For Homeowners
There were nearly 2.5 million residential sales in the UK in 2014-15. However, research carried out by Electrical Safety First found that only 37% of buyers had the electrics checked before purchase. One in five believed that electrical checks were included in the recommended home survey report and just under half were unaware that checks were needed at all.
Over a third of home buyers then went on to discover electrical problems that they were not aware of before purchase.
Electrical Safety Testing (the EICR) is NOT carried out by your mortgage lenders’ building surveyors (and neither is your plumbing, heating and gas services).
An EICR is often recommended by your solicitor during the purchase process and provides valuable information on the condition and safety of the electrics in a property before deciding to buy it or asking for a sale price adjustment.
Why It’s Important to Have The Electrics Checked Before Moving In
From our experience, many older properties have never had any form of electrical inspection or safety test done, while previous homeowners may have made numerous electrical modifications (themselves or by others), as well as building works that may have included poorly implemented electrical modifications or even damaged existing cables. We’ve seen this time after time!
So, after moving into your new home and spending £ thousands on tweaks and modifications, new decor, flooring, furnishings and carpets only to find one or more circuits start tripping. Horror!
Then you call in a qualified electrician only to find that floors and walls need to be opened up for repairs or new cabling. Horror!
Book or Enquire:
phone: 07885 780117
email: Contact by Email
So What’s Involved in an Electrical Safety Check (EICR)?
What you get:
✅ Test of main electrical earth, together with water and gas pipe earth bonding
✅ Visual inspection of all electrical end points such as sockets, switches, fixed lighting and consumer unit (or older style fuse box) for damage or non-conformity
✅ Test every circuit for existing cable damage
✅ Test continuity of socket ring circuits
✅ Test RCDs (if present)
✅ Test earthing quality at a sample of socket and lighting outlets
✅ Certificate indicating a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ status (if the latter, we will quote for any required remedial work required)
Q: Why does an electrical test cost far more than a gas certificate?
A: It takes a lot longer to do as there’s a lot more to check!
Testing intervals:
10 yearly – for properties where the owner permanently lives there
5 yearly – for all privately owned rental properties
5 yearly – HMO properties
For Private Landlords
Since 1st April 2021 it is mandatory to have a clean EICR for your rental property. This testing process must be carried out every 5 years.
What to expect:
1. We agree a date that is suitable for us and your tenant
2. The process requires full power off (including WiFi) for up to an hour (for ‘dead testing’), and access to all rooms for ‘live testing’.
3. Testing as per the above green tick boxes
4. Any faults or non-conformities will be flagged up (resulting in a ‘non-satisfactory’ outcome on the certificate) and a quote may be offered for repairs.
Book or Enquire:
phone: 07885 780117
email: Contact by Email
Smoke Detection
Put simply, since October 2015, legislation makes it compulsory for all landlords to fit smoke alarms in rented homes. This could be as simple as a single battery detector for a small flat, or multiple linked detectors for larger premises where closed doors and different levels may obscure the sound of a single independent detector.