Scottish landlords must have a satisfactory EICR every five years and at each change of tenancy. The report codes findings as C1 (immediate danger), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (improvement recommended) or FI (further investigation). Anything coded C1 or C2 makes the report unsatisfactory and must be remedied. A domestic EICR typically costs £150 to £250 and is delivered within five working days.
If you let a property in Scotland, you have to provide tenants with a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years and at every change of tenancy. That is not optional; it sits inside the Repairing Standard and the Scottish Private Tenancy regulations. This guide walks through what the inspection actually does, what the codes mean, and what to do when a report comes back unsatisfactory.
What an EICR Is
An EICR is a periodic safety inspection of the fixed electrical installation in a property. It is not a portable appliance test (those are PAT tests, on plug-in kit). It tests the fixed wiring: the consumer unit, the circuits, the protective devices, the bonding and earthing, and a sample of accessories like sockets and switches. The output is a report coded against BS 7671: C1, C2, C3 or FI.
The Codes Explained
- C1: Danger present. An immediate risk of injury exists. The installation should not stay live until the issue is remedied. A C1 makes the report unsatisfactory.
- C2: Potentially dangerous. The condition could become dangerous if circumstances change (water, a fault elsewhere). A C2 also makes the report unsatisfactory.
- C3: Improvement recommended. Not dangerous, but does not meet current best practice. The report can still be satisfactory.
- FI: Further investigation required. The inspector could not determine the condition of a circuit and needs more access or test gear. A report with an open FI is unsatisfactory until the further investigation is done.
What Makes a Report Unsatisfactory
Any C1, any C2, or any unresolved FI. As a landlord you cannot serve an unsatisfactory report to a tenant or a letting agent. The work has to be done, the circuit retested, and a new satisfactory report issued.
Common things we see coded as C2 in Edinburgh tenements: missing or under-rated bonding to incoming gas / water services, single-circuit dual-RCD boards on properties with significant numbers of fault-prone circuits, lighting circuits with no CPC (earth conductor) running through metal accessories, and consumer units with melted neutral bars. None of these are catastrophic, all of them are fixable.
Need an EICR Sorted?
Carlos handles letting-agent and direct-landlord EICR bookings across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Reports delivered within five working days.
Call for a Free QuoteCost and Turnaround
Domestic EICRs in our area typically cost £150 to £250 depending on circuit count. A typical two-bedroom flat takes two to three hours on site. We deliver the report (PDF, with codes explained in plain English) within five working days. Where remedial work is needed we quote it separately so you can decide what to do.
If You Are with a Letting Agent
We work with several Edinburgh letting agents on a direct-booking basis. We hold the agent on file, attend the inspection, issue the report to both the agent and the landlord, and quote any remedial work clearly. Most agents prefer this; it keeps the renewal cycle on track and the documentation in the property file rather than spread across email threads.
If Your Existing Report Has Failed
We are happy to take over from another contractor. Forward us the previous report; we can quote the remedials without needing to re-test the whole installation, then return after the remedial work to retest the affected circuits and issue a satisfactory updated report. There is no extra charge for taking on a half-finished job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The regulations require a satisfactory EICR at the start of every new tenancy and at least every five years thereafter.
Not legally. Notifiable electrical work has to be carried out and certified by a competent person; for letting property the EICR has to be produced by a registered electrician.
Not by law, but every ten years is best practice and most insurers and mortgage lenders welcome it.
Depends on what was coded. Replacing the board itself is £650 to £1,200; a single bonding upgrade or a circuit fix is much less. We quote each item separately so you can decide.
