An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report.
It is a formal document that is produced following an assessment of the electrical installation within a property. It must be carried out by an experienced qualified electrician or approved contractor.
There are many reasons why a householder might request an EICR. One of the most common is in rented accommodation because as of 1st April 2021, it is now a legal requirement to have a EICR performed on all properties with existing tenancies. The new rules will apply to all existing lets.
An EICR is also recommended in all domestic homes every 10 years to check the condition of the electrical installation and ensure there is no deterioration, however there may be reasons why an EICR would need to be done more often. Typical reasons include:
- Age of the installation (the older the installation the more often an EICR should be carried out)
- Type of property. For example, if the property has a swimming pool, the recommended interval between an EICR is 1 year, however only the parts of the installation relating to the swimming pool would need to be assessed.
- Environmental Conditions
- Misuse of the installation such as vandalism
- Change in usage of the domestic premises. This could be change of occupancy in rental properties, or a property is being prepared to be sold, or the property is being purchased. It is highly recommended that an EICR is carried out with each change of occupancy in rental properties to ensure the property remains electrically safe. Equally, requesting an EICR on a property that is being purchased is the best way to find out if work needs to be carried out on the electrical system.
- Any concerns the householder has about the condition of their electrical installation.
EICR regulations
(EICR) Electrical installation condition reports are now a key part of electrical safety, Landlords have the responsibility to ensure that a tenanted property has an electrical installation that is safe to use by its tenants.
As of 1st April 2021, it is now a legal requirement to have a EICR performed on all properties with existing tenancies. The new rules will apply to all existing lets. Even if your tenancy is already underway and you have no plans to renew, after 1st April 2021, you will need to have an EICR or you could face fines.
There will be a legal onus on all landlords to have an electrical installation condition report (EICR) in place. They will have to be able to provide this to the tenant, managing agent or local authority generally upon occupancy or within 30 days should they ask.
The government has also laid down the law that all existing tenancies will require a EICR report by April 2021.
