Every commercial property in the UK needs electrical testing and inspections by law and needs to be conducted periodically. Electrical testing and inspections are not an optional service to be done when selling the property or when letting. These inspections are often required by your insurance. These inspections are the only way to determine whether or not your electrical system is safe and functional and is required by law for most properties.
These inspections are called the Electrical Installations Condition Reports touch or in short EICR. This involves the electrical system to be tested, examined and evaluated by certified electricians in order to produce a report that examines the electrical system in great detail.
Why Testing and Inspections Matter
Often, electrical installations undergo testing and inspections too infrequently. Neither is maintenance performed on installations chronically. Connections have a tendency to loosen, insulation might crack or tear, dive wear out, or faults can develop over time. These problems are often accompany by obvious signs such as lights that flicker, circuit breakers that trips continuously, or a burning smell coming from the system. However, more often than not, the problems are not obvious at all.
It’s possible for a socket to look normal but the wiring behind the faceplate could be dangerous. A circuit breaker isn’t guaranteed to trip during a fault. Your earth bonding may be inadequate. They are not visible issues. Proper inspections and specialized equipment will be needed to locate the issues.
How We Test Your Building
Testing involves a combination of inspections and electrical measurements. We inspect the wiring for damage, test the protective devices for proper function, measure earth loop impedance, confirm the circuit is not open, and check for any damage or corrosion in the installation.
How Often You Need Testing
How often you need testing is determined by the type and the use of your property. The majority of offices require testing once every five years. Testing is needed every three years for shops, restaurants and any other properties that have greater power demands. Heavy industrial properties have an annual requirement, especially those that contain high use machinery or have extreme environments.
These intervals are not random. The rate of electrical deterioration of installation and equipment varies in different environments. A sealed and dust free office is less harsh on electrical equipment compared to an industrial unit whichs electrical equipment will need to be changed and tested more frequently.
Your insurance company will have views on testing frequency too. Most commercial insurance policies require valid electrical certificates, and they’ll specify how old those certificates can be. Let your testing lapse and you might find you’re not actually insured.
What Happens During an Inspection
A proper EICR takes several hours for a typical commercial property, longer for larger or more complex installations. We examine your distribution boards, test all circuits, check protective devices, inspect fixed wiring, and test a sample of sockets, switches, and other accessories throughout the building.
This means some disruption to your operations. Circuits need to be isolated for testing, which means temporarily cutting power to different areas. For most businesses, we can work outside normal hours to minimise disruption, or isolate and test different areas in stages.
The testing equipment measures things you can’t see or check manually. Earth loop impedance testing verifies that protective devices will trip quickly enough if there’s a fault. Insulation resistance testing checks that cables and wiring aren’t deteriorating. RCD testing confirms that these critical safety devices actually work.
Comprehending Your EICR Document
The report uses a coding system to classify the issues. C1 entails immediate danger and calls for urgent action. C2 is potentially dangerous, therefore requiring urgent responsive measures. C3 means improvement is suggested, but is not urgent. FI is for issues that need further inquiry.
A lack of C1/C2 codes means satisfactory, while a report that has it is unsatisfactory. You will receive a comprehensive timetable detailing what needs to be fixed, the location of the issues in the building, and the classification of the issue.
Properties rated unsatisfactory need corrective action to be done by the next inspection, and the C1 issues needs to be done immediately. This is not red tape; it is about safety issues pertaining to the risk of fires, electric shocks, and damage to equipment.
Remedial Work and Certification
When issues are found during the inspection, remedial work has to be done by qualified electricians. After that is accomplished, testing and certification of the work is required to attest that it is to the current standards.
For properties that are to be sold or rented, valid EICR documentation is legally required for landlords, as is the need for remedial work if it applies. You are not allowed to rent out a commercial property if it has known electrical issues that are laid out in an EICR report.
These tests also show us what improvements can be made to meet modern standards, although not legally required. Older buildings often have outdated wiring. Installation standards might have been met, but current regulations would not be met. These improvements will be noted.
PAT Testing vs Fixed Installation Testing
EICR testing covers your fixed electrical installation. This includes the wiring, the sockets, and the equipment that is connected to your power supply. However, it does not include portable devices. For example, your computers, kettles, and power tools. These need to be tested separately and are often referred to as PAT testing.
There is a common misconception where businesses think that PAT testing is enough. Doing it is not enough. You need to obtain both tests to be safe. Your fixed wiring can be a dangerous hazard even if all your devices are tested and have passed.
Why You Should Obtain it and Your Compliance Requirements
As for commercial properties, insurance companies will want to see that you have a valid EICR. If you make a claim and do not have a current electrical certificate, you may find that they will not reimburse you for the claim, especially if the claim is due to electrical issues.
For landlords, it is mandatory by law to have a valid EICR. Tenants must have sight of this documentation and can make a claim if significant electrical faults are evident. This can cause a property to be unlettable until the issues are resolved.
Scheduling Your Tests
To minimize the risk of having your certificate lapse, try scheduling your test a few months in advance, so if there is any remedial work needed, you can be sure to get that done before the certificate expires.
If you haven’t had a property tested in a while, booking an EICR is a good idea, even if it’s not a legal requirement. Finding out that you have some electrical problems while selling or renting can be very frustrating.