An EICR records the condition of an electrical installation at the time of inspection. Provide the property type, approximate size, reason for the report and preferred timing so Big Volt Electric can confirm availability, scope and the information needed.
When to enquire
Define the scope
What an inspection covers
An Electrical Installation Condition Report records the condition of the fixed wiring at the time of inspection. It combines visual inspection with electrical testing — insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, continuity, polarity and RCD operation — and results in a report that is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory, with observations coded.
It covers the fixed installation: the board, circuits, sockets, switches and fittings. It does not cover plug-in appliances, which is a separate exercise. Power is off for the dead testing and restored for live testing, and accessories are opened and sampled, so access matters.
C1 means danger present and immediate action required. C2 means potentially dangerous and urgent remedial action required. C3 is improvement recommended and does not fail a report. FI means further investigation required. Any C1, C2 or FI makes the report unsatisfactory.
Every report states the agreed extent and any limitations — areas not accessed, fittings not opened, or a sampling percentage. Read this section: a report with heavy limitations tells you much less than one without.
The widely used guidance is at least every ten years for an owner-occupied home and every five years for rented property, or at a change of occupancy. The recommended next date is stated on the report itself.
Clear access to the consumer unit and to accessories behind furniture makes a material difference. Anything that cannot be reached has to be recorded as a limitation.
Include the postcode, preferred timing and any useful existing information.