Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
An electrical installation condition report, previously referred to as a periodic inspection report (PIR) is something that we undertake to ensure your property is up to appropriate standards and that there are no defects that could affect your safety. These should be undertaken when a property is being bought/sold to give a good overview of the installation and whether there are likely to be any hidden unforeseen costs once you move into your new home.
Every property should have an in date next inspection label on their consumer unit. Although this is not currently a legal requirement if it’s your own property would you consider driving your car without a valid MOT? Do you spend more time in your car or in your home? You should be testing your domestic property at a frequency of a maximum of every 10 years. If you rent out your property, then this should be undertaken at a maximum of every 5 years or at the change of tenancy. Properties that are HMO’s (Homes of Multiple Occupancy) require some differing regulations regarding fire safety and protection, for example.
During an EICR we would undertake an in-depth test and inspection of your installation. The testing undertaken would consist of:
- Adequacy of Consumer unit – commonly referred to as a fuse board – for safety and protection
- Suitability of earthing and bonding of switches, sockets, light fittings as well as gas and water services
- Any damage or wear and tear that would put residents at risk from electric shock
- Highlight any faulty or damaged electric accessories
By removing switches and sockets we can see a lot more about the condition of the wiring. Our experience and knowledge of these situations enable us to complete the full report to issue to you with any details of non-compliances and how best to resolve them. A typical 3 bedroom property will take approximately 3-4 hours to complete with an in depth check of the circuitry.
Something extra to be aware of is varying costs and level of testing that will be completed based on the price you pay for your test. It is possible that you could get a contractor that will only test a small percentage of the installation, this could potentially miss any number of faults that could be unapparent and putting a strain on your installation. It is something you should have clarified before commencement of work.
Requirements of our electrical regulations are amended regularly; we must update our qualifications as these are issued to keep abreast of what we are expected to find and report on.
From our experience over the years, we have extensive knowledge of electrical testing, our test equipment is regularly inspected and calibrated to ensure correct operation and capability for the job in hand.
More information on EICRs and their requirements can be found on this NICEIC publication.