Electrical safety certificates in Wales

What is an EICR?

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a formal assessment of the safety of the electrical installation in a property. It's carried out by a qualified electrician and reports on the condition of the wiring, consumer unit (fuse box), sockets, switches, and other fixed electrical parts.

EICRs use a coding system:

• C1 — Danger present, immediate action required
• C2 — Potentially dangerous, urgent remedial action required
• C3 — Improvement recommended (not mandatory to fix but advisable)
• FI — Further investigation required

A satisfactory EICR (no C1 or C2 codes) confirms the installation is safe for continued use. The recommended frequency is every 10 years for owner-occupied homes, every 5 years for rented properties (now legally mandated in Wales).

Part P Building Regulations

Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) requires that certain electrical work in dwellings is notified to and inspected by the local authority — or is carried out by a registered competent person who can self-certify the work.

Work that must be notified or done by a competent person:

• New circuits
• Consumer unit (fuse box) replacement
• Any work in kitchens, bathrooms, gardens, or locations with a special risk of electric shock

Work that doesn't require notification:

• Like-for-like replacement of switches, sockets, and light fittings (not in kitchens or bathrooms)
• Adding extra sockets to existing circuits (certain conditions)

The competent person schemes for electricians in Wales include NICEIC, NAPIT, and ELECSA. Electricians registered with these schemes can self-certify their work and issue a certificate directly to you and Building Control.

EICR for landlords in Wales

Since 2020, private landlords in Wales must ensure properties are electrically safe under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (Wales) Regulations. Key requirements:

• EICR every 5 years (or at change of tenancy if sooner)
• A copy of the EICR must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the inspection
• Given to new tenants before they move in
• Remedial work identified (C1 or C2 codes) must be completed within 28 days
• Proof of remedial completion provided to tenants and the local council

Local councils in Wales can impose financial penalties for non-compliance. Since April 2023, licensing under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 also has electrical safety requirements linked to EICR compliance.

How to find a qualified electrician

For any notifiable electrical work or EICR, use an electrician registered with one of the competent person schemes:

NICEIC (Approved Contractor or Domestic Installer) — check at niceic.com NAPIT — check at napit.org.uk ELECSA — check at elecsa.co.uk

All three operate in Wales. Registration means the electrician has been vetted for technical competence and runs adequate insurance. For work in Wales only, some smaller operators are registered with OFTEC or other schemes — check the specific scheme for their register.

Cost of an EICR in Wales

EICR costs vary by property size and condition:

Property type	Typical cost (Wales)
1-bed flat	£100–180
2-bed house	£140–250
3-bed house	£180–300
4-bed house	£220–380
Older property (more circuits)	Add £50–100

Cardiff and Swansea rates run slightly higher; rural Wales and the Valleys are typically at the lower end. Remedial work (fixing C1/C2 codes) is quoted separately — get a written quote before authorising repairs.

Consumer unit (fuse box) replacement — one of the most common remedial requirements — typically costs £400–800 for a domestic property.