EICR When Buying a House: What Kingston Buyers Need to Know

A standard homebuyer’s survey covers the structure of a property, but the electrical installation is rarely assessed in anything more than a visual glance. For a home that may have wiring dating back decades, that is not nearly enough. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is the only way to get a proper, tested picture of the electrics before you commit to a purchase you cannot easily undo.

What is an EICR?

An EICR is a formal inspection and test of a property’s fixed electrical installation, carried out by a qualified electrician. It assesses:

• The consumer unit (fuse box), including its protective devices
• All fixed wiring and cables throughout the property
• Sockets, switches, and light fittings
• Earthing and bonding arrangements
• RCD protection and circuit breaker operation

The electrician tests each circuit in turn and records the results in a detailed report. Any issues found are assigned a classification code and listed with an explanation.

Is an EICR included in a standard homebuyer’s survey?

No. A homebuyer’s survey or valuation report is carried out by a chartered surveyor, not an electrician. Surveyors are not qualified to test electrical installations. The most they can offer is a visual observation, and the standard comment in most survey reports amounts to: “we recommend this is inspected by a qualified electrician before exchange.”

That recommendation is worth taking seriously. Electrical faults are not always visible. Deteriorated cable insulation, inadequate earthing, missing RCD protection, and an outdated consumer unit are all things that can only be identified through physical testing. A survey that notes “the electrics appear functional” tells you very little about whether the installation is safe or adequate.

If you are buying a property built before the 1990s, or one that has been extended or altered at various points, an EICR before exchange of contracts is a sensible step.

What the report covers and what the codes mean

An EICR will tell you whether the wiring is in safe, tested condition; whether the consumer unit meets current expectations; whether circuits are correctly protected; and whether earthing and bonding are properly in place. Each observation is given one of the following codes, as set out in BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations):

• C1 (Danger present): A live risk to safety. The electrician may disconnect the affected circuit during the inspection.
• C2 (Potentially dangerous): A fault that could become dangerous under certain conditions. Remedial work is required.
• C3 (Improvement recommended): Not currently dangerous, but an upgrade would improve safety. No immediate legal obligation to act, though many buyers use this as a planning point.
• FI (Further investigation required): Something the electrician could not fully assess, such as wiring concealed in a wall or floor structure.

A report with no C1 or C2 observations is issued as satisfactory. Any C1 or C2 codes make the report unsatisfactory, meaning work is needed before the installation can be confirmed as safe.

Properties with older wiring often receive C3 observations. These do not require immediate action but highlight areas where the installation falls short of current standards. Understanding the difference between C2 and C3 helps you form a realistic view of the property.

When to arrange an EICR during the buying process

The ideal time is after your offer is accepted but before you exchange contracts. At this stage you still have the opportunity to renegotiate on price or request that the seller carries out remedial work before completion. Once contracts are exchanged, your position changes considerably.

Access is arranged through the estate agent or the seller directly. Most sellers will cooperate with an EICR request, particularly on older properties. The inspection takes a few hours for an average-sized house. Power to individual circuits is switched off temporarily during testing, so it is worth flagging this to the seller in advance so they are not caught off guard.

Some buyers choose to wait until after completion before booking an EICR. While it is never too late to understand the condition of your installation, you will have significantly more leverage if you have the report before contracts are exchanged.

What to do if the report is unsatisfactory

An unsatisfactory EICR does not necessarily mean you should walk away from the purchase, but it does give you important information to act on. There are three main options.

Ask the seller to carry out remedial work before completion. This is the cleanest outcome. The seller arranges and pays for the repairs, and you request written confirmation of the completed work along with a satisfactory re-inspection report before contracts are exchanged.

Renegotiate the purchase price. If the seller is unwilling to carry out repairs, the cost of putting the installation right can be factored into a revised offer. Targeted repairs to address a C2 observation may be relatively straightforward. More extensive issues, such as an outdated consumer unit or degraded wiring across the property, may indicate that a larger programme of work is needed. Our guide to signs your house needs rewiring explains what to look for in older properties, and our post on when to replace your consumer unit covers what a modern board should include and why it matters.

Withdraw. If the electrical issues are severe and the seller will not reduce the price to reflect the cost of remedial work, you have the right to withdraw before contracts are exchanged.

What about newly built properties?

New-build homes are supplied with an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) confirming the installation was tested and compliant when completed. You should request this document as part of the purchase.

If the property has had subsequent electrical work, extensions, or alterations since the original build, you should also ask for the certificates covering that work. An EIC only covers the installation it relates to. It does not certify work carried out afterwards by others.

Get an EICR before you buy

Sparcford carries out EICRs for home buyers across Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, Wimbledon, Surbiton, and the surrounding areas of Surrey and South West London. We provide a clear, detailed report with an honest assessment of what the inspection has found, and we are happy to explain what any observations mean for your purchase.

If the report identifies work that needs doing, we can provide a separate quote for the remedial work, giving you a realistic figure to use in any renegotiation with the seller.

Contact us to arrange an EICR before your purchase completes.