Fixed Wire Testing Explained: Your 5‑Year EICR Compliance Plan For UK Sites

Keeping people and property safe starts with a clear plan. If you manage estates, run a school or hospital, or oversee a multi-site portfolio, you need a practical way to stay compliant without disrupting operations.

This guide breaks down fixed wire testing, also called an EICR, into plain steps you can follow. You’ll learn:

• What an EICR covers

• How often to test by environment

• How to prepare for inspections

• How to turn findings into a rolling 5-year plan

You’ll also see how Protest ES Ltd can deliver both testing and remedials nationwide with 24/7 support and clear, actionable reports.

The Basics: What an EICR Is and Why It Matters

EICR meaning (Electrical Installation Condition Report):

An EICR is an inspection and test of your fixed electrical installation. This includes wiring, distribution boards, protective devices, and fixed accessories.

It checks condition and safety against guidelines such as BS 7671 and the IET Wiring Regulations. Results are coded to show risk levels and the actions you must take.

 Is Fixed Wire Testing a Legal Requirement in the UK?

 There is no single statute that states you must have an EICR by name. However:

• The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and the Health and Safety at Work Act require you to ensure electrical systems are maintained in a safe condition.

• An EICR is a recognised way to evidence compliance.

• HSE guidance expects periodic inspection and testing appropriate to the risk, carried out by competent persons.

• For rented housing, regulations set mandated EICR intervals.

• Many commercial leases and insurers require it.

Is an EICR Required for Commercial Property?

In practice, yes. Duty holders must be able to demonstrate that installations are safe. An EICR provides the documented proof your insurer, auditor, or enforcing authority will ask for.

 Are EICRs Valid for 5 Years?

 Often yes, but not always. The next inspection interval is set by the inspector based on risk. Five years is common for many commercial environments, while some sites need shorter intervals.

How Often Should a Commercial EICR Be Carried Out?

 Frequency depends on environment, usage, and condition.

Typical guidance:

• Offices and low-risk commercial: Every 5 years, with annual visual checks

• Education: Typically 5 years, with interim inspections every 1–3 years depending on building age and use

• Healthcare (non-patient areas): 5 years; clinical and medical areas follow stricter standards and often require shorter intervals

• Industrial, workshops, kitchens, wet, corrosive, or dusty areas: Every 1–3 years depending on risk

• Public entertainment or high footfall spaces: Commonly every 3 years

 These are planning norms aligned to BS 7671 guidance notes. They are not legal advice. Your appointed inspector will confirm the interval in the EICR.

What an EICR Inspection Involves

An EICR inspection combines a structured visual examination with electrical tests under safe isolation and lockout procedures:

• Visual checks: damage, overheating, poor workmanship, missing labels, IP ratings, and access issues

• Testing: continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD performance, and functional checks

• Sampling: large sites are tested by agreed sampling of circuits, while high-risk circuits or those with history may be tested at 100 percent

• Reporting: each observation is coded

  
  

  • C1: Danger present, immediate action required

  • C2: Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required

  • C3: Improvement recommended, not unsafe

  • FI: Further investigation required

Is a C2 a Fail on an EICR?

 Yes. A report with any C1 or C2 is unsatisfactory. FI also renders the report unsatisfactory until the investigation is completed and any defects are addressed. C3 items alone still produce a satisfactory report, but improvements are advised.

What Happens if You Do Not Have an EICR?

Without an EICR, you may be unable to evidence compliance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Insurers may reject claims or require urgent testing. In the event of an incident, lack of inspection records can increase liability exposure.

For landlords in regulated sectors, you may face enforcement action or tenancy issues. In short, you risk safety, uptime, and compliance.

How to Prepare for an EICR Test

A little preparation keeps disruption low and speeds up the visit. A simple pre-visit checklist:

• Provide your latest schematics or distribution board schedules if available

• Confirm site induction, permits, access times, and out-of-hours preferences

• Identify critical systems that cannot be switched off and agree a plan

• Clear access to panels, risers, plant rooms, and at least 10 percent of sockets and accessories for sampling

• Share any previous EICR or remedial records

• Nominate a site contact for keys, escorts, and approvals

What About Costs? How Much Does an EICR Certificate Cost?

