Commercial EICR Romford RM1

Romford Electrical Services covers Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster, Gidea Park and Harold Wood. This page explains what the inspection involves, when to book one and how to read the result.

EICR stands for electrical installation condition report. In commercial settings you will often hear it called fixed wire testing, because it looks at the permanent wiring of the building rather than anything you plug in. That means the consumer unit or distribution boards, circuit wiring, sockets, switches, lighting circuits, and the earthing and bonding that keep the system safe.

The inspector looks for damage, wear, overloaded circuits, poor connections and missing protection. They also carry out electrical tests to see whether the installation still performs as it should. Some of this needs parts of the supply switched off for a time, so it helps to plan around how your office, shop, workshop or unit operates.

Fixed wire testing is different from PAT testing. PAT testing checks portable appliances such as kettles, printers and extension leads. If you need both, say so in your enquiry so the scope is clear from the start.

The most common reason is a planned, periodic inspection. Business premises need their electrical systems checked at regular intervals, and the report itself recommends when the next inspection should be due. If you cannot find your last report, that is a good prompt to arrange a new one.

Other good moments to book include:

1. Taking on a new lease or buying commercial premises, so you know the condition of the installation before you are responsible for it. 2. After an extension, refit or major change to the electrics. 3. When an insurer, landlord, mortgage lender or licensing body asks for a current report. 4. Before a change of use, for example turning a storage unit into a small office or workshop. 5. When you notice warning signs: breakers that keep tripping, flickering lights, warm or discoloured sockets, or a burning smell.

Employers and building owners have general duties to keep electrical systems safe. The rules can change, so check GOV.UK and the Health and Safety Executive for the current position, and ask your insurer what they expect.

Once the inspection and testing are done, you receive a written report. It records what was inspected, what was found and an overall result of satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Any issues are listed with observation codes.

C1 means danger is present and urgent action is needed. C2 means something is potentially dangerous. C3 means an improvement is recommended. FI means further investigation is required. A report with C1 or C2 observations, or an FI, is normally unsatisfactory until those items are dealt with.

Keep the report somewhere safe. Insurers, landlords, tenants and enforcing authorities may ask to see it, and the next inspector will want to compare it with their findings. If you rent your premises out, a copy for the tenant is sensible. The same applies to any rental property that forms part of the building, such as a flat above a shop.

The price of a commercial EICR depends on the installation, not just the building. The main factors are:

1. The size of the premises and the number of circuits and distribution boards. 2. How easy it is to reach the boards, ceilings, risers and plant areas. 3. Whether power can be switched off during working hours or the work needs to be planned for quieter times. 4. The type of premises, since an industrial unit with three-phase supplies is a different job from a small shop. 5. The age and condition of the system, and whether earlier records and circuit schedules exist.

The inspection is one job. Repairs or upgrades the report recommends are another. The EICR tells you what condition the installation is in. It is not a repair visit, and fixing faults is separate work that is priced on its own once the findings are known. Some reports have nothing to put right. Others may point to jobs such as replacing a worn consumer unit or correcting a circuit. Ask for any follow-up work to be itemised, so you can see what is urgent and what can be scheduled.

Romford Electrical Services serves commercial premises in Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster, Gidea Park and Harold Wood. That includes offices, retail units, workshops and small industrial units.

When you send an enquiry, it helps to say what type of premises it is, roughly how big it is, whether you have a previous report, and whether there are times when the power cannot be off. If you also need a landlord EICR or an EICR for a sale or purchase, mention that too. Use the enquiry form on this page to get started.