Electrical Safety Update
Important Clarification from NICEIC – An EIC on its own is not sufficient
A number of electricians have been telling us and you, that once they have completed remedial work they can issue an EIC and that this is sufficient documentation to fulfil EICR requirements. And therefore, if they have installed a new consumer unit, and provided the accompanying EIC, you do not need an EICR.
This raised some alarm bells as we felt this was incorrect information. For example, when installing a new consumer unit, an electrician may not necessarily check every single circuit and wire within the property. We have also had previous guidance from the NICEIC that the follow-up date for the new certificate is from the date of the EICR, not the remedial work. So, we asked them to confirm the situation in writing and we received the following response:
Do I need an EICR if I have an EIC in place?
It depends on what the EIC is for. If the EIC is for a full-house rewiring or a new build property, then you are exempt for five years after the date the EIC was issued. You need to provide a copy of this EIC to your tenant, as well as your local authority if they ask.
If the EIC only covers a part of the house (for example, if you had a new consumer unit installed) then you would need an EICR report carried out for the rest of the property.
If we have organised your EICR for you, the documentation will be sufficient and we have the correct reminder dates in our system. If you have organised your own, please double check that you have an EICR not an EIC and if not, please forward the email from the NICEIC above, if your electrician is still insisting it is not required.
Reminder – What is the difference between and EIC and EICR?
The Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is a safety certificate issued by a qualified electrician as confirmation that any new electrical installation complies with the BS 7671 (IEE Wiring Regulations) and is safe to use. Examples of new installations would be a change of consumer unit or adding a new circuit to existing installation.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an in-depth check of all the electrical circuits in a property and highlights any potential dangers such as deterioration, defects, damage, or non-compliances with present day safety standards. It is a formal document and must be carried out by an experienced and qualified person. This is a legal requirement for rental properties in England. From 1 April 2021, all properties must have a valid EICR in place.
Penalties for non-compliance
Local authorities may impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 on landlords who are in breach of their duties. Please be particularly cautious if you are in the Selective Licensing zone as this paperwork will be checked by the Council when applying for a licence. There are also other substantial fines applicable for breaches of Electrical Safety regulations.
If you have organised your own electrical safety check and EICR, the responsibility for having the correct documentation in place remains with you.
As always, please let us know if you need any assistance and we will be happy to help.
