How to Read Your EICR Report: A Homeowner’s Plain English Guide

You have just received your Electrical Installation Condition Report by email or post. It is several pages long, full of technical sections, electrical test results, schedules of inspection, and a coding system you do not entirely follow. The most important question is whether the report is satisfactory or unsatisfactory, but the document buries the answer in the middle of the technical detail. This guide walks through every part of a standard EICR report so you can read your own with confidence and understand exactly what your inspector found.

The headline question: is the EICR satisfactory?

Look first for the overall verdict. Every EICR has a section headed something like “Summary of the condition of the installation” or “Overall assessment of the condition of the installation”. The verdict is one of two words:

• Satisfactory: No C1 or C2 codes were recorded. The installation is safe to continue using. C3 advisory items may be listed but do not affect the verdict.
• Unsatisfactory: One or more C1 or C2 codes were recorded. Remedial work is required before the installation can be considered safe.

For a Scottish private rental, only a satisfactory EICR demonstrates compliance with the Repairing Standard. An unsatisfactory result means the property does not currently meet the legal standard and remedial work is required.

The structure of a standard EICR report

A standard EICR follows a defined format set out in BS 7671 Appendix 6. Most reports have these sections in order:

1. Details of the installation: Property address, the client’s name (the person who commissioned the inspection), and the type of inspection.
2. Details of the inspector: The electrician’s name and qualifications, the company name, and the certification body (NICEIC, SELECT, or other).
3. Particulars of the installation: Type of supply (single or three phase), maximum demand, type of earthing, prospective fault current.
4. Extent of the inspection: What parts of the installation were inspected. Most domestic EICRs cover 100% of the installation; commercial and HMO inspections may have specific limitations noted here.
5. Summary of the condition: The headline verdict (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) plus a brief narrative summary.
6. Observations: The list of issues identified, each with a code (C1, C2, C3, FI) and a brief description.
7. Recommendations: What needs to be done. The format depends on the issuing body but typically maps to the codes.
8. Schedule of inspection: A detailed checklist of items inspected with tick boxes for each.
9. Schedule of test results: Numerical results from the electrical testing of every circuit.
10. Declaration: Signed by the inspector confirming the work was carried out in accordance with the relevant standards.

For a typical 3 bedroom Aberdeenshire residential EICR, the full document is 6 to 12 pages.

Understanding the codes (the most important section)

The Observations section is where any issues are listed. Each observation is coded:

• C1: Danger present. Risk of injury. Immediate action required. The installation, or the affected part of it, is not safe to continue using as it is.
• C2: Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required. The installation can continue in use in the short term, but remedial work is needed to bring it to a safe state.
• C3: Improvement recommended. Advisory item that does not present a direct safety risk but does not match current best practice. No required action.
• FI: Further investigation required. The inspector could not reach a definitive verdict on a particular item. Additional access or testing is needed.

Any C1 or C2 code makes the EICR unsatisfactory. C3 codes are advisory only. For a detailed walk through of each code with examples, see our companion guide on EICR C1, C2, and C3 codes explained.

Reading the Observations section

This is the section that tells you what is wrong (if anything). Each observation has three parts:

• The location: Where in the installation the issue was found (for example, “kitchen ring final circuit” or “consumer unit”).
• The description: What the issue is in technical terms (for example, “no RCD protection” or “damaged accessory”).
• The code: C1, C2, C3, or FI as described above.

If the section is empty, the inspection found no issues. This is the best result and means a satisfactory EICR with no remedial work needed.

Reading the Schedule of Inspection

This section is a detailed checklist of every item the inspector reviewed. Most items have a tick box marked acceptable, not acceptable, limitation (something the inspector could not check), or N/A (not applicable to this installation). The headings include:

• Condition of intake equipment.
• Condition of distribution equipment.
• Condition of installation as a whole.
• Earthing arrangements.
• Bonding arrangements.
• RCD protection.
• Wiring systems.
• Accessories.
• Fixed equipment.

The Schedule of Inspection corroborates the Observations section. Any item marked not acceptable should appear as a corresponding observation. The two sections together give the full picture of what was checked.

Reading the Schedule of Test Results

This is the most technical section. It is a table of numerical results from the electrical testing of every circuit. Typical columns include:

• Circuit description (for example, “upstairs lights” or “shower”).
• Type of wiring and its rating.
• Earth continuity test result (in ohms).
• Insulation resistance test results (typically in megohms).
• Polarity confirmation.
• Earth fault loop impedance (in ohms).
• RCD trip times (in milliseconds, where applicable).

