An EICR assesses the condition of an existing fixed electrical installation. The inspection can cover the consumer unit or distribution boards, fixed wiring, circuits, socket-outlets, switches, fixed lighting, earthing, bonding and protective devices, together with electrical testing appropriate to the installation and the agreed inspection scope.
An EICR is not a check of every electrical item inside a property.
Its primary scope is the fixed electrical installation. Portable or plug-connected appliances, specialist fire-alarm testing and ordinary fault diagnosis are separate areas unless they form part of another specifically agreed inspection or testing scope.
What Does “Fixed Electrical Installation” Mean?
An EICR concerns the electrical installation already in service. This generally means the fixed wiring and associated electrical equipment that form part of the installation being inspected.
In a straightforward home, that can include the consumer unit, final circuits, fixed lighting, socket-outlets, switches, earthing and protective bonding. In larger or managed buildings there may be several electrical installations, separate supplies or different distribution arrangements.
An EICR for one flat should not automatically be assumed to cover a separately supplied landlord installation elsewhere in a building. Equally, a separate report is not automatically required simply because an area is labelled “communal” or “commercial”. The electrical installation, supply arrangement and agreed inspection scope determine the boundary.
What Is Visually Inspected During an EICR?
Visual inspection helps identify damage, deterioration, defects and unsafe conditions that may be apparent before or alongside instrument testing.
Consumer unit or distribution board
The inspector considers its condition, enclosure, identification, protective devices and visible signs of damage or overheating.
Sockets, switches and accessories
Fixed accessories may be checked for damage, deterioration, exposed parts, poor condition or other electrical-safety concerns.
Wiring and circuit arrangements
Accessible wiring and circuit arrangements can be assessed for condition, suitability and signs of unsuitable alteration.
Earthing and bonding
The inspection considers the arrangements used to provide earthing and relevant protective bonding for the installation.
What Electrical Tests Can Be Carried Out?
The tests selected depend on the installation and the protective measures used. Periodic inspection and testing can include continuity testing, insulation-resistance testing, polarity checks, earth fault loop impedance assessment and testing of RCD protection where applicable.
Testing provides information that visual inspection alone cannot provide. A circuit can appear to operate normally while measured results reveal a condition that needs closer assessment.
The exact sequence should not be treated as identical for every installation. The inspector selects appropriate inspection and testing according to the electrical system, protective measures, access, safe isolation and agreed extent of the EICR.
Which Parts of a Property Can an EICR Cover?
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GOV.UK describes the fixed electrical parts of rented premises as including wiring, socket-outlets, light fittings and the consumer unit. Permanently connected equipment and circuits serving some specialist equipment can also form part of the installation being assessed.
Does an EICR Check Every Cable and Accessory?
Not necessarily.
An EICR is carried out to an agreed extent and may contain recorded limitations. Parts of an installation may be inaccessible, operational conditions may restrict isolation, and some specialist equipment may sit outside the agreed EICR scope.
The IET stresses the importance of defining the extent of inspection and testing and recording limitations. A report should therefore be read as an assessment of the electrical installation actually inspected, rather than as an unrestricted guarantee covering every concealed cable and every electrical system in the building.
What Does an EICR Not Normally Replace?
An EICR does not normally replace separate inspection or testing arrangements for portable appliances, fire-alarm systems, emergency lighting or other specialist systems. It is also not intended to become a detailed fault-finding exercise.
If a specific circuit repeatedly trips, loses power intermittently or has another unexplained symptom, targeted
electrical fault finding
may be the more appropriate next step.
What Happens When an EICR Finds a Problem?
Observations are given classification codes according to their significance. C1 means danger is present, C2 means potentially dangerous and C3 means improvement is recommended. Under the BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 model, C1 and C2 affect the overall assessment, while C3 and FI do not by themselves make the report unsatisfactory.
2026 transition note:
BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 changes FI from “further investigation required without delay” to “further investigation is advised”, and FI does not by itself result in an unsatisfactory outcome under Amendment 4. Amendment 3:2024 remains valid until 15 October 2026, so an EICR issued during the transition should be interpreted according to the standard stated on the actual report.
This article intentionally keeps classification detail brief so that its main purpose remains explaining what an EICR inspects and tests. For the full distinction between the classifications, report outcomes and the FI transition, see
EICR Codes Explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI in 2026.
References & Standards
Current guidance used for the inspection-scope and 2026 classification information in this article.
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RCD Electrical can inspect and test an existing fixed electrical installation and provide an EICR recording the agreed scope, findings and overall assessment.
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