An EICR does not simply say pass or fail. Every issue the electrician finds is recorded as an observation and given a classification code, and those codes are what decide your overall result.
The four codes
Danger present
A real, immediate risk. Usually made safe on the spot and needs action straight away.
Fails
Potentially dangerous
Not dangerous yet, but it could become so. Must be put right, typically within 28 days.
Fails
Further investigation
Something could not be resolved on the day and must be looked into without delay.
Fails
Improvement recommended
A recommendation only. The installation is safe and no work is required.
Passes
Any single C1, C2 or FI observation. That is the whole rule. A report with fifteen C3 items and nothing else is still satisfactory. A report with one C2 is not.
The one landlords misread most
C3 is the code that causes the most unnecessary spending. It is a recommendation, not a defect. The installation is safe and compliant with the standard it was installed to; current practice would simply do it differently. Clearing a list of C3s is a choice, not a duty.
What to do with an unsatisfactory report
- Read each C1, C2 and FI observation and check you understand what was actually found
- Get the remedial work quoted in writing before it is carried out
- Complete it within 28 days, or sooner if the report specifies
- Obtain written confirmation that the work is done
- Supply that confirmation to your tenants and, on request, the local authority
A note on pressure
If a report comes back with a long list of C2s and an immediate quote to rewire, it is entirely reasonable to ask for each one to be explained. Good practice is to tell you what was found, why it carries that code, and what putting it right involves, before you are asked to spend anything.
