How often do I need an EICR?

26 Jun How often do I need an EICR?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report is like a service for the electrics in your property – whether that property is a business, hotel, factory, rental accommodation, school, or private residence.

The in-depth electrical testing and inspection offers invaluable peace of mind that the electrics in a property are functioning correctly and safely and that measures have been taken to prevent electrical accidents.
How often you need an EICR depends on the size of the installation and what it is used for. Large factories with complex electrical systems operating machinery around the clock, for example, will need to be inspected more frequently than a domestic property.

Other factors can also come into play, for example if additional loads are added to the system, you may want to carry out your next inspection sooner than planned. New inspections are also required at change of use; it makes good sense to check the electrics in a commercial or domestic property before signing on the dotted line.

Guidelines for how often you need an EICR

Depending on the nature of the premises, guidelines state that an Electrical Installation Condition Report should be carried out at the minimum of:

• Domestic installations – every 10 years or at a change of occupancy
• Commercial installations – every 5 years or at change of occupancy
• Industrial installations – every 3 years
• Landlord-owned residential accommodation – every 5 years or at change of occupancy
• Offices, shops and laboratories – every 5 years

However, the above is just a guideline and the frequency can depend on a number of other factors, such as the age and quality of the installation, who is using it and how often, guidance from the manufacturer and how well the equipment is maintained.
Buildings used by members of the public, such as schools, hotels, caravans and swimming pools, for example, may require more frequent inspection, but this is something that your specially qualified electrician at EICR Testing can advise you on.

For larger installations, it may also be possible to carry out the EICR in smaller annual stages, providing there is a good service history of electrical maintenance.

Any faults which arise between inspections should obviously be investigated and repaired as a matter of urgency.
As a specialist EICR testing company, we can provide professional advice about your periodic inspection and test. Not only are our qualified electricians trained specifically for periodic inspection and testing, they also keep abreast of changes to regulation in the industry. So, if you’re not sure how often you need an EICR test, we can help.
Speak to one of our advisors about your EICR test today.