🕑 4 minutes read
Don't be a trick—assess your electrical devices.
Imagine what it's like when you book an EICR expecting everything to go smoothly, then the worst happens, and you get an unsatisfactory EICR rating and are unsure what to do next. We know, a thousand questions will boggle your mind in a hopeless mood.
But wait! How can you beat this?
If an EICR report comes back as 'faulty', and the landlord doesn't respond to the recommendations in the report, it simply means the landlord will be fined by the local council. Therefore, all landlords, when in receipt of a further works report, must act immediately!
It is a formal document outlining the condition of the electrical installation within a property.
To comply with regulations, an EICR should be conducted every five years or when the tenancy is changed. To avoid any comebacks, it is critical for a landlord to maintain their records to demonstrate a duty of care towards their tenants.
Why is this report so special? Faulty electrical systems and equipment in UK homes cause roughly 70 deaths and 350,000 injuries each year. Faulty electrical systems are at fault for about half of all home fires. According to recent research, the risk of an electric shock is substantially higher in privately rented apartments.
“All new tenancies in the private rented sector must have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) as of July 1, 2020. All current leases were subject to this obligation beginning on April 1, 2021”.
- EICR Update -
The landlord’s responsibility: You are required, by law, to ensure the electrical installations within a property is fully maintained and in a safe condition throughout the tenancy period.
The tenant responsibility: You are responsible for reporting any electrical installation issues as soon as they arise and responsible for maintaining any electrical equipment brought into the property.
Being fully conversant with the regulations allows both parties to act immediately if anything threatens the safety of the occupants.
EICR terms within an EICR report.
4 Common Reasons to fail your EICR.
If the EICR inspection has failed the electrical engineer will produce a report outlining the issues, along with the remedial actions required to meet current electrical regulations.
Any remedial work mentioned in the report should be carried out within 28 days of the inspection.
After reinspection, the electrical engineer's written report will confirm the appropriate steps have been taken to change the results from "unsatisfactory" to "satisfactory" (in line with safety regulations).
The reason for home electrical assessments is to ensure:
If you need more clarification about what needs to be done, you can always ask a qualified electrician for help. Serviceteam electricians will thoroughly inspect your home and identify any faults within the wiring. They can then be engaged to fix the faults before the next inspection.
Every landlord has responsibility for their tenants' safety. Don’t delay, schedule an EICR inspection before the tenancy changes.
‘An unsatisfactory EICR’, what happens next?
The reason why a property has failed an EICR will be explained in detail in the EICR written report. As a landlord, you will have 28 days to engage a qualified electrician to rectify the fault/s.
The following actions are required by the landlord once the remedial work is completed:
⭕ Remember, you can be fined up to £30,000 for breaching an electrical safety rule if it results in personal injury or death!
If you need an EICR report, please contact our friendly 24/7 customer desk or book a serviceteam electrician via our online booking platform.
Imagine what it's like when you book an EICR expecting everything to go smoothly, then the worst happens, and you get an unsatisfactory EICR rating and are unsure what to do next. We know, a thousand questions will boggle your mind in a hopeless mood.
But wait! How can you beat this?
If an EICR report comes back as 'faulty', and the landlord doesn't respond to the recommendations in the report, it simply means the landlord will be fined by the local council. Therefore, all landlords, when in receipt of a further works report, must act immediately!
What is an EICR?
It is a formal document outlining the condition of the electrical installation within a property.
To comply with regulations, an EICR should be conducted every five years or when the tenancy is changed. To avoid any comebacks, it is critical for a landlord to maintain their records to demonstrate a duty of care towards their tenants.
Why is this report so special? Faulty electrical systems and equipment in UK homes cause roughly 70 deaths and 350,000 injuries each year. Faulty electrical systems are at fault for about half of all home fires. According to recent research, the risk of an electric shock is substantially higher in privately rented apartments.
“All new tenancies in the private rented sector must have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) as of July 1, 2020. All current leases were subject to this obligation beginning on April 1, 2021”.
- EICR Update -
The landlord’s responsibility: You are required, by law, to ensure the electrical installations within a property is fully maintained and in a safe condition throughout the tenancy period.
The tenant responsibility: You are responsible for reporting any electrical installation issues as soon as they arise and responsible for maintaining any electrical equipment brought into the property.
Being fully conversant with the regulations allows both parties to act immediately if anything threatens the safety of the occupants.
EICR terms within an EICR report.
| Code | Observation |
|---|---|
| C1 | Danger Present (FAIL) |
| C2 | Potentially Dangerous (FAIL) |
| C3 | Improvement Recommended |
| F1 | Further Investigation Required (FAIL) |
| N/V | Not Verified (Unable to verify) |
| N/A | Not Applicable |
| LIM | Limitation (Not tested or inspected) |
4 Common Reasons to fail your EICR.
- Damaged or Faulty Sockets.
- Damaged or faulty switches.
- Damaged or defective extractor fans.
- Defective or Broken Ceiling Lights.
What’s the time limit to rectify a failed EICR?
If the EICR inspection has failed the electrical engineer will produce a report outlining the issues, along with the remedial actions required to meet current electrical regulations.
Any remedial work mentioned in the report should be carried out within 28 days of the inspection.
After reinspection, the electrical engineer's written report will confirm the appropriate steps have been taken to change the results from "unsatisfactory" to "satisfactory" (in line with safety regulations).
The reason for home electrical assessments is to ensure:
- There is no overload on the circuits.
- There is no danger of electric shock or fire.
- There is no faulty electrical work.
- No earthing or bonding issues.
Are you ready to schedule an EICR?
If you need more clarification about what needs to be done, you can always ask a qualified electrician for help. Serviceteam electricians will thoroughly inspect your home and identify any faults within the wiring. They can then be engaged to fix the faults before the next inspection.
Every landlord has responsibility for their tenants' safety. Don’t delay, schedule an EICR inspection before the tenancy changes.
‘An unsatisfactory EICR’, what happens next?
The reason why a property has failed an EICR will be explained in detail in the EICR written report. As a landlord, you will have 28 days to engage a qualified electrician to rectify the fault/s.
The following actions are required by the landlord once the remedial work is completed:
- Obtain an industry-recognised certificate proving the work has been completed by a qualified engineer and meets the electrical safety criteria.
- Within 28 days of the job's completion, give confirmation and a copy of the original report to every resident of the building that investigation or repair work is necessary.
- Once the work is finished within 28 days, give the local council a copy of the original report and the certificate.
⭕ Remember, you can be fined up to £30,000 for breaching an electrical safety rule if it results in personal injury or death!
If you need an EICR report, please contact our friendly 24/7 customer desk or book a serviceteam electrician via our online booking platform.
