Landlord, sale and insurance reports
EICR in Preston
An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report. Landlords, buyers and insurers ask for one when they want the wiring inspected and written down, not just a socket that works today. We carry out inspection and testing for homes and light commercial premises around Preston. Call 07869 600553.
What an EICR is, and what it is not
People ask for "a landlord certificate" and mean an EICR. The report is a condition check of the fixed wiring: the consumer unit, the circuits, the earthing and bonding, and a sample of the accessories. It ends with observations coded so a landlord, a buyer or an insurer can see what is dangerous, what should be improved, and what is simply worth noting.
It is not a PAT test of kettles and computers. It is not a guarantee that a hidden cable under a floor is perfect. It is not automatically a pass. A careful report on an old Preston terrace will often list things, because those houses were wired to an older standard. That is the point of having it done.
If the job you actually want is a repair, a new board, or a rewire, you may not need a full report first. Tell us the situation and we will say which visit makes sense. The overview of electrical work is on the electrician in Preston page.
Who usually books one
Private landlords and letting agents, because rented homes in England are expected to have a current electrical report. Sellers and buyers, because a solicitor has asked what state the wiring is in. Homeowners who are about to renovate a kitchen or a bathroom and want to know whether the board and the cables will carry the new work. Insurers, occasionally, after a claim or as a condition of cover.
Shops, offices and workshops get asked too, often by a landlord, an insurer or a buyer of the business. Light commercial inspections are the same kind of visit, with different circuits. Describe the unit and we will tell you if it sits in the work we do.
What the day looks like
We need the consumer unit accessible. Clear the cupboard under the stairs, or the meter cabinet, before we arrive if you can. We test circuits, which means power will drop for short periods. Fridges, alarms and anyone working from home need to know that. In a tenanted house, agree a time the tenant can be in, or arrange access with the agent.
We look at the board, the earthing, the bonding to water and gas where it is present, and a sample of sockets, lights and accessories. Lofts and outbuildings are included when they form part of the installation and we can get into them safely. If a floor is covered or a fitting is boxed in, that limit goes on the report.
You are left with the written report, not a shrug. If something is dangerous on the day, we will isolate it or make it safe and tell you clearly. Remedial prices, if you want them, come after you have seen what was found.
The kind of houses we work on
A Victorian terrace in the older parts of Preston often has a newer board grafted onto lighting circuits that were never given an earth. A 1930s semi may have been partly rewired when the kitchen was done, and left alone everywhere else. Rental stock sometimes has a smart front door and a board that has not been opened in years.
Newer houses around Warton and the wider PR4 area usually test more cleanly, but an EICR still earns its keep when sockets have been added by a previous owner, an outbuilding has been spurred off, or a charger has been hung on a board that was already full. We write what is there. We do not invent a clean bill of health to keep a sale moving.
After the report
C1 and C2 items are the ones that matter for safety, and for most landlords they are the ones that have to be dealt with. That might be a consumer unit replacement, a repaired circuit, better bonding, or in the worst cases a rewire of the circuits that are no longer fit to leave in service. FI items need a further look, which we can often do while we are still familiar with the house.
C3 items are recommendations. You can plan those rather than panic. If you want them done at the same time as the urgent work, say so and we will price them together.
Ask us, when you book, what paperwork your lender, insurer or council has actually requested. We will tell you straight if an EICR is the right document, or if they have asked for something else.
Areas we cover
EICR reports across Preston
We inspect houses, flats and small commercial units in Preston, Warton, Freckleton, Kirkham, Lytham, Penwortham, Fulwood, Leyland, the Fylde and South Ribble. Tell us if the property is empty, tenanted, or on the market, because that changes how the visit is arranged.
Related work
Other jobs we do around Preston
- Consumer unit replacement. Fuse box upgrades when the board is tired, full, or not up to the next circuit.
- House rewires. Full and partial rewires when the cable, not just the fuse board, is the problem.
- Electrician in Preston. Domestic and light commercial electrical work, from a single socket to a rewire.
FAQs
EICR questions
- What is an EICR?
- An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a recorded inspection and test of the fixed wiring. It is not a repair, and it is not a certificate that says a new installation was just put in. It describes the condition of what is already there, including anything that needs work.
- Do Preston landlords need one?
- In England, private landlords generally need the electrical installation in a rented home inspected and tested at least every five years, and they have to give tenants a copy of the report. If you are a landlord or an agent, say so when you book. Rules for commercial lets are different. Tell us what you have been asked for.
- We are buying or selling a house. Is an EICR the right report?
- Often yes. Solicitors and buyers ask for an electrical report so they can see the age and condition of the wiring before they commit. If you have been given a specific form to fill in, send us that wording. We would rather match the request than assume.
- Will you move furniture and lift floorboards?
- We need access to the consumer unit, a sample of sockets and lights, and any obvious loft or cupboard that holds wiring. We do not empty a house or lift fitted floors as part of a standard inspection. Anything we cannot see is written down as a limitation, not guessed.
- What do the codes mean?
- C1 means there is a danger present and something needs making safe now. C2 means something is potentially dangerous and should be put right. FI means further investigation, because the test could not prove it was safe. C3 is an improvement recommendation, not a failure. An unsatisfactory report is still a useful report. It tells you what to fix.
- What if the report is unsatisfactory?
- You get the findings in writing. Urgent items can often be made safe on a follow-up visit. A tired consumer unit, missing RCD protection or ageing cable may turn into a board change or a rewire. We price that separately. You do not have to have the remedial work done by us.
- How long does the visit take?
- A typical house is a few hours, not a five-minute look at the board. Flats can be quicker. Larger houses, outbuildings and commercial units take longer. We will give you a realistic window once we know the size and whether anyone is living there.
- Do you also do the repairs the report finds?
- Yes, if you want us to. Some landlords want the report and the remedials from the same person so the file is closed. Others only want the inspection. Say which you want when you book. Faults that are dangerous on the day get made safe, or isolated, before we leave.
Call, text or WhatsApp
Book an EICR
Tell us the address, whether it is a rental, a sale or your own house, and how many bedrooms or what the unit is. We will say what access we need before the day.
- Phone
- 07869 600553
- Area
- Warton, Lancashire, PR4. Preston and the surrounding towns.
- Hours
- Open 24/7
