My EICR Came Back Unsatisfactory. What Do I Do Next?

You booked the EICR. You did the right thing. And now you are staring at a report that says “Unsatisfactory” and wondering what that actually means, what the law requires you to do, and how worried you should be.

This guide gives you the complete picture, what each code means, exactly what you are legally required to do and by when, what paperwork you need, and how the process works differently if your property is in Scotland. Written by an NICEIC registered electrician who carries out EICRs every week across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

The short version: an unsatisfactory EICR is not a disaster. It is a defined legal process with a clear timeline and a straightforward resolution. But you do need to act, and you need to act correctly.

What Does “Unsatisfactory” Actually Mean?

An Electrical Installation Condition Report has two possible outcomes: satisfactory or unsatisfactory. That result is determined by the classification codes applied to any observations the inspector finds.

A report is unsatisfactory if it contains any of the following:

Code	Meaning	Report Outcome	Legal Deadline
C1	Danger present, immediate risk of injury	Unsatisfactory	Make safe immediately / same day
C2	Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action needed	Unsatisfactory	Within 28 days (or shorter if stated)
FI	Further investigation required without delay	Unsatisfactory	Commission investigation within 28 days
C3	Improvement recommended, not dangerous	Satisfactory	No legal obligation, optional improvement

A report containing only C3 codes is still a satisfactory EICR. You are not legally required to carry out the improvements listed under C3 to remain compliant. The property passes. This confuses a lot of landlords because “improvement recommended” sounds like a failure, it is not.

One C1 or C2 anywhere in the report makes the whole report unsatisfactory, regardless of how many C3 observations there are and regardless of how minor the C1 or C2 appears on paper.

Step by Step: What to Do After an Unsatisfactory EICR

Here is exactly what you need to do, in order. Every step matters, and the sequence matters too.

Step 1: Read the Report Carefully

Before you call anyone, read the full report. Section K of the EICR lists every observation along with its code. You are looking for:

• Any C1 codes, these require immediate action, often before the electrician even leaves the property

• Any C2 codes, these require remedial work within 28 calendar days of the inspection date

• Any FI codes, these require further investigation to be commissioned within 28 calendar days

• The inspector’s recommended next inspection date, this affects your timeline going forward

The 28 day clock starts from the date of the inspection, not from when you received the report or when you read it. If there is any gap between the inspection and you receiving the paperwork, your window is already running.

Step 2: Do Not Panic About C1 Codes

A C1 code sounds alarming, but in practice, a competent inspector will not leave a property with an active C1 hazard in an uncorrected state. When a C1 is found, the inspector will typically isolate the affected circuit, fit a blanking plate, or take another temporary measure to make the immediate danger safe before they leave.

This means the property may have a circuit isolated, a kitchen ring main, lighting circuit, or socket, but it is not in an actively dangerous condition when you receive the report. The C1 tells you what needs permanent remedial work. The isolation is the interim safety measure.

If a C1 was found and the inspector tells you they could not make it safe and the installation poses an immediate risk, then the property should not be occupied until the fault is corrected. This is rare, and a good inspector will always communicate this clearly to you on the day.

Step 3: Get Quotes for the Remedial Work

You do not have to use the electrician who carried out the EICR to do the remedial work. You are free to get quotes from other NICEIC registered contractors. In practice, the electrician who carried out the inspection already knows the installation and can often complete the remedial work more efficiently, but the choice is yours.

When getting quotes, share the full EICR report. Any competent electrician will want to see Section K before quoting for remedial work. Be cautious of anyone who quotes without seeing the report.

Common remedial work that follows an unsatisfactory EICR includes:

• Consumer unit replacement, particularly where the existing board has no RCD protection or inadequate protection

• RCBO upgrades, adding individual overcurrent and RCD protection to specific circuits

• Bonding works, supplementary or main bonding to bathrooms, kitchens, or incoming services

• Wiring repairs, correcting reversed polarity, damaged cables, or inadequate cable support

• Socket and accessory replacements, damaged faceplates, loose connections, or unsuitable accessories

• Further investigation, opening up suspected problem areas to test for concealed faults

Step 4: Book and Complete the Work Within 28 Days

The 28 day deadline applies to having the work completed, not just booked. If you book the work on day 27 and the electrician cannot attend until day 31, you are in breach of the regulations.

Book immediately. Do not wait for a second or third quote if it risks missing the deadline. If you genuinely cannot get the work done within 28 days through no fault of your own, for example, a specialist part is on back order, document your attempts and communicate with your local authority proactively. Demonstrating you have made all reasonable efforts is a recognised defence.

