Useful Tips

The maximum permitted time between EICRs is 10 years. We do, however, recommend this to be completed on a five - 10 year cycle to keep ahead of significant changes in the regulations, and also significant changes to the equipment and technologies, which are ever-increasing at pace in development for use in homes.

In rented domestic dwellings, the frequency is more often, with the maximum permitted time between EICRs being every five years or every change of tenant (whichever is sooner).

(Not keeping your home EICR inspections in date with a valid EICR runs a high risk of invalidating your home insurance.)

The maximum permitted time between EICRs is five years. This may vary for companies who have in place a site risk assessment requiring more frequent schedules, such as higher risks where water and chemicals are used, machinery is used, public access is frequent, or their insurance companies request a set period more frequent than five years.

Larger scale sites may also choose to complete 20% of the site every year, over five years, to complete the 100% inspections of that five-year cycle, with benefits of keeping annual budget costs in line, minimising disruption to production and operations.

(Not keeping your business EICR inspections in date with a valid EICR runs a high risk of invalidating your business insurance.)

In short, yes. Every job that requires electrical modifications should be issued with an electronically delivered (not paper copy) Minor Works Certificate / Electrical Installation Certificate, EV Charge Point Risk Assessment certificate, to show all aspects of the works that have been tested and verified safe for operation.

For electrical installation certificate works, you should also receive a building regulations registration certificate for residential properties (domestic dwellings) to show the work has been registered with your local authority's building control department.

A Minor Works Certificate should be issued to the customer when an existing circuit has been modified / extended / changed in any way on any building type connected directly to mains power.

An Electrical Installation Certificate should be issued to the customer when a new circuit, a replacement consumer unit or a full rewire has been carried out on any building type connected directly to mains power.

The DNO (District Network Operator) who are in charge of supplying electrical energy to your home and area are required to be notified of any installation of EVCP. Sometimes this requires upfront authorisation, and sometimes a notification that works have been carried out. The company you hire to complete this work should carry specialist certified proof and be part of at least one accreditation scheme that can verify they are qualified and insured to carry out this work. Fully Wired is registered with three accreditation scheme providers who can verify we know our stuff.

Yes, we are OZEV registered and can offer the Government-based grant scheme to qualifying applicants directly.

The main difference is that a registered company can prove they have invested time to keep up to date with the ever-changing electrical industry, and invested money in training programs to adhere to regulation changes. They can prove they have the correct levels of insurance for the work scope they are trained for. They can also prove they are audited every year by a governing body who will check all aspects of the business to show they are providing a high-quality safe service to businesses and the public. Fully Wired is registered to operate by Napit (the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers) and OZEV (the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles), and further registered with Trustmark (Government-endorsed standards agency).

A consumer unit is sometimes known by a few names: mains board, fuse board, the box for the electric under the stairs! In any case, the principle is the same, the power comes into the property from the electrical grid outside, to the main fuse, then through your meter, which tells your billing company how much power you are using on your consumer unit. The mains power is then distributed via a series of sub-circuits, which only allow a certain amount of power to each cable running through the property.

Being a home or business owner isn't just about the aesthetics or which furniture needs updating and repainting every so often. As nice as that is to look at, you should also be investing in the maintenance of the infrastructure of the property too. You have your gas boiler and fire service schedule completed each year by a gas-safe registered company to ensure your insurance is valid, so it is also your responsibility to ensure the same for your electrical system. You can hire a registered competent company to maintain the appropriate schedule too.

From the Consumer Unit, through the entire property electrical system checks against faults, unknown damage and continual upgrades are required to have the safest electrical network in your property and keep yourselves safe in your homes and workplaces.