What Happens During an Electrical Safety Inspection?

If you've been told you need an EICR—short for Electrical Installation Condition Report—you might be wondering what’s actually involved. Whether you're a homeowner, landlord, or business owner, understanding the process helps you feel more confident and prepared.

At Smart Ohm, we carry out EICRs across Leeds and surrounding areas, and in this post we’ll walk you through exactly what happens during an electrical safety inspection, what we look for, how long it takes, and what you can expect to receive at the end.

What Is an EICR?

An EICR is a professional report that assesses the condition and safety of your fixed electrical installation. It checks whether your electrical system is safe to use and meets current UK regulations (BS7671).

It is required for:

• Landlords – every 5 years (legal requirement)
• Businesses – for insurance and Health & Safety compliance
• Homeowners – for peace of mind, especially when buying/selling a property

How Long Does an EICR Take?

That depends on the size and complexity of your property. As a guide:

• 🏠 1–2 bedroom flat or small house: 2–3 hours
• 🏡 3–4 bedroom house: 3–5 hours
• 🏢 Commercial premises: Half to full day, depending on layout

We always give an estimate based on your property before the visit.

What Happens During the Inspection?

Here’s what’s involved, step by step:

1. Initial Walkthrough & Visual Checks

We’ll start with a quick walkthrough to assess the layout and number of circuits. Then we carry out visual checks of:

• Consumer unit (fuse board)
• Sockets, switches and lighting
• Signs of damage, wear or burning
• Earthing and bonding
• Previous DIY or non-compliant work

2. Dead Testing (No Power)

We switch off the power and run tests to check:

• Continuity of conductors
• Insulation resistance (checking for potential short circuits)
• Earth fault loop paths
• RCD (Residual Current Device) operation

This helps identify hidden issues that may not be visible to the eye.

3. Live Testing (Power On)

With the system powered back on, we perform:

• RCD trip time testing
• Polarity checks (confirming live/neutral/earth are correctly wired)
• Functional testing of sockets, switches, lighting and fixed appliances

Safety is our priority—we take precautions to avoid disruption and ensure safe testing procedures.

What We’re Looking For

We’re checking if your installation:

• Is safe to use
• Complies with the latest 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS7671)
• Has adequate protection devices (MCBs, RCBOs, RCDs)
• Shows no signs of damage, wear, or overheating
• Has proper earthing and bonding
• Is suitable for continued use or requires attention

What Happens After the Inspection?

You’ll receive a digital EICR report with a clear summary of our findings.

Each observation is graded using a code:

• C1 – Danger present (immediate action required)
• C2 – Potentially dangerous (urgent attention recommended)
• C3 – Improvement recommended (not unsafe but non-compliant)
• FI – Further investigation required

If the report is marked “Unsatisfactory”, don’t panic—we’ll provide a clear quote for any remedial work needed to bring the installation up to standard.

Do You Need to Do Anything Before the Visit?

Here’s how you can help make the inspection go smoothly:

• Make sure we have access to the consumer unit and main switch
• Clear access to rooms, sockets, and visible wiring
• Let us know about any specific issues you’ve experienced
• Provide parking or access information in advance if needed

We’ll handle the rest!

Book Your EICR with Smart Ohm - We provide professional EICR testing across Leeds, Wetherby, Harrogate, Boston Spa and beyond. Whether you’re a landlord, homeowner or business owner, we’ll carry out a thorough, honest inspection with a detailed, easy-to-understand report.

• NAPIT Registered
• Digital Reports & Certification
• Clear Recommendations
• Fast Turnaround
• Remedial Quotes Available

📞 Call us today or
📩 Request your EICR quote online to book your electrical safety inspection.