How Much Does An EICR Certificate Cost?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is essential for landlords, property managers, local authorities and owners of domestic properties.

Only certified electricians can conduct an EICR test, which means that they often cost more than some other electrical jobs that are more minor and require less training and experience. Additionally, as these reports are a crucial part of any landlord safety test or property inspection report, the accreditation of the inspector is even more important.

At Hexo Electrical Inspection and Testing Services, we specialise in electrical compliance services, including providing electrical installation condition reports and electrical safety certificates for a range of properties. We aim to offer a cost-effective service so that our clients can ensure their electrical equipment is safe and has been approved by a qualified electrician.

So, if you’re wondering about the EICR certificate cost for your upcoming inspection, keep reading.

Electrical Safety Certificate Costs For Your Home

When it comes to ensuring the safety of your family at home, or making sure that your rental property is correctly maintained, there is no substitute for getting an electrical safety certificate from trusted experts.

An electrical safety certificate or EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) from Hexo costs from as little as £80 to around £140, depending on the size of your property and the size of your electrical system.

From small studio flats to 8-bedroom houses in London and the surrounding areas, we can give you an accurate, fast and fair quote for your inspection and EICR certificate – meaning you know all the costs and details upfront before we begin.

Your overall cost for an EICR will depend on a few factors:

• The size of your home
• How many circuits you have
• How many consumer units/fuse boxes you have

For your peace of mind and the safety of your home or investment property, an up-to-date electrical safety certificate is essential.

Find out more about our electrical installation certificate prices here. We also offer discounts for landlords and other housing providers with multiple properties if you book them in for an EICR together.

What is an EICR?

EICR stands for ‘Electrical Installation Condition Report’. Some people also refer to it as an Electrical Safety Certificate or a Landlord Electrical Safety Certificate. Once you’ve had an electrical system check of your property by a qualified electrical inspector, your EICR is the proof that your home’s electrical wiring and other electrical elements have been properly assessed, with no hidden fees.

Your EICR report is a formal certificate that provides details of the safety and overall condition of the fixed electrical fittings and installations within a property, whether that’s your own home, a commercial unit or for a rental property.

To be valid, your electrical safety report must be completed by an experienced, qualified and approved electrical inspector. When you have an electrical inspection and report completed by Hexo, we always provide you with an accurate estimate of what your EICR costs are before your inspection is carried out. That means you won’t be hit with any hidden charges when you hire us to deliver your electrical safety certificate.

Find out more about what to expect from electrical installation condition reports in our guide here.

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Who Can Issue An Electric Safety Certificate?

One of the reasons electrical safety certificate prices are high is that they have to be conducted by a qualified electrician.

As such, an electrical safety check cost has to factor in the price of hiring a registered expert who has the expertise to conduct your EICR certificate inspection.

Hexo employs only fully-qualified inspectors who meet the standards of the NICEIC and NAPIT so that they can properly conduct your electrical safety certificate inspection and ensure that your property is safe and meets all legal standards.

For a landlord’s electrical safety certificate for those who rent out their properties, hiring a qualified inspector is vital if you want to ensure that you meet the needs of governing bodies, including your local authority, Building Control and other major regulatory providers.

What Happens During Electrical Safety Inspections?

An electrical safety inspection of your home or rental property is quick and easy to have carried out at a time that is convenient for you.

Once a date and time are agreed with you or your tenants we’ll arrange for one of our qualified, registered electrical inspectors to visit your property. They will complete an in-depth inspection of all your electrical installations and wiring.

Your EICR inspector will also check other electrical components, including checking your fuse board, testing socket outlets and switches and looking for damage to accessories. As part of their electrical safety checks, they will look at the following:

• Your fuse board
• Power sockets, light fittings, electric fire alarms and other electrical appliances
• They will look at the age of your electrical circuit board and wiring and identify any circuit hazards, overloaded outlets and electrical connections
• Your inspector may also look at any past electrical issues and take these into account

Once your electrical safety check is complete, your inspector will then complete an electronic EICR Certificate that shows whether your home electrical installations are satisfactory or not. Your electrical safety inspector will also be able to let you know if they have any recommendations or if there are any defects or warnings that need to be remedied.

