What an EICR actually tests, and what it does not
An EICR is a sampled inspection of the fixed installation: everything from the origin of the supply through to the fixed accessories. It does not test portable appliances, that is PAT testing, and it does not cover gas appliances, alarm systems beyond their electrical supply, or anything on the supplier's side of the meter. Where parts of the installation cannot be inspected without destructive work, for example cabling buried in plaster or under floorboards, that limitation is recorded on the report. A properly written EICR states its extent and limitations clearly on the front page, so you know exactly what was and was not covered.
Understanding the codes: C1, C2, C3 and FI
C1 means danger is present and someone is at risk of injury now, exposed live conductors, for example. We make C1 observations safe before leaving site. C2 means potentially dangerous: the installation is safe while everything is intact, but a single fault could make it dangerous. Missing earthing to a metal accessory or absent main protective bonding are classic C2 items. C3 is an improvement recommendation, it does not make the report unsatisfactory, and you are not obliged to act on it. FI means further investigation is needed because something observed could not be resolved during the inspection. Only C1, C2 and FI make a report unsatisfactory.
Common failures in Liverpool housing stock
Across the Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Walton, Anfield, Kirkdale and Bootle, the recurring items are missing or undersized main protective bonding to the incoming gas and water services, no CPC at lighting points on pre-1966 installations, rubber or lead-sheathed cable still in place on original circuits, and wooden-back or plastic consumer units without RCD protection. In inter-war and post-war semis around Norris Green, Fazakerley and Kirkby it is more often split-load boards with poor discrimination, spurred sockets on already-loaded ring circuits, and outdoor supplies to garages run in interior-grade cable. Knowing what the local stock throws up means less time hunting and a faster, cheaper inspection for you.
Landlord obligations in England, in plain English
You must have every fixed installation in a rented property inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified person. You must supply a copy of the report to existing tenants within 28 days, to new tenants before they occupy, and to the local authority within 7 days of a written request. Where the report requires remedial or further investigative work, you must complete it within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies, and obtain written confirmation that the work has been done. Keep that confirmation with the report; it is the evidence a local authority will ask for.
Domestic vs commercial periodic inspection
Domestic EICRs are usually a single visit with a handful of circuits and a straightforward isolation plan. Commercial inspection is a bigger exercise: distribution boards and submains, three-phase circuits, emergency lighting and fire alarm supplies, and often a phased approach so trading is not interrupted. Insurers and licensing authorities frequently set the frequency for commercial premises, and it can be shorter than 5 years for higher-risk environments. We scope commercial work in advance so you know how many visits it will take and when power needs to be off.
What happens if the report is unsatisfactory
An unsatisfactory result is not a disaster, it is a to-do list. We price the C1 and C2 items before we leave, separating anything that must be done from anything that is optional. Once the remedials are complete you receive either a Minor Works Certificate or a fresh Electrical Installation Certificate for the work carried out, plus written confirmation that the observations have been addressed. Where the scope of the remedials is large, for example an original installation that needs rewiring, we will say so honestly rather than patching it circuit by circuit at greater total cost.