Step 5: Get the Correct Written Confirmation

This is where many landlords go wrong. Once the remedial work is done, you need written confirmation from the electrician. You do not need a completely new EICR, that is a common and expensive misunderstanding.

Acceptable forms of written confirmation are:

• An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), issued when new circuits or significant installation work has been carried out

• A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), issued for smaller additions or alterations to the existing installation

• A written statement from the qualified electrician confirming the specific faults identified have been corrected and the installation now meets the required standard

You then keep this confirmation attached to the original unsatisfactory EICR. The two documents together, the failed report and the remedial confirmation, form your compliance record. Do not discard the original unsatisfactory report.

Step 6: Provide the Documentation to Your Tenants

Once remedial works are confirmed, you must provide:

• The original unsatisfactory EICR

• The written confirmation from the electrician that the faults have been remedied

In England, this must be provided to each existing tenant within 28 days of the remedial work being completed, and to the local housing authority within 28 days of completion (or within 7 days of a written request from the authority).

In Scotland, under the Repairing Standard, the EICR and associated remedial confirmation must be provided to any new tenant before the tenancy starts, not within 28 days, but before the keys are handed over.

Your 28 Day Compliance Timeline at a Glance

Day	Action
Day 0	EICR inspection carried out, 28 day clock starts
Day 0 to 1	Read the full report, identify all C1, C2, and FI codes
Day 1 to 3	Contact NICEIC registered electricians and get quotes
Day 3 to 7	Book the remedial work, confirm a date within the 28 day window
Day 7 to 28	Remedial and investigative work completed
On completion	Receive written confirmation / certificate from electrician
Within 28 days of completion (England)	Provide EICR + confirmation to tenants and local authority
Before tenancy starts (Scotland)	Provide EICR + confirmation to any new tenant
Ongoing	Retain records for 6 years

Do You Need to Move Your Tenants Out?

Almost certainly not. An unsatisfactory EICR is a maintenance and compliance matter, not an automatic evacuation order. The vast majority of unsatisfactory EICRs are resolved with targeted remedial work carried out while the tenants remain in the property.

The electrician will need access to the property, which requires reasonable notice to the tenant, typically 24 to 48 hours for non emergency work. The work itself is usually completed in a single visit, with the tenant home or not as they choose.

The only situation where a tenant might need to temporarily vacate is a C1 fault so significant that the main supply needs to be isolated for an extended period, or where a full consumer unit replacement requires the power to be off for a full working day. In practice, even consumer unit replacements are completed in four to eight hours, with tenants simply planning to be out of the property during the works.

What you must not do is use an unsatisfactory EICR as grounds to issue a Notice to Leave or to end a tenancy early in Scotland. Under the Private Residential Tenancy, notices to leave must be for one of the 18 statutory grounds. Electrical work is not one of them. In Scotland specifically, if a Repairing Standard Enforcement Order (RSEO) is in place, you cannot serve a Notice to Leave at all until it is resolved.

Can You Let the Property to New Tenants While the EICR is Unsatisfactory?

No. If you have an unsatisfactory EICR and the identified faults have not been remedied, you cannot legally let the property to new tenants. The remedial work must be completed and the written confirmation obtained before new tenants move in.

This applies even if the new tenancy is due to start the day after the inspection. The inspection date does not matter, what matters is that the faults are corrected before occupation begins.

In Scotland, under the Repairing Standard, a new tenant must be given a copy of the EICR before the tenancy starts. If that EICR is unsatisfactory and no remedial confirmation exists, the landlord is in breach from the moment the tenancy commences.

What If Your Tenant Refuses Access for the Remedial Work?

This is more common than most landlords expect. A tenant who does not understand the urgency of the situation, or who has a difficult relationship with the landlord, may be reluctant to allow access for electrical work.

The law recognises this situation. As of November 2025, the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations in England explicitly state that a landlord will not be considered to be in breach of their duty if they can demonstrate they have made all reasonable efforts to gain access but have been unable to do so.

In practice, establishing this defence requires:

• At least three genuine written attempts to request access, letters, emails, or text messages that can be evidenced

• Reasonable proposed dates and times, with adequate notice (typically 24 hours minimum)

• Documentation of each attempt and the tenant’s response

You do not need to take the tenant to court to establish the defence. But you do need clear, dated evidence of the attempts. If you simply do not follow up, you have no defence.

In Scotland, similar principles apply under the Repairing Standard. The Housing and Property Chamber recognises that a landlord cannot carry out work without access, but expects genuine documented efforts to have been made.

How Scotland’s Process Differs

If your rental property is in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, or anywhere in Scotland, there are meaningful differences from the England and Wales process.