If you do need any remedial electrical works, these can be easily booked in to make sure your home is safe and compliant with the regulations. We can help you to overcome poor electrical installation contracting and get your property back to full electrical safety. Read more on how we can help with remedial electrical works here.

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Why is an EICR needed?

For homeowners, a domestic electrical installation certificate is an important part of making sure your home is safe. Electrical fires can be devastating to both yourself and your family and for your property. Your EICR can accurately identify that your wiring is safe and hasn’t deteriorated with time; it can also check whether any DIY work that may have been carried out hasn’t compromised the safety of any circuits or wiring systems. Circuits and wiring, especially in older homes, may have become overloaded as more appliances are introduced.

If electrical systems aren’t checked regularly by a professional electrician, then they can become worn and unstable, leading to raised chances of an electric shock or an electrical fire. Outdated wiring and improper electrical connections have the potential to cause serious harm to your home, including potentially destroying it completely.

Landlords in London and the UK are legally required to inspect the safety of electrical installations within their properties and to obtain a Satisfactory landlord EICR every five years.

These rules came into force on 1 June 2020 and mean that an electrical condition report is important if you want to stay compliant.

The cost of EICR reports is also worth the peace of mind that comes with knowing your electrical installations or any new electrical work undertaken at your property are completely safe, because getting an EICR can be a lifesaver. With Hexo, you can be sure that there are no hidden costs to getting an EICR – all our prices are upfront and agreed with you beforehand.

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What happens if EICR regulations are not followed?

There are some serious consequences for failing to comply with the relevant electrical safety regulations. Not only could you invalidate your property insurance, but you could also face a hefty financial penalty of up to £30,000.

With Hexo’s affordable EICR costs, you can rest assured that you are complying with government regulations and make sure your home electrics are safe.

Government advice on EICRs

Government statistics show that faulty electrical wiring is one of the leading causes of house fires in the UK, which is why they are a legal requirement for landlords, and why there are strict rules in place for anyone who carries out electrical work professionally.

Unsatisfactory electrical installations can cause serious injuries and death, which is why a Satisfactory EICR is crucial.

You can visit GOV.UK for more guidance on the electrical regulations in the private rented sector and why the EICR cost is worth paying.

Who Pays For An EICR?

An electrical installation condition report is usually paid for by the owner of the property. So, for a landlord electrical safety certificate, the landlord pays the cost, not the tenant. But sometimes tenants request their own EICR’s for their own peace of mind.

That also applies to commercial properties that are split into multiple units and managed by one property company.

In a property purchase situation sometimes it is the purchaser and sometimes it is the vendor who requests the electrical safety certificates. This is all part of the negotiation process on the property.

How long does an electrical safety check take?

We would usually advise that a full EICR can take between 1-4 hours to complete. This will depend on the size of your property and how many circuits need to be checked.

Our team will work fast to ensure that your electrical certificate is timely and that we check all relevant electrical systems so that your valuable time isn’t wasted. If we’re checking one recent electrical installation, then this should take less time than providing an electrical certificate for the entire building, so timings will vary depending on the project.

If you want an estimate of how long your electrical safety report testing will take, speak to our customer services team who will advise you on this. They can explain how long it will take and advise on any other questions you may have.

How often should an EICR test be conducted?

Usually, an EICR will be carried out at least once every five years, which is legally compulsory for rental and commercial properties. If the electrical installations are in poor condition, however, then testing might be needed more frequently. A new electrical safety certificate will need to be issued for each change of ownership, no matter when that occurs.

