How Often Do You Need an EICR? A Guide for Scottish Homeowners & Landlords

An EICR — an Electrical Installation Condition Report — is one of the most important checks you can have done on a property, yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. How often you actually need one depends on who you are and how the property is used.

Here’s a clear, no-nonsense guide.

What an EICR actually is

An EICR is a formal inspection and test of the fixed electrical installation in a property: the consumer unit (fuse board), the wiring, sockets, switches and accessories. It’s carried out to the BS 7671 Wiring Regulations and results in a report that tells you, in plain terms, whether the installation is safe to continue using.

It is not the same as PAT testing, which covers plug-in appliances rather than the fixed wiring.

How often: the simple version

• Owner-occupied homes: at least every 10 years, or on change of occupancy.
• Rented homes (Scotland): at least every 5 years — this is a legal requirement for landlords.
• Commercial premises: typically every 5 years, sometimes sooner depending on the environment and your insurer.
• Higher-risk environments (e.g. swimming pools, some industrial sites): more frequently again.

If you genuinely don’t know when the last EICR was done, that’s usually a good sign one is overdue.

Landlords: this one’s a legal duty

If you let property in Scotland, you must ensure the electrical installation and any appliances you provide are inspected at least every five years by a competent person. An out-of-date or missing EICR can affect your ability to let legally, and can cause real problems with insurance.

If you’re a landlord and you’re not sure your certificate is current, get it checked. It’s far cheaper than the alternative.

Homeowners: not a legal requirement, but a smart one

For your own home there’s no law forcing an EICR — but a periodic check is strongly recommended, especially if:

• The property is more than 25 years old and hasn’t been rewired.
• You’ve just bought it and have no paperwork.
• You’re seeing warning signs: tripping breakers, scorch marks, burning smells, or buzzing accessories.

What happens if something’s wrong?

Findings are coded:

• C1 — danger present, immediate action required.
• C2 — potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required.
• C3 — improvement recommended (this is not a fail).
• FI — further investigation required.

A report is only satisfactory if there are no C1, C2 or FI items. If yours isn’t, you’ll get a clear explanation and an honest quote to put it right — never a pushy upsell.

Booking an EICR

If you’re in Livingston, West Lothian, Edinburgh or the wider Central Scotland area, I carry out EICRs for homeowners, landlords and businesses with clear, understandable reporting.

Book an EICR or get a quote — and if you just want to ask a question first, that’s absolutely fine.