	Scotland	England
Legislation	Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, Repairing Standard	Electrical Safety Standards in the PRS (England) Regulations 2020
Must C1/C2 be fixed?	Yes, required under Repairing Standard	Yes, within 28 days
C3 codes require action?	No, recommended only	No, recommended only
Copy of EICR to new tenant	Before tenancy starts	Before tenant moves in
Copy to local authority	On request	Within 7 days of written request
Enforcement body	First tier Tribunal (Housing & Property Chamber)	Local housing authority
Max penalty	Repairing Standard Enforcement Order / civil action	Up to £40,000 (from Nov 2025)
Records to keep	6 years	5 years recommended

One particularly important Scotland specific point: if your property’s EICR is unsatisfactory and a new tenant applies to the First tier Tribunal, the Tribunal can issue a Repairing Standard Enforcement Order. While an RSEO is in place, you cannot end the tenancy by serving a Notice to Leave. Getting the remedial works done quickly is always in your interest.

Also specific to Scotland: under the Repairing Standard updated from 1 March 2024, all rental properties must have at least one RCD in the consumer unit protecting socket circuits. A property without RCD protection is in breach of the Repairing Standard entirely separately from the EICR process, and an inspector will raise this as a C2 on the EICR regardless.

What Common Unsatisfactory Findings Actually Mean

To help you understand your report, here are the observations most commonly seen in EICRs on older properties across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and what they typically mean in practice:

No RCD Protection on Socket Circuits (C2)

The most common C2 code on older properties. If your consumer unit does not have an RCD or RCBO protecting socket outlets, this is a C2 under current BS 7671 standards, and in Scotland, it is also a breach of the Repairing Standard since March 2024. The fix is typically a consumer unit upgrade or RCBO retrofit.

Inadequate Earthing or Bonding (C2)

Main protective bonding to incoming gas or water services may be undersized, disconnected, or absent. Supplementary bonding in bathrooms may be missing. These are important safety protections. The fix is usually bonding cable installation, relatively straightforward and inexpensive compared to rewiring.

Reversed Polarity (C2 or C1)

Live and neutral conductors connected the wrong way around, found at sockets, light fittings, or the consumer unit. This is a wiring error that creates a risk of shock when replacing fuses or bulbs in what appears to be a switched off circuit. The fix is correcting the connection, often a one hour job per circuit.

Damaged or Deteriorated Wiring (C2)

Found in older properties, particularly those with rubber insulated wiring from the 1950s and 60s, or MICC (mineral insulated copper clad) cable that has corroded at terminations. Depending on the extent, the fix ranges from terminal repairs to partial rewiring of specific circuits.

No RCD Protection in Bathrooms (C2)

All circuits serving a bathroom zone must be RCD protected. If a shower, extractor fan, or shaving socket is not on an RCD protected circuit, this is a C2. Usually resolved as part of a consumer unit upgrade.

Overloaded Circuits or Undersized Protective Devices (C2)

Circuit breakers or fuses that are rated above what the cable can safely carry. A common finding in properties where additional sockets or appliances have been added over the years without professional assessment. The fix depends on the specific circuit.

Further Investigation (FI), Concealed Wiring

Where the inspector cannot test a specific cable run, circuit, or connection because it is concealed or inaccessible, they raise an FI. This does not mean there is definitely a fault, it means they cannot confirm there is not one. The investigation usually involves opening up a specific area, testing, and either confirming it safe or identifying a fault to correct.

What Happens If You Ignore an Unsatisfactory EICR?

Ignoring an unsatisfactory EICR is one of the most significant compliance risks a landlord in the UK can take.

The consequences are:

• Financial penalty, in England, local authorities can issue civil penalties of up to £40,000 per breach (increased from £30,000 in November 2025). Each failure is a separate breach, failing to complete remedial works, failing to provide the report to the tenant, and failing to provide it to the local authority can each attract a separate penalty.

• Insurance invalidation, most landlord insurance policies require you to maintain the property in a safe and compliant condition. An uncorrected unsatisfactory EICR is clear evidence that you knew about a fault and did not fix it. If a fire or electrical incident occurs, your insurer has grounds to reject the claim.

• Criminal liability, if a tenant is injured as a result of an electrical fault that appeared on an unsatisfactory EICR, you face potential prosecution for breaching your duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations.

• In Scotland: Repairing Standard Enforcement Order, the First tier Tribunal can order you to carry out the works, and while the order is in place you cannot end the tenancy.

• Inability to let, you cannot legally let to new tenants with an outstanding unsatisfactory EICR.

What If I’m a Homeowner, Not a Landlord?

