Are you able to prove that your house is safe? Potential buyers would want to know if their new houses are safe.
Are you able to prove that your house is safe? Potential buyers would want to know if their new houses are safe. They also want their new house to be spacious enough to accommodate everyone. This is why having the right documents is mandatory for every homeowner to ensure their home is safe and of considerable value.
In this post, we intend to break down what every homeowner should know regarding EICR certificates. If you are willing to learn one or two things related to EICR in London and the most overlooked sales angle, make sure you give this guide a quick read. We will also share some tips on what to do when you do not have an EICR certificate and finding the right real estate agent to assist you in this.
What are EICR certificates, anyway?
‘EICR’ is the short form for Electrical Installation Condition Report. As its name suggests, these certificates documents the health of a property’s entire electrical infrastructure to evaluate how safe the property is. They test all electrical fixtures that are there in a property, which include:
- The electricity meter
- Any wiring within the property that is visible or exposed
- Major fittings such as the sockets, fuse box, and lights
- Heating and safety equipment including boilers, panel showers & heaters, and smoke detectors that are hard-wired
EICRs do not consider appliances such as white goods, TVs, kitchen & personal appliances, and more. This is because they are not permanently fixed in the property. They, usually, fall under the PAT or portable appliance test requirements.
You will need an EICR certificate only if you are a landlord and own rental properties. These certificates help ensure that your property’s electrical appliances would not cause any fire damage or injure the occupants.
However, a similar framework is there for residential property sellers. When you sell a property without complying with British electrical safety standards, it is considered a criminal offence that is the last thing you would want. Hence, sellers, like you would want to find a way for all electrical appliances to comply with the same. EICs, EICRs, and MEIWCs satisfy the British electrical safety standards (BS7671) requirements.
This is why it is vital that you know how they work. Thus, you make sure that you are compliant with the safety standard requirements before selling your property. Remember that you will need an EICR certificate, especially if you have MEIWC or EIC certificates that cover any electrical work that you have performed since 2005. Below we discuss why.
Difference between an EIC and an EICR
EICs (Electrical Installation Certificates) and MEIWCs (Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates) are designed to verify that any newly done electrical work is safe during its completion. You should get these certificates within 30 days of the completion of the work. Only a qualified electrician that conducted the renovation can issue you these certificates.
The primary difference is that EICRs are retrospective. They are designed to test electrical appliances irrespective of whether they were safe upon completion. They may be helpful if you need to certify older works before certifications were needed.
After 2013, when an installation is done by an unregistered electrician, the work will need to get examined and certified within 5 days by a registered third party. After ensuring the quality and safety of the electrical work, the registered third party will issue an EICR certificate, instead of issuing an EIC or MEIWC.
How to get an EICR? How much it can cost?
A landlord can only obtain an EICR certificate from a registered electrical contractor or a third-party certifier. You can search the database offline or go online to search for a qualified electrician in your area.
The cost of obtaining the certificate can vary depending on the region, the business you hire, and the money they charge. Some charge a flat-rate fee, whereas others charge depending on the scope of the electrical work.
Validity of the EICR certificate
EICR certificates are useful for at least five years. If you are looking to obtain an EICR certificate to sell your property, it is probably not going to be on the market that long. However, you will not need to certify your home if you want to resell it again within the next 5 years of the last certificate being issued or if you have not had any extra electrical work done.
Make sure you notify your local authority and recertify your property if you have:
- Installed a new electrical appliance in your home
- Added or replaced an old fuse box
- Added or made adjustments to an existing circuit in a location like a bathroom, swimming pool or wet room
Will you need an EICR to sell your property?
No, you do not necessarily need an EICR certificate to sell your house. However, some documentation verifying that your property is safe is necessary. This is especially true if any electrical works have been done after 2005. EICR certificates are a useful way you can verify the safety of your home. However, they are not required by law. You use copies of MEIWCs or EICs for selling.
Buyers who know about the EICRs will want to look at the more recent assessment of your property’s overall safety.
Is it necessary to have an EICR to rent a house?
From 1st April 2021, it has become necessary to have EICRs if you want to rent your house. If your EICR certificate is less than 5 years old, then it is valid. But if not, homeowners will need to obtain a new one.
Get buyers easily
It is important for your property to be electrically certified. This ensures you a smooth sale. Therefore, make sure you book an EICR in London and gather all the documents required before you sell your property. This is the only way you can lure buyers with your robust track record of safe electrical renovations and work.
