Guides

What Is an EICR and Do You Need One?

A plain-English breakdown of Electrical Installation Condition Reports for UK homeowners and landlords, covering legal requirements, costs, and what happens during the inspection.

17 February 20268 min read

What Is an EICR and Do You Need One?

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is basically a health check for your property's electrics. A qualified electrician goes through the wiring, sockets, switches, consumer unit, and earthing to make sure everything is safe and up to standard.

Who Needs an EICR?

Landlords

Since April 2021, every rental property in England needs a valid EICR. You have to get it done every 5 years and give the certificate to your tenants within 28 days. For a full breakdown of the legal requirements and penalties, see our guide on landlord EICR requirements.

Homeowners

Not a legal requirement, but it's recommended every 10 years or when you're buying or selling. A lot of insurers and mortgage lenders ask for one.

Businesses

Commercial properties need periodic inspections too, usually every 5 years under the Electricity at Work Regulations.

What Happens During an EICR?

It usually takes 2-4 hours for a standard house. The electrician will:

Visually inspect all accessible electrical installations
Test circuits, earthing, and bonding
Check the consumer unit and protective devices
Test sockets and light fittings
Check the condition of the wiring

Understanding the Results

Any issues found are graded:

C1 (Danger Present): Immediate risk. Needs fixing straight away.
C2 (Potentially Dangerous): Could cause injury. Needs sorting promptly.
C3 (Improvement Recommended): Not dangerous, but could be better.
FI (Further Investigation): Needs more investigation to work out what's going on.

Your property passes with a Satisfactory result if there are no C1 or C2 findings. If your property does receive an unsatisfactory result, our guide on what happens if your property fails an EICR explains the next steps.

How Much Does an EICR Cost?

Our prices are fixed based on property size:

Studio flat: £120
1-bedroom: £150
2-bedroom: £175
3-bedroom: £200
4-bedroom: £250
5+ bedrooms: £300

That covers the inspection, testing, and certificate. No hidden fees.

If you have been quoted significantly less elsewhere, it is worth asking why. A proper inspection takes 2 to 4 hours and there is no shortcut to doing it right. We have put together a guide on the risks of cheap EICRs that explains what corners often get cut and what it could mean for landlords legally.

Book Your EICR Online

You can book and pay for your EICR online. Pick your property size, pay securely, and choose a date. Got questions? Check our EICR FAQ.

Free EICR Expiry Reminders

If you are a landlord, keeping track of when each property's EICR expires can be a headache, especially if you have several on the go. We run a free reminder service that emails you at 6 months, 3 months, and 1 month before each certificate runs out. There is no cost and no obligation, and it works even if we did not do the original inspection.