 Pricing depends on the number of distribution boards and circuits, site complexity, access requirements, and any out-of-hours needs. Multi-site portfolios benefit from bundled rates and a standardised report format.

Get in touch for a tailored quote.

 Build Your Rolling 5-Year Compliance Plan

 Use this framework to stay ahead:

• Year 0: Baseline EICR across each site, identify C1, C2, and FI items, and set the next inspection interval by risk

• 0 to 30 days: Close all C1 items immediately, schedule C2 remedial works, and scope FI investigations

• 1 to 3 months: Deliver remedial works, update asset schedules and labels, issue completion records

• Months 6 to 12: Run interim visual inspections, sample testing in harsher zones, and targeted thermographic surveys for critical panels and rising mains

• Years 2 to 4: Repeat interim checks annually, update risk assessments if occupancy or equipment changes, plan phased testing in busy areas to avoid downtime

• Year 5: Repeat full EICR, or earlier if the last report directed a shorter interval

For multi-site portfolios, stagger sites to even workloads and budgets:

• Group A: Offices and low-risk, test in Year 1, interim visual in Year 3, retest Year 5

• Group B: Education or healthcare non-clinical, test in Year 1, interim in Year 2 or 3, retest Year 5

• Group C: Industrial or high-risk zones, test in Year 1, interim each year, selective retest at Year 3, full retest Year 5

 This creates a rolling programme that keeps certificates current, spreads cost, and reduces service disruption.

Align with Related Compliance Tasks

 Pair your EICR with other planned checks to minimise visits and downtime. For example:

• Emergency light testing

• Thermal imaging of main panels

• Appliance testing during the same window

 If you manage mixed assets, combine this with your fire risk assessment cycle and any fire door inspections.

If you also oversee appliances, our team can help with a PAT testing certificate during the same visit to simplify your compliance calendar.

For broader estates compliance and planning, explore our electrical testing services, including EICR testing, PAT testing, emergency lighting, thermographic surveys, and EV charger checks.

Why Choose Protest ES Ltd for Testing and Remedials

• NICEIC Approved Contractor with nationwide coverage

• Engineers available 24/7 for critical sites

• Clear, actionable reports that prioritise safety and uptime

• One partner for testing, remedial works, emergency lighting, thermographic surveys, and passive fire protection where needed

• Competent project management, from permits to permit-off, with safe isolation and RAMS in place

• Transparent scheduling for out-of-hours work to keep your operations running

Quick Answers to Common Questions

• Is fixed wire testing a legal requirement in the UK?

  Not named in law, but required in effect by duty of care and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. An EICR is the accepted way to demonstrate compliance.

• Are EICRs valid for 5 years?

  Often, depending on risk and environment. The inspector sets the interval.

• Is an EICR required for commercial property?

  Yes, to meet duty of care, insurance, and lease conditions.

  
  

• How often should a commercial EICR be carried out?

  Commonly every 3 to 5 years, shorter for higher risk areas.

• What does an EICR inspection involve?

  Visual checks, electrical tests, sampling, and a coded report.

• What happens if I do not have an EICR?

  You risk safety failures, insurance issues, and enforcement action.

• Is a C2 a fail on an EICR?

  Yes. Any C1 or C2, and FI pending, makes the report unsatisfactory.

  
  

• How to prepare for an EICR test?

  Share drawings, confirm access, plan around critical systems, and clear routes to equipment.

• How much does an EICR certificate cost?

  It varies by size and complexity. Ask for a tailored quotation.

Summary: Your Next Steps

A planned EICR programme keeps people safe, protects assets, and satisfies insurers and regulators.

Set a 5-year rolling plan with interim inspections based on risk, prepare your sites well, and close C1 and C2 findings quickly.

Protest ES Ltd delivers nationwide testing, clear reports, and remedial works so you can move from findings to fixes without delay. Book an EICR survey and remedial package today, with 24/7 support when you need it.

Note: This article provides general guidance, not legal advice. For site-specific intervals and scope, speak to a competent person.