EICR Inspections
Whether you manage offices, schools, pubs or rental properties, our EICR inspections give you a clear picture of your electrical installation's condition. Reports are written in plain English and coded clearly, and any remedial work is quoted and carried out by the same team.
EICR Inspections in Glasgow & Scotland's Central Belt
An Electrical Installation Condition Report, or EICR, is the document that shows whether the fixed wiring in a building is safe to keep using. It is usually the first thing an insurer, landlord, letting agent, licensing board or tenant asks to see, and if it is out of date or unsatisfactory, it can hold up a lease, a licence or an insurance renewal. Getting it done properly, and on time, protects both the people in the building and the business that runs it.
Strathclyde Electrical Service carries out EICRs for offices, schools, universities, pharmaceutical sites, pubs, restaurants, shops, industrial units and private rented homes across Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and the wider Central Belt. As an NICEIC approved contractor, our inspections are carried out by qualified engineers and our reports are accepted by landlords, agents and insurers.
Strathclyde Electrical Service carries out EICRs for offices, schools, universities, pharmaceutical sites, pubs, restaurants, shops, industrial units and private rented homes across Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and the wider Central Belt. As an NICEIC approved contractor, our inspections are carried out by qualified engineers and our reports are accepted by landlords, agents and insurers.
What an EICR Is, and What It Isn't
An EICR is an inspection of an existing installation. It is different from an Electrical Installation Certificate, which is issued when new work is installed. During an EICR, our engineer examines and tests the fixed wiring, distribution boards, protective devices, earthing, bonding and accessories to find anything that is damaged, deteriorated, dangerous or no longer meets the current edition of BS 7671.
The report does not guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong, and it is not a design review of the whole building. What it gives you is an honest, documented assessment of the installation's condition on the day, with every issue graded by urgency. The report ends with an overall result of satisfactory or unsatisfactory, along with a recommended date for the next inspection.
The report does not guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong, and it is not a design review of the whole building. What it gives you is an honest, documented assessment of the installation's condition on the day, with every issue graded by urgency. The report ends with an overall result of satisfactory or unsatisfactory, along with a recommended date for the next inspection.
Who Needs an EICR?
Almost every building with a fixed electrical installation needs one periodically, but the reasons differ depending on who you are and how the building is used. Knowing which rules apply to you helps you plan inspections before they become urgent.
Businesses & Employers
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require employers and those in control of premises to keep electrical systems in a safe condition. The law does not name the EICR specifically, but a regular condition report is the accepted way to show you are meeting that duty. Insurers increasingly ask for a current report too, and after an electrical fire, a missing or overdue EICR can make a claim much harder to settle.
Private Landlords in Scotland
Under the Repairing Standard, private landlords in Scotland must have an EICR carried out at least every five years, along with PAT testing on any appliances supplied with the property. Scottish Government guidance says the inspection should be carried out by an electrician registered with an approved scheme such as NICEIC, so the report stands up if a tenant raises a concern or the property is checked by the local authority. Landlords also need interlinked smoke and heat alarms, which we can install at the same visit through our domestic installations service.
Pubs, Restaurants & Licensed Premises
Hospitality businesses often need an EICR at the moments that matter most commercially: a change of tenancy, a new licence holder or a pub company handing a site to a new operator. Licensing boards, insurers and pub groups frequently ask for a current, satisfactory report before things can move forward. We regularly carry out EICRs across portfolios of pubs and restaurants, scheduling inspections outside trading hours so the business is never forced to close.
How Often Should You Have an EICR?
For most offices, shops, schools, universities, pubs, restaurants and hotels, the commonly recommended maximum interval is five years. Industrial premises are usually inspected every three years, and private rented homes in Scotland must be inspected at least every five years by law. Those are maximum intervals, and your engineer may recommend a shorter one if the installation is older, heavily used or showing signs of wear.
You should also arrange an EICR whenever premises change hands, change use or are taken on under a new lease. An inspection at the start of a tenancy tells you exactly what you are inheriting, which is far better than discovering problems halfway through a fit out or office refurbishment.
You should also arrange an EICR whenever premises change hands, change use or are taken on under a new lease. An inspection at the start of a tenancy tells you exactly what you are inheriting, which is far better than discovering problems halfway through a fit out or office refurbishment.
What Happens During the Inspection
Before we arrive, we agree access, timings and any areas where power cannot be interrupted. On the day, our engineer carries out a visual inspection of the installation, then tests circuits for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. Each circuit is only isolated briefly, and in live commercial buildings we plan the sequence carefully so critical equipment such as servers, freezers and tills stay powered.
On larger buildings, a sample of circuits and accessories may be tested rather than every single one, and any limitations are agreed with you in advance and recorded in the report. We think that transparency matters. A report that quietly skips areas is no use to you, your insurer or the next electrician who reads it. If we find anything immediately dangerous during the inspection, we make it safe before we leave and explain exactly what we have done.
On larger buildings, a sample of circuits and accessories may be tested rather than every single one, and any limitations are agreed with you in advance and recorded in the report. We think that transparency matters. A report that quietly skips areas is no use to you, your insurer or the next electrician who reads it. If we find anything immediately dangerous during the inspection, we make it safe before we leave and explain exactly what we have done.
Understanding Your EICR Report
Every observation in the report is given a code. C1 means danger is present and immediate action is needed. C2 means the issue is potentially dangerous and needs urgent remedial work. C3 means improvement is recommended but the installation is not unsafe as a result. FI means further investigation is needed to establish whether a problem exists. Any C1, C2 or FI code makes the overall report unsatisfactory until the remedial work has been completed.
We write our reports so that a facilities manager, landlord or business owner can understand them without needing an electrician to translate. Every coded item comes with a plain English explanation of what was found, why it matters and what needs to be done about it.
We write our reports so that a facilities manager, landlord or business owner can understand them without needing an electrician to translate. Every coded item comes with a plain English explanation of what was found, why it matters and what needs to be done about it.
Remedial Work Without the Runaround
One of the most frustrating parts of an unsatisfactory EICR is chasing another contractor to fix the problems, then chasing again to get the report updated. Because the same team carries out the remedial work, you receive a single fixed price quote for everything needed to make the installation satisfactory, and updated certification as soon as the work is done.
We never inflate remedial work to win extra jobs. C3 recommendations are clearly separated from the items you actually need to fix, so you can decide what to do now and what to budget for later. Where the inspection points to bigger improvements, such as replacing an outdated distribution board, our commercial electrical team can plan the work around your business. We can also check your emergency lighting and fire alarm during the same visit, so all your compliance records are brought up to date together.
We never inflate remedial work to win extra jobs. C3 recommendations are clearly separated from the items you actually need to fix, so you can decide what to do now and what to budget for later. Where the inspection points to bigger improvements, such as replacing an outdated distribution board, our commercial electrical team can plan the work around your business. We can also check your emergency lighting and fire alarm during the same visit, so all your compliance records are brought up to date together.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does an EICR take?
- Will the power be off during the inspection?
- What happens if my EICR is unsatisfactory?
- Can you carry out EICRs across multiple sites?
- How much does an EICR cost?
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