posted 15th September 2026
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a full inspection and test of the electrics in a property.
An electrician checks the consumer unit, the wiring, the earthing and bonding, and a sample of the sockets, switches and light fittings, then tests every circuit and writes up what they find.
The report gives each issue a code.
C1
C1 means danger present. Something is live and exposed or otherwise an immediate risk, and it gets made safe on the day.
C2
C2 means potentially dangerous. Not an immediate risk, but it needs fixing.
C3
C3 means improvement recommended. Not dangerous and not a failure, so you can leave it if you want to.
F1
FI means further investigation required. Something could not be fully assessed and needs looking at again.
A report comes back unsatisfactory if there are any C1, C2 or FI codes. C3 codes on their own still pass.
Landlords in England must have a satisfactory EICR for every rented property, renewed at least every five years, with a copy given to tenants and to the council on request. Homeowners are not legally required to have one, but most electricians suggest every ten years, or before you buy an older property.