It might be a simple thing, but many people can unknowingly let their electrical inspections become overdue if the recommended intervals between inspections has not been highlighted by the electrical contractor (also, time flies really quickly and the next inspection can come around faster than anticipated!)
Here is a quick run down of the time periods that customers should be keeping to when it comes to EICR/Landlord electrical testing on their properties...
Domestic properties
If you are a home owner, it is recommended that you have an electrical inspection carried out every ten years or when there is a change of occupancy.
For landlords, your properties should be inspected every five years or when the tenant occupying the property changes.
Commercial/industrial properties
This is the same for commercial premises, offices, shops and laboratories, which are all five year intervals or change of occupancy.
However, where the maximum intervals differ is for industrial settings, which is every three years and after that there are various rules that apply for public buildings such as cinemas, leisure complexes etc.
These suggested frequencies are not legal requirements and can be extended or reduced where deemed suitable, but dutyholders are ultimately responsible for ensuring electrical installations on the premises are in good working condition. Any decisions made should be done so in response to the advice gathered from a specialist competent inspector.
However, if a local authority has concluded, beyond reasonable doubt, that a private landlord has breached their duties under the regulations, they may issue a notice of intent to impose a financial penalty; the penalty can be up to £30,000.
It must be kept in mind that the point of an EICR test is to find potential fire hazards or electric shock risks by identifying any defective electrical work, detecting any lack of earthing or bonding, and pinpointing any overloading of electrical circuits. Although it is not a legal requirement to keep to these frequencies rigidly, there are legal requirements for landlords of tenanted properties and businesses to ensure a safe living or working environment and an EICR confirms that the fixed wire installation at a property is safe.
We hope this helps make the recommendations clearer without having to read through pages of information!
#EICR #fixedwiring #electricalinstallations #electricalsafety #landlords #propertysafety #healthandsafety
