A new consumer unit, an extension and a landlord safety check can all involve electrical paperwork, but they do not produce the same document. Understanding EICR versus electrical installation certificate helps you ask for the right work, avoid gaps in your records and make sure your property is genuinely safe – not just carrying a certificate with a similar-sounding name.
For homeowners, landlords and property managers, the difference is straightforward once you know what each document is designed to prove. One reports on the condition of an existing electrical installation. The other certifies that specified installation work was completed and tested correctly.
EICR versus electrical installation certificate: the key difference
An Electrical Installation Condition Report, usually called an EICR, is an inspection and test of electrical systems already in place. An electrician assesses the condition of the consumer unit, circuits, wiring, earthing and bonding, sockets, switches and fixed equipment where relevant. The purpose is to identify damage, deterioration, defects, unsafe work or signs that the installation is no longer suitable for continued use.
An Electrical Installation Certificate – often shortened to EIC – is issued after qualifying electrical installation work has been completed. It records that the work was designed, installed, inspected and tested in line with the relevant requirements at the time of installation, normally BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations.
Put simply, an EIC looks at new work when it is completed. An EICR examines existing electrics and reports their current condition. An EIC does not replace an EICR years later, and an EICR is not proof that a new circuit was installed and certified correctly on the day.
What an EICR checks in a home or rental property
An EICR is a safety-focused assessment, not a routine visual glance at a few sockets. Testing may involve checking protective devices, circuit continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earthing arrangements and the ability of safety devices such as RCDs to operate correctly. Access is needed to the consumer unit and, where practical, to points on the circuits being tested.
The electrician then records observations using classification codes. C1 means danger is present and urgent action is required. C2 identifies a potentially dangerous issue that needs remedial work. FI means further investigation is required without delay. A report with C1, C2 or FI observations will normally be recorded as unsatisfactory until the necessary work or investigation is completed.
Common findings in older London properties include dated consumer units without suitable RCD protection, loose accessories, damaged cable insulation, poor earthing or bonding, overloaded circuits and unsuitable alterations carried out by previous occupiers. The report should set out what has been tested, any limitations that affected the inspection, the observations made and the recommended date for the next inspection.
For landlords in England, electrical safety regulations require a satisfactory EICR at least every five years, or sooner if the report specifies an earlier date. Remedial work identified as necessary must be completed within the period stated on the report, usually 28 days, and written confirmation must be retained and provided where required. This is not paperwork for paperwork’s sake. It is evidence that a rental property has been checked and any identified risks have been dealt with.
When an electrical installation certificate is issued
An EIC is generally required for a new electrical installation, such as a full or partial rewire, and for new circuits. It may also be appropriate for significant additions or alterations where full certification is required. Examples include installing a new consumer unit, adding a dedicated circuit for an electric cooker or EV charger, or wiring a new extension.
The certificate identifies the work covered, its location, the supply characteristics, protective measures and the test results recorded at completion. It should be completed by competent people responsible for design, construction and inspection and testing. In smaller jobs, one qualified electrician may be responsible for all of those functions.
Not every electrical task needs an EIC. Replacing a damaged socket faceplate like-for-like or changing a light fitting may not require one, provided the circuit and installation remain suitable. For minor additions or alterations to an existing circuit that do not include a new circuit, an Electrical Minor Works Certificate may be the correct document instead.
That distinction matters. A proper electrician will not issue an EIC for work that only merits a minor works certificate, or suggest that a minor certificate proves the condition of an entire property. The document should match the scope of work completed.
Building regulations are a separate consideration
Certain electrical work in homes is also notifiable under Building Regulations. Where notification applies, it may be handled through a registered competent person scheme or through Building Control. This process is separate from the EIC itself, although both may arise from the same project.
If you are having a consumer unit replaced, a new circuit installed or electrical work carried out in a kitchen, bathroom or extension, ask before work starts what certification and notification you should expect. Clear answers at this stage prevent problems when selling, letting or insuring the property later.
Which certificate do you need?
The answer depends on what has happened at the property.
If you are a landlord preparing for a new tenancy, renewing your five-year inspection or responding to concerns about the condition of older electrics, book an EICR. The electrician is assessing the installation as it stands, including work completed by others over many years.
If you have just had a rewire, consumer unit upgrade, new circuit, extension wiring or EV charger installation, you should expect an EIC covering that work. Keep it with your property records. It is useful evidence of what was installed, how it was tested and which circuits were affected.
If an electrician has added a spur, relocated a socket or made a limited alteration to an existing circuit, a Minor Works Certificate may be appropriate. If the work exposed wider concerns – for example, poor earthing, recurring tripping or a visibly outdated installation – an EICR may still be sensible. One document does not automatically cancel out the need for the other.
Do not confuse certification with a guarantee of future condition
An EIC confirms that the stated work met the required standard when it was installed and tested. It cannot predict later damage, overloaded extensions, DIY alterations, water ingress or deterioration caused by age. That is why periodic inspection remains valuable, particularly in rental homes, older properties and busy commercial premises.
Equally, a satisfactory EICR is not a design certificate for every historic alteration. It says that, within the scope and limitations recorded, the installation was found satisfactory for continued use at the time of inspection. Good records make this assessment more reliable, so keep previous EICRs, EICs, minor works certificates and invoices together.
What to expect from a properly managed inspection or installation
Whether you need an EICR or certification for new work, clarity matters. You should know the scope before the visit, whether the power may need to be isolated during testing, what access is required and when you will receive the completed paperwork. If defects are found, the findings should be explained in plain English, with practical options for remedial work rather than pressure or vague warnings.
At FaultFree Engineering Group, certified engineers can inspect existing installations, diagnose faults and carry out the electrical work needed to put issues right. For homes and rental properties across London, that means less time coordinating separate contractors and a clearer path from inspection to safe completion.
If you are unsure which document applies, start with the reason you need it: checking an existing installation means an EICR; certifying completed installation work means an EIC. Getting that first decision right protects your paperwork, your property and the people using it.