EICR Explained: What Landlords and Employers Need to Know

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal inspection of a building's fixed electrical installation — the wiring, consumer units, sockets and fixed connections — carried out against BS 7671, the UK wiring regulations.

For rented residential property, EICRs are a legal requirement renewed at least every five years. For commercial premises, the same five-year benchmark is widely treated as best practice under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, though higher-risk environments often need more frequent checks.

The report itself grades any issues found: C1 (danger present, immediate action), C2 (potentially dangerous, urgent remedial work) or C3 (improvement recommended). A C1 or C2 finding means the installation doesn't satisfy the report as 'satisfactory' until it's fixed.

Keeping a valid, satisfactory EICR on file isn't just about avoiding fines — it's the clearest evidence you can produce that you've met your duty of care if anything ever goes wrong.