An EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report — is a thorough inspection of all the fixed electrical wiring in a property. If you’ve been told you need one, you’re probably wondering what actually happens on the day and how long it takes.

As qualified EICR inspectors in Rotherham, we carry out these inspections every week across homes, rental properties, and commercial premises. Here’s exactly what to expect.

Before the Inspection

We’ll confirm a time that works for you and give you an idea of how long the inspection will take. For a typical three-bedroom house, allow around two to three hours. Larger properties or commercial premises can take longer.

You don’t need to do anything special to prepare. Just make sure we can access your consumer unit (fuse box), all plug sockets, light switches, and any wired appliances like cookers or showers. If furniture is blocking sockets, it helps to move it before we arrive — but we can work around most situations.

Visual Inspection

The inspection starts with a visual check of every accessible part of your electrical installation. We’re looking for obvious signs of damage, wear, or non-compliance with current wiring regulations (BS 7671).

This includes checking your consumer unit for correct labelling, RCD protection, and signs of overheating. We’ll inspect sockets, switches, light fittings, and any visible wiring for damage, discolouration, or poor workmanship. We also check that earthing and bonding connections are present and in good condition — these are your main protection against electric shock.

Testing

After the visual inspection, we move on to the electrical testing. This is the technical part and requires specialist equipment. We need to turn circuits off one at a time during testing, so you’ll lose power to different parts of the house in short bursts. Each circuit is usually off for around 10-15 minutes.

The key tests include continuity of protective conductors (checking your earth connections are intact), insulation resistance (checking the insulation around your wiring hasn’t broken down), polarity (confirming live and neutral aren’t reversed), earth fault loop impedance (measuring the resistance of the earth path — if this is too high, a fault might not trip the breaker quickly enough), and RCD testing (checking your RCDs trip within the required time to protect against electrocution).

We record every measurement against the limits set out in BS 7671. A circuit doesn’t just need to work — it needs to be within safe parameters.

The Report

Once testing is complete, we compile the results into a formal report. Every circuit is assessed and the overall installation is given a condition. Each issue found is coded as C1, C2, C3, or FI.

C1 means danger is present and the issue requires immediate attention — think exposed live wiring or a missing earth connection. C2 means the issue is potentially dangerous and needs urgent remedial work. C3 means improvement is recommended but isn’t immediately dangerous. FI means further investigation is needed because we couldn’t fully assess something during the inspection.

If there are no C1 or C2 codes, the installation is classified as satisfactory. If there are C1 or C2 findings, it’s classified as unsatisfactory and remedial work is needed before a satisfactory certificate can be issued.

What If It Fails?

An unsatisfactory result isn’t unusual — especially in older Rotherham properties. It doesn’t mean your house is about to catch fire. It means specific issues need fixing to bring the installation up to a safe standard.

We’ll talk you through every finding and give you a clear quote for the remedial work. Once the work is done, we re-test the affected circuits and issue an updated report showing a satisfactory result. For landlords, this is the document you need to provide to your tenants and keep on file.

How Often Do You Need One?

For rental properties, an EICR is legally required every five years under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. For homeowners, there’s no legal requirement, but the recommended interval is every ten years — or every five years if your property is older.

If you’re buying a property, an EICR before completion can reveal hidden electrical problems that a standard survey won’t pick up. It’s one of the most cost-effective checks you can commission.

Need an EICR in Rotherham or South Yorkshire? Call 01709 645 115 or WhatsApp us for a quote.

MP Electrical — your local qualified electrician in Rotherham.