In June 2020 the government introduced new regulations for landlords, requiring them to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected by a qualified and competent person at least every 5 years. This inspection is known as an Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR for short. Most responsible landlords already employ the services of a qualified electrician to service and repair the electrics in their properties. A good landlord wants to keep their tenants safe. These changes ensure every tenanted property is properly maintained and provide clear guidance for landlords. If you are a landlord looking for a qualified electrician in Oxfordshire to perform a landlord’s EICR, Hawtin Electrical are the local electricians you can trust to keep your property and tenants safe.
A Landlords Electrical Responsibility:
An EICR is the report that all landlords now require. This must be carried out at an interval of at least 5 years, or earlier if recommended. It must be carried out by a qualified and competent person. A registered electrician will be able to inspect your property and provide you with a copy of your EIRC. A landlord must then:
• supply a copy of the EICR to each tenant within 28 days of the electrician’s inspection and test
• supply a copy of the EICR to the local housing authority within 7 days of receiving a request in writing for it from that authority
• retain a copy of that EICR until the next inspection and test is due and supply a copy to the electrician carrying out the next inspection and test
• supply a copy of the most recent report to any new tenant before that tenant occupies those premises; and any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving a request in writing
What Will an EICR Say?
Once your electrician has performed their inspection and assessed the safety of the electrical installation, they will issue their report. The report will detail any observations and list items as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory and detail codes which indicate the urgency with which action is required.
Unsatisfactory Codes are:
• C1 – Danger present, risk of injury, immediate remedial action required
• C2 – Potentially Dangerous, urgent remedial action required
• FI – Further investigation required
These all require action and remedial works, with a C1 code often requiring your electrician to take immediate action to ensure safety.
A Satisfactory Code is:
• C3 – Improvement recommended
This means that an area inspected is safe but may require action soon or that it does not meet current regulations.
As the landlord of the property inspected, your electrician will explain their findings in detail and explain what steps are needed to rectify any issues. If your report is unsatisfactory, then remedial work will need to take place within 28 days or less if specified by your electrician.
Which Electricians can perform the Inspection?
The guidance requires a landlord to employ a qualified and competent person to perform the EICR inspection. To check that your electrician meets the requirements, they must have:
• Adequate insurance. This should include at least £2 million public liability insurance and £250,000 professional indemnity insurance
• A qualification covering the current version of the wiring regulations (BS 7671)
• A qualification covering the periodic inspection, testing and certification of electrical installations
• At least two years’ experience in carrying out periodic inspection and testing
Choosing an electrician who is registered with NICEIC ensures they meet these stringent standards. A registered electrician will have been assessed to ensure their compliance with all current regulations and has been found to work to the highest standards. Hawtin Electrical are proudly registered with NICEIC and are approved to perform electrical testing for landlords.
If you are a landlord in Oxfordshire looking for a registered, competent electrician then call Hawtin Electrical today. Our fully qualified, NICEIC registered electricians are ready to help you with all your landlord electrical needs.
Landlord In Cowley & Bicester, Oxford