. Anything else, the phone is quicker than a form.

How often should an EICR be done?

Owner occupied homes every ten years, rented homes at least every five years and at the start of a new tenancy, and most commercial premises every five years.

How long does it take?

A two bedroom flat is usually two to three hours. A larger house with many circuits can take most of a day.

Will the power be off?

Yes, in stages, circuit by circuit. Tell us in advance about medical equipment, a home office or anything that cannot lose supply.

Can you do the remedial work as well?

Yes, and we quote it separately so you can see the inspection and the repairs priced independently.

What if it fails?

An unsatisfactory report is not a disaster, it is a list. We explain each item, price the required work, and reissue the report once it is complete.

Is an EICR a pass or fail?

Strictly neither: the report concludes satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Any C1, C2 or FI observation makes it unsatisfactory until the work is done and the report can be reissued. A report carrying only C3 recommendations is satisfactory, which surprises many landlords who assume any observation at all is a failure.

Will old wiring colours fail an EICR?

No. Red and black conductors simply mean the circuit predates the mid 2000s colour change, and the correct outcome is a C3 note recommending a warning label at the board where colours are mixed. Condition is what is being judged, and condition is measured, not eyeballed.

Who is allowed to carry out an EICR?

The law asks for a qualified and competent person: in practice, an electrician trained in inspection and testing, working with calibrated instruments and carrying insurance for the work. Ask whoever you engage what qualifications and instruments they bring. A confident answer takes seconds, and hesitation tells you everything.