The 28 day legal deadline and the documentation requirements above apply specifically to rental properties. If you are a homeowner who has commissioned an EICR, for peace of mind, as part of a property purchase, or at your mortgage lender’s request, the legal framework is different.

As a homeowner, you are not subject to the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations. There is no statutory 28 day deadline for your own home.

However, ignoring an unsatisfactory EICR on your own home is still a serious matter. A C1 or C2 finding represents a genuine safety risk to you and your family. You should still arrange remedial works promptly. If you are selling the property, an outstanding unsatisfactory EICR can complicate or delay the sale, buyers and their solicitors will want to see evidence that faults have been corrected.

If the EICR was obtained as a condition of a mortgage or remortgage, your lender will typically require written confirmation that any C1 or C2 faults have been remedied before they proceed.

Choosing the Right Electrician for EICR Remedial Work in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Not every electrician is qualified to carry out EICR remedial work and issue the correct certificates. When selecting an electrician after an unsatisfactory EICR, look for:

• NICEIC Approved Contractor status, this means the contractor is assessed against the current BS 7671 standard and can issue compliant certificates. You can verify any NICEIC contractor at niceic.com.

• City & Guilds 2391-52 qualification, the recognised inspection and testing qualification. From October 2026, this will be mandatory for anyone carrying out EICRs under NICEIC scheme requirements.

• Familiarity with the local property stock, granite tenements, older stone built properties, and post war housing across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have specific characteristics that affect how remedial work is carried out.

• Clear written quote based on the EICR report, any competent contractor will want to review Section K before quoting. Be wary of quotes given over the phone without sight of the report.

• Prompt certification, the Minor Works Certificate or EIC should be issued at the point of completion, not chased weeks later.

At Faithful Spark Electricians, we carry out EICR remedial works across Aberdeen, Peterhead, and the wider Aberdeenshire area as an NICEIC Approved Contractor. We provide clear quotes based on your specific report and issue all required documentation at completion. Call 07304 027013 to discuss your EICR findings.

Quick Reference: EICR Unsatisfactory, Common Questions

Question	Answer
Does an unsatisfactory EICR mean the property is condemned?	No. It means specific faults need remedying. The property is not condemned.
Do I need a brand new EICR after remedial works?	No. A Minor Works Certificate or EIC attached to the original report is sufficient.
Does the 28 day clock start from when I read the report?	No. It starts from the date the inspection was carried out.
Can I still rent the property while remedial works are being arranged?	To existing tenants yes (with care). To new tenants, no, not until faults are resolved.
What if my tenant refuses access?	Document at least three genuine attempts. This establishes a legal defence in England and supports your position in Scotland.
Is a C3 code a fail?	No. A report with only C3 codes is satisfactory. C3 is a recommendation, not a failure.
What if I can’t get the work done within 28 days?	Document your efforts and contact your local authority proactively. Demonstrating reasonable efforts is a recognised defence.
Does an unsatisfactory EICR affect my landlord insurance?	Potentially yes, especially if an incident occurs and the insurer can show you knew about the fault.
Do I have to tell my tenant about the unsatisfactory result?	Yes, in England within 28 days of the inspection. In Scotland, provide it before any new tenancy starts.
In Scotland, does the Repairing Standard apply?	Yes, C1 and C2 codes must be rectified under the Repairing Standard. C3 codes are recommendations.

About the Author

Written by Steven Watt, founder of Faithful Spark Electricians, an NICEIC Approved Contractor based in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Steven holds a City & Guilds 2357 NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems, City & Guilds 2365 Level 3 Diploma in Electrical Installations, City & Guilds 2382 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations), City & Guilds 2391-52 (Inspection and Testing of Electrical Installations), and an HNC in Engineering Systems. Steven is OZEV approved for EV charger installation and holds AICO Expert Installer status. Faithful Spark Electricians carries out EICRs and remedial works for landlords, letting agents, and homeowners across Aberdeen, Peterhead, and the wider Aberdeenshire area.

Sources and Further Reading

• Scottish Government, Repairing Standard: Statutory Guidance for Private Landlords

• NRLA, Electrical Safety Inspections Explained for Landlords

• Electrical Safety First, EICR Guidance

• IET, BS 7671 18th Edition Wiring Regulations

• NICEIC, Find an Approved Contractor

Got an Unsatisfactory EICR in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire?

Faithful Spark Electricians carries out EICR remedial works and consumer unit upgrades across Aberdeen, Peterhead, and the wider Aberdeenshire area. NICEIC Approved. City & Guilds 2391-52 qualified. All certificates issued on completion. Call 07304 027013 or visit faithfulsparkelectricians.co.uk.

Related reading: whether changed wiring regulations mean a new EICR.

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