Guide · Electrical Safety
EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI
Every observation on an Electrical Installation Condition Report carries a classification code, and those four codes — C1, C2, C3, FI — decide everything: whether the report passes, what work is compulsory, and how fast. Understanding them turns an intimidating document into a to-do list with deadlines.
Electrical Safety
What does C1 mean?
C1 is the emergency code: danger present, risk of injury, immediate remedial action required. Exposed live conductors, incorrect polarity on accessible parts, or damage that leaves live parts touchable all earn it. An inspector finding a C1 won't simply note it and leave — expect the danger to be made safe on the spot where possible, with your permission, even if the permanent fix follows later.
For a landlord, C1 means the property has a live hazard with tenants in it. The response isn't a scheduling question; it's the same day if humanly possible. Document what the inspector did to make it safe, what permanent work followed, and when — that timeline is exactly what an enforcing council would reconstruct.
Electrical Safety
What does C2 mean?
C2 marks a defect that is potentially dangerous: not an immediate hazard in normal use, but one failure or one wrong condition away from becoming C1. Missing earthing on exposed metalwork, deteriorated insulation, or an absent RCD where one is required for the circumstances are typical residents of this category.
C2 is where most unsatisfactory reports are decided, because C2s are common in older installations and every single one must be remedied before the installation can be signed off as satisfactory. In England the remedial clock — 28 days, or sooner if the report states — applies to C2s exactly as it does to C1s.
Electrical Safety
What does FI mean?
FI — further investigation required without delay — is the code for suspicion the inspection couldn't resolve: test results that don't add up, inaccessible sections, signs of a fault whose extent isn't visible. It's not a softer C2; it's an unanswered safety question, and an unanswered question fails the report just as a confirmed defect does.
The remedy for FI is the investigation itself, promptly, followed by whatever the investigation finds: sometimes nothing (documented), sometimes a defect that becomes remedial work. Either way the written outcome joins the report file — an FI left dangling is the single laziest way to stay non-compliant while feeling busy.
Electrical Safety
What does C3 mean — and why doesn't it fail the report?
C3 recommends improvement: the installation doesn't meet current standards in some respect, but the shortfall isn't dangerous. Older wiring colours, absence of the latest surge protection, or historic accessories in sound condition typically land here. Standards move every few years; C3 is the code that acknowledges buildings don't.
A report whose worst observations are C3s is satisfactory — the codes compel nothing. But C3s are free intelligence: they map exactly where the installation will age into C2 territory, which makes them the rational shopping list for any planned refurbishment. Fixing C3s during a void costs a fraction of reacting to their C2 descendants mid-tenancy.
Electrical Safety
Which codes make the report unsatisfactory?
Any C1, any C2, or any FI — one is enough. The overall result is mechanical: the worst code on the schedule decides it, with no weighing, no averaging and no negotiation. C3-only reports pass; everything else fails until the listed items are remedied or investigated and the fix is confirmed in writing.
This mechanism protects landlords as much as it constrains them. An inspector can't fail a sound installation on vibes, and can't pass a dangerous one as a favour — the codes are auditable against the observations. If a code looks wrong, the productive challenge is technical ('why is this C2 rather than C3?'), not commercial.
Electrical Safety
What must a landlord do after an unsatisfactory report?
In England: complete the remedial work within 28 days — or any shorter period the report specifies — using a qualified person, then obtain written confirmation that the work is done, and supply that confirmation to tenants and, if requested, the local authority. The confirmation completes compliance; a fresh full EICR is not automatically required.
Scotland and Wales run the same logic through their own frameworks: the installation must be brought to a satisfactory state and the evidence kept. Everywhere, the report-plus-confirmation pair is the compliance object. File them together, because separately each one tells an incomplete and less flattering story.
Electrical Safety
How should landlords read the report as a whole?
Start at the summary (satisfactory or not), then read the observations table with the codes, then the schedule of test results — the per-circuit numbers that make the document a genuine inspection rather than a certificate of attendance. The next-inspection date the inspector writes in is the final piece: it can be shorter than five years, and it governs.
Then convert it to actions: C1s now, C2s and FIs inside the deadline, C3s into the refurbishment plan, the next-due date into the diary, copies to whoever the nation's rules require. Ten minutes of reading turns the report from a filing task into the electrical management plan for the property.
Need the certificate itself?
The EICR (Electrical Safety Report) page covers cost, process and every UK area we serve.
FAQ
Related questions, answered
Are EICR rules stricter for HMOs?
The 5-year cycle applies to HMOs in England the same as other lets, and mandatory HMO licence conditions require electrical safety. your local council may attach additional testing or evidence conditions to an HMO licence, so read your licence schedule carefully.
Who can carry out an EICR in your area?
A qualified and competent person — in practice an electrician who tests against BS 7671, typically registered with a scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT. Landlords should ask for evidence of qualifications, scheme membership and insurance before booking.
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 your local council. Keep the confirmation with the report — together they evidence compliance.
What information does an EICR contain?
The report identifies the property and the extent of the inspection, records test results per circuit, lists observations with C1/C2/C3/FI classifications, states an overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory outcome, and gives the recommended date of the next inspection.
What are the penalties for not having an EICR?
In England, local authorities such as your local council can impose financial penalties of up to £30,000 per breach of the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020. Authorities can also arrange remedial work and recover costs.
What is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a formal inspection of a property's fixed wiring — consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches and light fittings — against the national wiring standard BS 7671. It records the installation's condition and classifies any defects.
Book it
Ready to act on this? The pillar page covers the certificate end to end, with every UK area linked: EICR (Electrical Safety Report).