Why You Need an Electrical Condition Report for Your Property

An Electrical Condition Report Test is now a legal requirement for landlords as of July 2020*. It does not test appliances; that requires another process called a PAT test. However, it does check all circuits and a percentage of the electrical installation fittings to see if they comply with current regulations. We are able to send out a fully qualified electrician in Greater London or the surrounding areas if you think that your property needs an EICR (Electrical Condition Report).

What does an EICR involve?

• The adequacy of the earthing and bonding.
• Any damage or wear and tear to the electrical circuits that might affect the safety of the property’s inhabitants.
• Identification of any damaged electrical fittings and accessories.
• Identification of any exposed live wires that could cause a fire or injury.

What do the results mean?
If your electrician finds any issues, they will be graded in severity from C1 to C3. C1 is the most severe grading and means that there are electrical issues which could cause immediate danger. C2 means that action is required but this situation is not as urgent as with C1. The final category is C3, which means that elements of the electrical installations are not wholly compliant with regulations but correcting the issues is not essential to receiving a satisfactory certificate.

What happens next?
For issues graded C1 or C2, the remedial works required will be quoted and must be carried out to receive a satisfactory Electrical Condition Report. If you need an electrician to carry out any electrical repairs, why not get in touch with us at RyGas? We provide an efficient and reliable service to landlords.

How often should you get an Electrical Condition Report?
For the majority of homeowners and landlords, it is recommended that you get an EICR done every five years or if you change tenants. If the property is a new build or the full electrical installation has been carried out within the last 10 years, you should have been awarded a certificate that lasts 10 years. After this time period, you will then need to have another report issued.

For carrying out your Electrical Condition Report, it is important that you choose a trustworthy and accredited electrician. Ry cover the areas of Greater London and Surrey so, if you have properties in this area, please feel free to get in touch today!

*The Law around the EICR has now changed and will come into effect in July 2020. There will be a legal onus on all landlords to have a electrical installation condition report in place. They will have to be able to provide this to the tenant, managing agent or local authority within 30 days should they ask. The government have also laid down the law that all existing tenancies will require a EICR report by April 2021.