Fake EICR Certificate London: How to Check a Report

How to Check Whether an EICR Is Genuine

There is no single visual feature that proves an EICR is genuine. Verification is stronger when several pieces of information agree: the property details, inspection date, issuing business, stated inspection scope, report number, declarations and the technical schedules attached to the report.

Verify the Business, Not Just the Logo

If the EICR carries NICEIC branding, check the business independently through NICEIC rather than trusting the logo printed on the report. NICEIC states that it certifies businesses rather than individual employees, except where the business is a sole trader.

NICEIC also makes an important distinction: being an NICEIC-certified business does not automatically mean the business is certified for every type of electrical work. For rental electrical safety reports, NICEIC advises checking that the relevant business is certified for that activity.

An absence from the public NICEIC search tool is not, by itself, proof that the business is fraudulent because some businesses may choose not to appear there. NICEIC advises contacting its customer service team where certification needs to be confirmed.

What Should Be Present in the Report?

The IET publishes BS 7671 model forms for Electrical Installation Condition Reports. A contractor does not have to make every report look visually identical to the IET template, but the model form is useful for understanding the type of information a properly completed condition report is expected to record.

The deeper question of what is actually inspected during the visit belongs to the separate guide on what an EICR checks .

Warning Signs That Deserve Further Checking

No single warning sign proves fraud. Several inconsistencies together, however, are a good reason to stop relying on the report until it has been verified.

• The report claims that a new inspection was completed, but nobody attended the property to carry out inspection and testing.
• The address or installation description does not match the property.
• The issuing business cannot be traced using independently obtained contact details.
• A certification logo is used but the certification body cannot confirm the claimed business status or relevant scheme.
• The document claims to be a complete EICR but the inspection, circuit-detail or test-result schedules are absent.
• The report number, dates, signatures or business details conflict with information supplied by the issuing contractor.
• Large parts of the installation are apparently outside the inspection scope, but no meaningful limitations are recorded.

Technical test readings should not be judged casually by a landlord or tenant. A value that looks unusual is not automatically false, and repeated values are not proof that data was fabricated. If the technical results themselves are in doubt, they should be reviewed by a suitably competent electrical inspector.

Things That Do Not Prove an EICR Is Fake

Some commonly repeated “fake certificate” checks are too simplistic and can wrongly identify legitimate reports.

Do Not Reject a Report Only Because It Uses an Older 2026 Form

BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 was published on 15 April 2026, but the IET has provided a six-month transition period. As of 21 August 2026, the earlier BS 7671:2018+A2:2022+A3:2024 position remains valid alongside Amendment 4 until 15 October 2026.

The IET currently publishes EICR model forms for both the newer A4:2026 version and earlier editions. For that reason, a report should not be labelled fake merely because its layout or amendment reference differs from the latest A4 form during the transition period.

Report coding has also changed in the A4 model forms. If you need the current distinction between C1, C2, C3 and FI rather than authenticity guidance, the specialist article on EICR classification codes covers that subject separately.

What Should You Do if the Report Still Looks Suspicious?

Start by contacting the business named on the report using independently verified contact details. Ask it to confirm the property address, inspection date, report number and the person responsible for the inspection and testing.

Where NICEIC branding is claimed, NICEIC can confirm information about the certified business and the types of work for which it is certified. NICEIC specifically states, however, that it cannot simply confirm the technical validity of a certificate without physically checking the work and cross-referencing the results.

If the issuing business cannot confirm the report, the claimed certification cannot be verified, or there is genuine doubt that the inspection and testing took place, do not treat a visual check of the PDF as a substitute for electrical inspection. An independent EICR inspection can establish the current condition of the fixed electrical installation.

Why Verification Matters for London Landlords

For rented homes in England that fall within the Electrical Safety Standards regulations, the landlord must ensure that the electrical installation is inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years, or sooner where the report requires it. The landlord must obtain the report and keep and provide copies in accordance with the regulations.

GOV.UK states that the report should give the results of the inspection and testing and set a date for the next inspection. For an existing tenant, the report must generally be supplied within 28 days of the inspection; a new tenant must receive the most recent report before occupying the premises, and a local council can require a copy within seven days of a written request.

If a landlord discovers that a report cannot be substantiated, keeping the questionable document on file does not establish that the required inspection was properly completed. The practical next step is to resolve the doubt with the issuer or arrange a competent inspection so that the electrical condition and compliance record are clear.