Do I need a separate EICR?

Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 10/02/2021 - 10:51
My electrician is more qualified than me to interpret the rules

Pretty similar indeed, some word for word. Having just totted up the tick boxes on an EIC vs EICR, for the same flat, both on NICEIC forms, the score is 66:82 which implies to me that some things checked on an EICR are omitted on an EIC.

Apart from the need to ensure safety, surely the reason we're doing these is to withstand scrutiny if there is ever a spot check or a fire. As Seething LL has pointed out, the legislation speaks of a "report" rather than an EICR specifically. I'm wondering whether the EIC constitutes a report.

Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 10/02/2021 - 11:14
If the EIC confirms that all the fixed wiring and fixed electrical equipment on the consumer's side of the supply meter meets the safety standards as defined in the Regulations it might be sufficient. Otherwise, probably not.

Electrical reg's are constantly changing. My advice - get an electrician- get the job done OR risk a fine up to £30,000 !!! It won't be cheap, I've had 2 flats done at £500 each in one day's work = £1000!!! I'm in the wrong trade!

I am a landlord and an electrician. Most rental properties I come across only have one consumer unit/fuseboard. If this is replaced an Electrical Installation Certificate must be issued and notified to Building Control under Part P of the Building Regulations. The certificate is better than an an EICR in so far as the installing electrician must inspect and test every circuit it connects (ie normally every circuit in the property) and unlike the EICR, where condition codes are given - C1, C2 (both unsatisfactory) C3 (satisfactory but improvement recommended) and FI (further investigation required) with an EIC all circuits must have acceptable test and inspection results there must only be ticks on the schedule of inspections (or N/A where items on the checklist do not apply to the property in question - no solar panels or shaver sockets for example)

Many thanks folks for all of your input and opinions. I'm still not entirely certain on the answers, so I'll err on the side of caution and have the EICR done shortly even if I have recent EIC.

Reply to the comment left by JB at 10/02/2021 - 09:24
Then your sparks is either incompetent or misunderstands the sutuation- sorry.
The only time an eic can be used instead of an eicr is when a full rewire has been done when every circuit in the installation would be tested as a matter of course. Additions of new circuits which attract an eic only attract an full test for the new circuit.

Unless the whole installation was tested then no eic would 'trump' an eicr.

Reply to the comment left by Gunga Din at 10/02/2021 - 11:14
An eic certifies some form of new installation - like fitting a cooker circuit. That wouldl also be notifiable works to building control and you would get a building control cert too But it only certifies that specific item and is time sensitive before it will need an EICR in a period of time. An EICR is a periodic report that would cover the whole installaton for domestic landlord purposes. We used to call them PIRs until a few years ago (periodic inspection reports) but the IET and BSI changed it to EICRs (they like to fix things that aren't broken it drives us nuts).

To the original poster. Although I cannot be aware of the full scope of the works you had carried out they sound quite substantial and i may sound harsh but i have to say it sounds like you have contracted a lazy electrician.

As an example if i (or my reputable sparks associates) fit a new consumer unit for a customer then virtially all the pre tests and inspections combined with the post fitting tests pretty much cover everything for my eic and an eicr too.

When issuing an eic and building control cert for this work i (we) always also provide an EICR certificate at the same time as a goodwill gesture- Its pretty much an extra hour or two on extra paperwork and is important to you.

And contrary to what some of these 'armchair non sparks experts' are telling you, although a lot of the questions on the schedule of inspections are similar or same on an eic and eicr, on the same installation they would be answered very differently. My eic questions are answered according strictly to the limitations of my work as depicted on the cert- in this example the board change. On the eicr they are answered in regards to the entire installation not just the new work carried out. Confusing? Welcome to my world.

But the bottom line is unless it was a full and complete rewire then you do need an eicr to be compliant-sorry.

And just as an addition to all other readers the 5 year reinspection period is the maximum we are permitted to give on domestic rented. It is in the hands and judgement of the inspector to determine the period- which may be shorter depending on the quality of test results obtained. 5 years is not an automatic right as seems to be assumed by everyone.

Reply to the comment left by Paul landlord at 10/02/2021 - 21:06
Think you are being unnecessarily harsh here Paul. The poster stated 2 boards had been changed (plus a substantial amount of wiring). Unless there are other boards then all circuits of the entire installation should have been tested and reported on the EIC in which case an EICR would not be needed. Nothing to do with laziness or incompetence. I was on a recent NICEIC webinar which covered this exact point.