An EICR and an Electrical Installation Certificate are both electrical safety documents — but they're issued in completely different circumstances and mean very different things.

We regularly get calls from homeowners and landlords confused about which electrical certificate they need. The two most commonly confused are the EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) and the EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate). They sound similar, but they're issued in completely different circumstances and serve different purposes.

Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC)

An Electrical Installation Certificate is issued by the electrician who carries out new electrical installation work — for example, a rewire, a new consumer unit, or a new circuit installation. It certifies that the work was designed, constructed and tested in accordance with BS 7671. An EIC is not something you commission — it's issued automatically by the installing electrician on completion of the work.

Under Part P of the Building Regulations, certain types of electrical work in dwellings require notification to Building Control. If the work is carried out by a registered competent person (such as a NICEIC-approved contractor like KLIC ELECTRICAL), they can self-certify the work and issue the EIC directly without separately notifying Building Control.

EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)

An EICR is a periodic assessment of an existing electrical installation. Unlike an EIC (which relates to new work), an EICR looks at the whole installation as it currently exists — assessing whether it is safe to continue in service. An EICR does not certify that any new work has been done — it reports on the condition of what's already there.

An EICR is what landlords are legally required to obtain every 5 years. It's also the document typically requested by mortgage lenders, insurers and local authorities when checking the safety of a property's electrical installation.

Key Differences at a Glance

• EIC — issued after new electrical installation work is completed
• EICR — periodic inspection of an existing installation
• EIC — certifies new work meets BS 7671
• EICR — assesses whether the existing installation is safe to continue in use
• EIC — issued by the installing contractor automatically
• EICR — must be commissioned by the property owner/landlord
• EIC — no expiry (the work it certifies doesn't expire)
• EICR — valid for 5 years (landlords) or 10 years (homeowners)

Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC)

There's also a third document worth knowing about: the Minor Works Certificate. This is issued for smaller additions to existing circuits — adding a socket to an existing ring circuit, for example. It's not the same as a full EIC (which is needed for a new circuit) and definitely not the same as an EICR.

Which Document Do You Need?

• Renting out a property? You need an EICR every 5 years.
• Just had electrical work done? The electrician should provide an EIC or MEIWC automatically.
• Buying a property? Ask for the most recent EICR and any EICs for recent work.
• Applying for a mortgage or insurance? Usually requires an EICR if the installation is older than 5 years.

EICR Testing Across East London

KLIC ELECTRICAL carry out EICR inspections and all types of electrical installation work across East London. Whether you need an EICR for a rental property in Isle of Dogs or an EIC for new circuit work in Bethnal Green, our NICEIC-approved team covers the whole area.