For private domestic properties, we recommend that an electrical installation condition report is carried out every 10 years, or when you have a major electrical installation fitted. This ensures that all electrical equipment is safe and that your home meets relevant wiring regulations. Electrical fixtures can deteriorate in quality over time, so electrical tests by a competent electrician are crucial to reducing the chances of potentially fatal electrical faults at your property.

After your EICR, a label will be placed on your mains board with the date of your next check. As we hold records of all our clients’ installations, we will also send you a reminder before the next EICR is due.

For more information or to find the answer to any other questions, click here to see our useful FAQs:

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Key benefits of having an EICR

Getting an electrical safety certificate is a legal requirement, but it is also a very useful and potentially cost-saving practice in the long term for homeowners and property managers. There are many benefits of an electrical safety certificate, including:

• To ensure that you remain compliant with regulations, and for your own safety, a professional electrical testing company should be hired to complete an electrical safety check.
• Electrical safety checks will spot any issues before they potentially cause damage to your property or injure someone.
• With regular inspections you can ensure that any deterioration in your wiring or consumer unit or fuse board is noticed and dealt with promptly before it causes a significant issue.
• For landlords, it is compulsory to have an up to date electrical safety certificate, so you can prove that your property and yourself as a landlord are fully compliant.
• The electrical safety certificate cost will be worth it for homeowners who will benefit from having peace of mind about the safety of their homes. Having an EICR will also help them to sell their property more easily.
• Your electrical survey cost will be determined by the size of your property, how many circuits require testing, and what day you book it for, so the EICR certificate cost will vary depending on your circumstances, and the process can be adjusted to meet your needs.
• If an electrical incident does occur, having a valid electrical safety certificate can help to prove that you had done everything in your power to keep your home safe, so your claim is more likely to be accepted.
• Our expert inspectors can check all indoor and outdoor electrical installations and provide you with a thorough electrical inspection report that will ensure the safety of your property and the people who live there.

As you can see, the EICR certificate cost is justified when you consider all the benefits you get from it.

Did you know we also offer portable appliance testing (PAT) services for landlords? Find out more and see our competitive prices here
https://hexoelectricaltesting.co.uk/pat-testing/

Can I Do My Own EICR?

Doing work yourself can save a lot of money, but not every project is suitable for DIY. So, should you conduct your electrical installation certificate tests yourself?

The short answer is no. An electrical safety certificate has to be carried out by a registered electrician who has the right experience and accreditation and the right tools.

However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some checks you can do to ensure the electrical safety of your property in-between checks.

These include:

• Check any electrical appliances for wear and tear and replacing them when needed
• Look out for any sparks or strange noises from sockets and electrical outlets
• Make sure your electrical systems are repaired or replaced by a professional electrician who is recognised by the NAPIT or NICEIC
• Hire only a qualified electrician if your fuse box or consumer unit switches off more than once and the cause is difficult to determine
• Never undertake electrical work yourself and ensuring that any relevant electrical tests are carried out when new appliances or installations are made
• Get an electric safety certificate carried out when required or after any major electrical installation

These tips should help you to improve the safety of your home in between electrical installation condition report checks. Still, there’s no real substitute for an electrical safety certificate (EICR) conducted by a qualified professional, so make sure you get them as often as required.

While it is a legal requirement for landlords to get them every 5 years, for homeowners or anyone who has had their electrical circuits redone, installed major electrical appliances, or had any other large electrical installation, an electrical certificate is just good practice.

The electrical safety certificate cost can be offset by the benefit of feeling safe in your home and knowing that you’ve done everything possible to reduce the chances of an electrical fire or accident.

Book an EICR today

Our EICR certificate costs start from as little as £120. See how much an EICR costs on our EICR prices page. Alternatively, you can find all of our electrical inspection costs here.

Get in touch with our friendly team if you have any questions about Electrical Installation Condition Report costs or would like a quote for your property. We offer bespoke quotes and can tailor our services to meet your needs.