Exeter · England
EICR (Electrical Safety Report) in Exeter
Book your EICR (Electrical Safety Report) in Exeter with a vetted professional — clear pricing guidance, certificates delivered digitally, renewal reminders included.
Straight answer
Landlords in England, Scotland and Wales must hold a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report, renewed at least every 5 years. A qualified electrician tests the fixed installation of the Exeter property — consumer unit, circuits, sockets — classifies any defects, and states an overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory result.
Booking
Booking in three steps
Live booking isn't switched on for Exeter yet — vetting comes before listing, in that order. Leave your details and you'll get a straight answer by email: whether we can cover the property, when, and for how much. No obligation either way.
The inspection
What the electrician actually tests
Testing runs circuit by circuit. The electrician opens the consumer unit, checks protective devices, earthing and bonding, then dead-tests each circuit — continuity, insulation resistance — before live tests such as earth fault loop impedance and RCD tripping times. Power goes off in stages while this happens. Observations are graded C1, C2, C3 or FI, and those grades, not opinion, decide whether the report is satisfactory.
Credentials
Who you're letting in
EICR isn't a protected task, which is exactly why vetting matters: anyone can buy a pad of forms. Our bar is demonstrable competence — recognised qualifications, scheme registration, calibrated instruments, insurance — checked before a booking is confirmed, not after a dispute.
For landlords in Exeter
Letting in Exeter: the practical points
Nothing about the test itself changes in Exeter — BS 7671 is the standard everywhere. What's local is enforcement and licensing: Exeter City Council is the housing authority, in England councils hold the £30,000 penalty power, and any HMO licence will expect the current satisfactory report among its papers.
The law
The rules behind the certificate
England's 2020 regulations put teeth behind the EICR: councils — Exeter City Council locally — can demand a copy within 7 days, require written confirmation of remedials, and issue penalties of up to £30,000 per breach. In Scotland the duty lives in the Repairing Standard; in Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) regime. Northern Ireland is the exception, with no equivalent blanket requirement yet.
Private landlords must have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified and competent person, give the report to tenants within 28 days (and to new tenants before they occupy), supply it to the council within 7 days if asked, and complete any remedial work within 28 days.
Private landlords must have an electrical safety inspection at least every 5 years, covering the installation and appliances the landlord provides.
Landlords must obtain an electrical condition report at least every 5 years and give contract-holders a copy.
There is no blanket 5-yearly EICR duty for private tenancies in Northern Ireland at present, though periodic inspection remains strongly recommended and may be required for HMOs.
Penalties stated are statutory maximums or court-set; Exeter City Council is the local housing authority for Exeter.
Paperwork
Copies, deadlines and remedial evidence
Keep the full report, including the schedule of test results, until at least the next inspection, and keep remedial confirmations filed with the report they cure. Tenant copy deadlines in England are strict: 28 days for current tenants, before move-in for new ones, and 7 days when the council requests it.
Pricing
What an EICR costs
Two things drive the price: circuit count and condition. A modern two-bed flat tests faster than a Victorian house rewired in stages, and access to the consumer unit and sockets matters more than floor area. Quotes should state what happens if remedials are needed — ours keep the report and any follow-up work separate.
FAQ
EICR (Electrical Safety Report) questions, answered
How often does an EICR need renewing?
At least every 5 years for rental property in England, Scotland and Wales, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter interval — inspectors can recommend earlier re-inspection where the installation's condition justifies it.
Do tenants get a copy of the EICR?
In England, yes: existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection, new tenants before occupation, and prospective tenants within 28 days of a request. Exeter City Council can also demand a copy, which must be supplied within 7 days.
What happens if my EICR is unsatisfactory?
In England you must complete the remedial work within 28 days (or sooner if the report says so) and obtain written confirmation from a qualified person, then supply it to the tenant and, if requested, to Exeter City Council. Keep the confirmation with the report — together they evidence compliance.
Do I need an EICR to sell a property in Exeter?
No law requires an EICR to sell, but buyers' surveyors and conveyancers increasingly ask for recent electrical reports, and an unsatisfactory or missing report can slow a sale. For rentals, the letting duty is what matters.
How long does an EICR take?
Usually 2 to 4 hours for a typical flat or house, longer for larger properties or older installations. Power is switched off circuit by circuit during testing, so tenants should expect short interruptions.
What do the C1, C2, C3 and FI codes on an EICR mean?
C1 means danger present, immediate action required. C2 means potentially dangerous, remedial work needed. FI means further investigation required. C3 is an improvement recommendation only. A report with any C1, C2 or FI is unsatisfactory; C3s alone still pass.
Nearby
Nearby coverage: Plymouth · Torquay · Taunton · Exmouth · all of Devon
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