What Happens if You Fail an Electrical Inspection?

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Getting an electrical inspection for your North West property, or wherever it is you’re based in the UK, can provide peace of mind that your electrics are safe and working properly. However, some inspections result in failure due to issues identified in the testing process.

If you receive an unsatisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), it’s important to understand the implications and next steps.

Understanding Electrical Inspection Failure

An EICR inspection surveys your full electrical installation, identifying any deficiencies or risks. The inspection looks for:

• Damaged, deteriorated or poorly installed wiring and components
• Overloaded or overheating circuits
• Faults that could cause electric shocks or fire hazards

The thorough checks determine if your electrics meet current safety standards. Any issues are documented in the report and categorised by severity:

Code	Meaning	Action
C1	Danger present, risk of injury	Immediate remedial repairs
C2	Potentially dangerous	Urgent repairs needed
FI	Further investigation required	Expedited follow-up inspection
C3	Improvement recommended	Upgrades advised but not mandatory

C1, C2 and FI codes lead to an overall ‘Unsatisfactory’ report requiring corrective action.

Electrical Repairs After Failure

Upon receiving an unsatisfactory EICR, you must address the identified faults through remedial repairs by a certified electrician.

For rental properties, all repairs must be completed within 28 days of the failed inspection. Resolving critical safety issues may require even faster action.

After finishing repairs, your electrician must provide written confirmation that the faults have been corrected and electrical safety standards are now met. You need to furnish this documentation along with the original EICR report to:

• Tenants
• Local authority

Both must receive the paperwork within 28 days of the remedial work. This ensures proper compliance if you need to prove statutory electrical safety.

Reinspection Requirements

Once repairs are complete following a failed EICR, you do not require another full electrical inspection straight away. The written electrician confirmation is considered adequate evidence that any unsound electrics have been fixed.

However, we still strongly advise scheduling a fresh EICR within the next year or two for renewed peace of mind. This also helps identify any new electrical risks that may emerge over time.

Regular reinspections every 5 years (domestic) or 3 years (rentals) remain best practice for proactively monitoring your electrics.

Can You Delay Repairs?

For rental properties, electrical repairs are mandatory within 28 days when an EICR fails – you cannot delay taking action. Any immediate or urgent safety issues must be resolved straight away too.

If your property is currently vacant, all identified faults must be fixed before allowing new tenants to move in. The safety hazards detailed in a failed EICR mean it would be negligent to rent out the property before problems are solved.

The only exception is for non-critical C3 advisory issues in the report, which are still recommended to improve standards but not classified as dangerous.

Using Qualified Electricians for Inspection Repairs

When undertaking electrical repairs after a failed inspection, it is vital to use a certified, competent electrician. The intricate nature of electrics, complex diagnostics and strict safety procedures involved require accredited expertise.

Our fully qualified electricians at DH Electrical Services hold industry certifications such as:

• NAPIT registered
• Certified to BS 7671 wiring regulations
• Members of government competent person schemes
• Trained in periodic electrical inspection testing

We have decades of remedial repair experience across the North West, providing reliable, high quality fixes to get your electrics back up to standard. Get in touch if you need assistance after receiving an unsatisfactory EICR inspection result.

Conclusion: Prioritising Electrical Safety

A failed electrical inspection indicates your electrics could pose real risks that require urgent attention. By law, all faults must be fixed within 28 days using qualified electricians.

Although full reinspection is not immediately required after repairs, periodic testing every 5 years remains vital for proactively monitoring your electrics.Rather than delaying repairs or attempting DIY fixes, contact the professional electricians in Liverpool at DH Electrical Services straight away whenever an electrical inspection failure occurs. We specialise in reliable remedial solutions – book a quote online or call 07946 714 436 to discuss your requirements.