Electrical failures rarely announce themselves. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — often called fixed wire testing — is how a commercial operator finds deterioration, overloading and defective earthing before they cause a fire or a shock.
The legal basis
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained so as to prevent danger. They do not prescribe an interval; BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations) and IET Guidance Note 3 do, and following them is the accepted way of demonstrating compliance.
What an EICR covers
An inspector examines and tests the fixed installation: distribution boards, circuits, protective devices, earthing and bonding, and a sample of accessories. The report records:
- Condition of the installation and any departures from the current edition of BS 7671
- Observations coded C1, C2, C3 or FI
- Test results per circuit (continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, RCD operation)
- An overall assessment: satisfactory or unsatisfactory
Recommended intervals
| Premises | Maximum interval | | --- | --- | | Offices, shops, hotels, restaurants | 5 years | | Industrial | 3 years | | Places of public entertainment, theatres | 3 years (1 year for some items) | | Swimming pools | 1 year |
Insurance policies, landlord leases and franchise agreements frequently set shorter intervals — check them.
After an unsatisfactory report
C1 items must be made safe immediately, usually during the inspection. C2 and FI items need a remedial programme with dates. Once complete, the contractor issues Minor Works or Installation Certificates for the work and the EICR can be reissued as satisfactory. Keep the whole chain of documents together.
Emergency lighting
Under BS 5266-1, emergency lighting needs:
- Monthly — brief function test of every luminaire and exit sign
- Annually — full rated-duration test (normally 3 hours), luminaires checked for output at the end of the test
- Results recorded in the emergency lighting logbook; failed batteries replaced promptly
Portable appliance testing (PAT)
There is no legal fixed interval for PAT. Frequency should follow a risk assessment: kitchen and cleaning equipment annually or more often, IT in offices less often. Formal visual inspection catches most faults.
Keeping electrical compliance visible
Because EICRs run on five-year cycles, they are easy to lose track of across an estate. Store the report, remedial certificates and emergency-lighting logs against each distribution board in your compliance system; in AiMS expiry reminders are automatic. See our planned maintenance and compliance service or the PPM guide for how EICRs fit a wider schedule.
Frequently asked questions
- How often does a commercial property need an EICR?
- BS 7671 recommends a maximum of five years for most commercial premises such as offices, shops, hotels and restaurants, with more frequent inspection for higher-risk environments — one year for swimming pools, three years for industrial and caravan parks, for example. Insurers may require shorter intervals.
- What do C1, C2, C3 and FI mean on an EICR?
- C1 — danger present, immediate action required. C2 — potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action. C3 — improvement recommended. FI — further investigation required. Any C1, C2 or FI results in an 'unsatisfactory' report until remedied.
- Is emergency lighting testing part of the EICR?
- No. Emergency lighting has its own regime under BS 5266: a monthly function test and an annual full-duration (usually three-hour) test, both recorded in a logbook.