EICR in Orpington BR6

This page walks through a typical eicr inspection, from the first look at your fuse box to the written report afterwards. Bromley Electrical Services covers Orpington, and you can use the enquiry form on this page to ask about your property.

An EICR is an electrical installation condition report. It records the condition of the fixed electrical installation in a property: the wiring, the consumer unit (often still called the fuse box), sockets, switches and light fittings. It does not cover your plug-in appliances.

A little preparation helps the inspection run smoothly. Make sure the electrician can reach the consumer unit, and clear space around it if it sits in a cupboard or under the stairs. Move furniture away from sockets that are hard to get at. If you have a loft, garage or outbuilding with its own supply, mention it when you enquire so it is included.

The power will need to be switched off for part of the visit, so plan around that. Save your work on computers, and think about anything that must stay on, such as a freezer, medical equipment or an alarm system. If the property is tenanted, tell the occupants in advance. In a private home or a rented flat, people are much more relaxed when they know what is happening and why.

Every visit varies with the size and age of the property, but an EICR inspection usually follows the same order.

Step one is a conversation. The electrician will ask about the property, any known problems, flickering lights, tripping circuits or past alterations. Tell them everything you know, including any DIY work. It is also sensible to ask to see their ID and to ask about their qualifications before they start.

Step two is a visual inspection. Before any testing, the electrician looks at the consumer unit, the accessible wiring, sockets, switches and light fittings for damage, wear, overheating or signs of unsafe additions.

Step three is dead testing. With the power off, the electrician tests the circuits to check continuity and insulation. This is when you will be without electricity for a while, so it is worth having a plan for the day.

Step four is live testing. The power goes back on and further tests are carried out to check things like earthing, the protective devices and how the circuits respond to a fault. The aim is to prevent shock and fire risks by finding problems before they cause harm.

Step five is a short wrap-up. Some electricians will tell you about any obvious issues before they leave. The full findings come in the written report, so do not expect every detail on the doorstep.

Testing works through the whole installation, circuit by circuit. Typical checks include whether cables are in good condition and suitably protected, whether sockets and switches are secure and not damaged, and whether the consumer unit is in good order with correct labelling and protective devices.

Earthing and bonding get close attention. These connections give fault current a safe route, and a fault in them can make an otherwise normal-looking installation dangerous. The electrician will also check that the lighting circuits and the circuits serving cookers, showers and other heavy loads are behaving as they should.

If you have an older property with original wiring, expect the inspection to take longer. Rewirable fuses, old rubber or fabric cabling and a lack of modern protection are all things an electrician will note. These findings are not a sign you have done anything wrong, and they give you a clear picture of where things stand.

You will receive an installation condition report. Some people call it an electrical safety certificate, and you may see electrical safety certificates mentioned in listings and lettings paperwork, but the document is a report with an overall outcome and a list of observations.

The outcome is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If the installation is satisfactory, no urgent faults were found, though the report may still include recommendations. An unsatisfactory outcome means something needs attention. Observations are usually coded: some mean danger is present or potentially present and action is needed promptly, some recommend improvement, and some say further investigation is required.

If remedial work is needed, ask for it to be explained in plain terms: what is wrong, why it matters and what the fix involves. Sometimes that means a consumer unit upgrade, particularly where the old unit lacks modern protection. Take your time to understand the findings, and keep the report somewhere safe, because buyers, letting agents, insurers and the next inspector may all ask to see it.

The visit itself is similar for everyone, but the reason for it differs. Landlord electrical checks matter because rented homes carry specific duties around landlord electrical safety. The rules can change, so check GOV.UK for the current position on how often inspections are needed and what you must give your tenants.

If you are buying or selling in Orpington, an EICR can show the condition of the wiring before you commit or before you list. For shops, offices and other premises, a commercial EICR covers the installation in the same way, though larger sites with more circuits take longer to test.

Tell us which of these applies when you send your enquiry through the form, so the right type of EICR is discussed from the start.