An unsatisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) means the fixed installation is not assessed as safe for continued service. It does not mean the building has to be emptied that afternoon. It does mean the coded defects have to be dealt with — calmly, in the right order, with written confirmation at the end.
This page is for landlords, homeowners and agents in Wrexham and Chester who have just received an unsatisfactory report. It is practical information, not legal advice. The main EICR overview is on our Electrical Installation Condition Reports page. The codes are summarised briefly below; the main EICR page has the fuller legal context.
Stewart Rawson Electrical is an NICEIC approved contractor, founded in 2010, based at Jubilee Manor on the Wrexham Industrial Estate.
First: read the codes, not just the headline
Open the summary page of the report. Note which observations are C1, C2, C3 or FI, and which circuits they sit on. Plain-English definitions: EICR codes C1, C2, C3 and FI.
- C1 — danger present; immediate action
- C2 — potentially dangerous; urgent remedial action
- C3 — improvement recommended; does not make the report unsatisfactory on its own
- FI — further investigation; whether it fails the report depends on the edition of BS 7671 used (see our Amendment 4 FI note)
C1 and C2 make the overall assessment unsatisfactory. C3 does not.
The honest remedial path
- Make C1 items safe. The inspector should already have isolated or made safe where that was possible on the day. If not, do not delay.
- Book remedial or further investigation for C2 items, and for FI where your report still treats FI as a fail. Use a qualified person.
- Get written confirmation of the work done. For a Welsh rental, that confirmation is what you later hand to the contract-holder within the 14-day copy rules.
- Retest or refresh the report where the file needs it. An unsatisfactory report does not become a green light because someone “fixed a few things” without paperwork. Until there is a valid electrical condition report in place, Welsh fitness rules can treat the dwelling as unfit for human habitation.
Wales vs England (including Chester)
Wales: Rent Smart Wales tells landlords to arrange remedial works as soon as possible and to give C1, C2 or FI items immediate attention. The Welsh regulations do not copy England’s 28-day remedial deadline. Once work is done, give the contract-holder written confirmation within 14 days of the day you received that confirmation. For how long a fresh Welsh report then lasts, see how long an EICR lasts for a Welsh rental.
England (including Chester rentals): Complete remedial or further investigative work required by the report within 28 days, or any shorter period the report specifies. Then send written confirmation to the tenant and, under the English regulations, to the local council within 28 days of completing the work.
If you hold properties on both sides of the border, keep two checklists. Our estate agent electrical checklist is written for that split.
What about C3-only reports?
A report with only C3 observations can still be satisfactory. You can still ask us to quote for recommended improvements. There is no legal clock attached to C3 on its own.
Smoke alarms are a separate duty
For Welsh rentals, fitness for human habitation also covers smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Fixing EICR defects does not replace alarm duties. See smoke, heat and CO alarms in a Welsh rental.
We can quote both parts
We quote for the inspection and, separately, for remedial work the report identifies. We do not publish prices here because every installation is different — see what drives EICR cost. Tell us the address, whether the let is in Wales or England, and send the report if you have it.
Get a quote
Call 07789 264398 or 01978 664757, email info@stewartrawsonelectrical.co.uk, or use the contact page.
Stewart Rawson Electrical, Jubilee Manor, Sun Lane, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham, LL13 9RW.