Electrical safety checks

The short answer

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an inspection of a property's fixed wiring by a registered electrician, resulting in a report that classifies any defects. In Scotland, private landlords must have an EICR carried out at least every five years, along with a portable appliance check for supplied appliances. Owner-occupiers are not legally required to, but a report every ten years is the general recommendation.

What the work involves

Visual inspection and testing of circuits, the consumer unit, earthing and bonding, followed by a report coding faults C1 (danger present), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended) or FI (further investigation). C1 and C2 items mean the installation is unsatisfactory until remedied.

Rules and consents in Scotland

Electrical work must comply with BS 7671 and Scottish building standards; notifiable work should be certified. Private landlords in Scotland must meet the electrical safety duties in the repairing standard, including a five-yearly EICR and interlinked fire and heat alarms.

What commonly goes wrong

Treating a C3 as urgent and a C2 as optional. C2 items are what make a report unsatisfactory and need remedial work.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

• An EICR is priced by the number of circuits, so a one-bedroom flat costs less than a house.
• A consumer unit replacement is a common remedial item with a moderate fixed cost.
• Rewiring is the largest possible outcome and is priced per point or per room.
• Bonding and earthing upgrades are usually inexpensive but frequently coded on older installations.

What to do, in order

1. 1Use an electrician registered with SELECT, NICEIC or NAPIT.
2. 2Ask for the report itself, not just a pass or fail.
3. 3Deal with C1 items immediately and C2 items promptly.
4. 4Keep the certificate — it is needed for letting and useful when selling.
5. 5Combine an EICR with alarm compliance checks in a rented property.
6. 6Re-test at the recommended interval on the report.

Local detail for the Lothians

• Edinburgh's large private rented sector means EICRs are routine for landlords across the city, alongside interlinked alarm requirements that apply to all Scottish homes.
• Pre-1919 tenement flats often have older wiring concealed in original conduit, and rewiring can be more disruptive because of lath and plaster and cornice work.
• Listed interiors need care when routing new cabling, and consent can be required where fabric is affected.
• HMO properties in student areas such as Marchmont and Newington carry additional licensing inspection requirements.

When you need a professional

A registered electrician for inspection and remedial work; a letting agent or the council's landlord registration team for compliance questions.

Common questions

How often do I need an EICR?

Private landlords in Scotland need one at least every five years. Owner-occupiers are advised roughly every ten years.

Does an EICR cover appliances?

No — it covers the fixed installation. Supplied appliances in a rented property are checked separately.

Related pages

• Boiler servicing and repairs

  Annual servicing, common faults and when replacement makes more sense.

• Smoke and heat alarms

  Scotland's interlinked alarm standard and what every home must have.

• Plumbing and leaks

  Leaks, burst pipes, overflows and the water damage that follows in flats.