Failed EICR: what to do next

1. Read the observations, not just the verdict

The front page says unsatisfactory; the observations say why. Each one has a location, a description and a code. Separate them into C1 and C2 items, which must be fixed, FI items, which must be investigated, and C3 items, which are optional. Our EICR codes guide explains each code.

2. Make sure any C1 is already safe

A C1 means danger is present. The inspector should have made it safe before leaving, usually by switching off and isolating the circuit. If a circuit has been isolated, tell your tenants which sockets or lights are out of use and why.

3. Get the C2 and FI items priced

You can use any qualified electrician, not only the one who did the inspection. Ask for a quote that lists each observation with its own price, so you can see what you are paying for and compare quotes line by line. Check the report for a deadline shorter than 28 days.

4. Book the work inside 28 days

The regulations count 28 days from the inspection, or the shorter period on the report. Book early: access through tenants and agents takes time to arrange.

5. Send the written confirmation

When the work is done, you receive a certificate for it: an Electrical Installation Certificate for bigger work such as a new consumer unit, or a Minor Works certificate for smaller jobs. Send a copy, with the original report, to your tenants and the council within 28 days of the work being finished.

6. When the list points to bigger work

If several C2 items come back to the consumer unit, replacing the board is often cheaper than fixing round it. If the test results show low insulation resistance across many circuits, the cable is failing and a partial or full rewire is the lasting fix. Spending on short-term repairs to an installation that will fail its next inspection anyway is money lost.