FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How often should I have an electrical inspection done?
Unsure if your electrical installation needs testing or is safe?....Lets take a look and see if we can help.
There are many reasons for why an electrical installation Condition Report is requested, a change of occupancy, insurance purposes, for a new property purchases or simply a new inspection for a previous expired report.
A previous Electrical Installation Condition Report, on page 2, would state the recommend next inspection interval date. This would generally be the amount of years the previous test inspector which deem suitable for the electrical installation. Should the electrical installation be in good condition and suitable for continued then the new Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) would be valid for 5 years. There are recommend time intervals for electrical installation conditions that are dependent on the type of installation or premises the report is for. Please see the list below:
The table below provides guidance on the frequency of formal inspections of electrical installations as well as routine checks. (Table extracted from BS7671 IET Wiring Regulations 18th Edition: 2018).
| Type of Installation | Routine Check | Max Period between inspections and testing |
|---|---|---|
General Installation |
||
| Domestic accomodation - general | - | Change of Occupany/10 Years |
| Domestic accomodation - rented houses and flats | 1 Year | Change of Occupancy/5 Years |
| Residential accomodation - halls of residence, nurses accomodation etc | 1 Year | Change of Occupancy/5 Years |
| Educational Establishments | 6 Months | 5 Years |
| Industrial | 1 Year | 3 Years |
| Commercial | 1 Year | Change of Occupancy/5 Years |
| Offices | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Shops | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Laboratories | 1 Year | 5 Years |
Hospitals and Clinics |
||
| Hospitals and Medical Clinics - general areas | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Hospital and Medical Clinics - medical locations | 6 Months | 1 Year |
Buildings open to the public |
||
| Cinemas | 1 Year | 1-3 Years |
| Church Installations | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Leisure Complexes (exc swimming pools) | 1 Year | 3 Years |
| Places of public entertainment | 1 Year | 3 Years |
| Restaurant and Hotels | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Theatres | 1 Year | 3 Years |
| Public Houses | 1 Year | 5 Years |
| Village Halls/Community Centres | 1 Year | 5 Years |