For most homeowners, the Schedule of Test Results is for reference rather than something to interpret directly. The headline numbers should fall within the limits set out in BS 7671. The inspector’s verdict in the Observations section is the meaningful summary.

What if the EICR is unsatisfactory: how to interpret the next steps

If the verdict is unsatisfactory, the report should be accompanied by a list of recommended remedial actions. Read this carefully alongside the coded observations. The remedial actions tell you what work is required to address each C1 or C2 finding.

For most properties, the remedial actions fall into a small number of categories:

• Replace damaged accessory: Cost £50 to £100 per accessory.
• Add RCD protection to a circuit: Cost £80 to £180 per circuit.
• Replace consumer unit: Cost £550 to £800 depending on circuit count.
• Add or upgrade earthing or bonding: Cost £80 to £200.
• Repair damaged cable section: Cost £80 to £250 depending on accessibility.
• Investigate and resolve FI items: Quoted on a case basis.

Faithful Spark provides a fixed price quote for the remedial work alongside the EICR report. Once the work is complete, a follow up satisfactory certificate is issued and the EICR moves from unsatisfactory to satisfactory in a single coordinated process.

What if my EICR has only C3 codes?

If the EICR is satisfactory but lists C3 advisory items, the property is compliant and no required action exists. C3 items are improvements that do not match current best practice but do not present a safety risk. Many homeowners and landlords address C3 items gradually as part of normal maintenance or when other electrical work is being done.

Common C3 items:

• Older but still functional consumer unit that does not include all features of current standards.
• Plastic consumer unit enclosures (current standards prefer metal clad units).
• Cable colour scheme from the older red and black era rather than current brown and blue.
• Lack of additional protective measures that current standards recommend but older installations did not require.

Addressing all C3 items may not be cost effective. Pick the items that align with planned work and address them as part of broader projects.

Practical reading checklist

When you receive your EICR, work through the report in this order:

1. Check the Summary section: satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
2. Read the Observations section: what was found, where, and at what code level.
3. Read the Recommendations section: what action is required.
4. Confirm the Schedule of Inspection corroborates the Observations.
5. Glance at the Schedule of Test Results for completeness.
6. Check the inspector’s name, certification, and the issue date.
7. File the report alongside your other property compliance documents.
8. Diary the next renewal: 5 years for private rentals, 10 years for owner occupied.

For a deeper background on what the inspection itself involves, see our pillar guide on what an EICR is and what it covers.

Frequently asked questions

My EICR has 5 C3 codes. Is that a lot?

5 C3 codes is normal on a property over 20 years old. C3 codes accumulate as standards evolve over time. The presence of multiple C3 codes does not indicate a safety problem. The EICR is still satisfactory provided there are no C1 or C2 codes.

My EICR has one FI code. What does that mean for the verdict?

An FI code on its own does not produce an unsatisfactory verdict. The FI item needs to be investigated to reach a final code (C1, C2, C3, or no issue). Until the further investigation is complete, the EICR is technically incomplete rather than unsatisfactory. Faithful Spark schedules the additional investigation as a follow up appointment.

Can I show my EICR to a buyer or letting agent without explanation?

Yes. The EICR is a recognised industry document. A satisfactory result is sufficient evidence of compliance for buyers, letting agents, lender solicitors, and the First Tier Tribunal. No explanation needed.

My EICR has been sent as a digital PDF. Is that acceptable?

Yes. Digital PDFs of EICRs are accepted by most authorities including local councils and the Tribunal. Keep both the digital and a printed copy for redundancy.

How long should I keep the EICR after a fresh one is issued?

Keep at least the previous certificate alongside the current one. For property sale or for any future questions about the installation history, having the previous EICRs on file provides useful documentation.

Need help interpreting your EICR?

Faithful Spark walks every client through the EICR findings at the time of inspection. If you have an EICR from another contractor and would like a second opinion or help interpreting the findings, we provide that as part of our service. See our pillar guide on what an EICR is for the underlying inspection methodology.

Contact Faithful Spark

Faithful Spark Electricians. NICEIC approved. Local Aberdeen team. EICR inspections, electrical safety certificates, and remedial work for Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon, Fraserburgh and across Aberdeenshire.