EICR Testing in Swindon

Rented homes in Swindon

Almost one in five Swindon households rents privately: 19.3% at borough level in the 2021 Census. Under the regulations for private lettings in England, a qualified person has to inspect the wiring of every rented home at intervals of no more than five years. Tenants are entitled to a copy of the resulting report, and anything flagged as needing action has a deadline for repair.

Railway-era terraces

Swindon's growth around the Great Western Railway works left the town with a large number of Victorian terraced houses. At borough level, 29.0% of homes are terraced. The Railway Village and Swindon Old Town are both conservation areas, and many of the terraces in and around them are now rented.

In houses of this age the wiring has usually been replaced at least once, but the condition varies widely. Typical observations include consumer units without RCD protection on every circuit, earth bonding on the incoming gas or water service that is absent or too thin, cables added over the years without records, and worn accessories. Small kitchens and bathrooms extended into rear outshuts can also have circuits that were never designed for current loads.

Understanding the codes

Each observation on an EICR is coded. C1 means danger present and needs immediate action; C2 means potentially dangerous and needs urgent attention; FI means further investigation is required; and C3 is a recommendation for improvement. A report with any C1, C2 or FI is unsatisfactory. We explain each item and quote separately for the remedial work, so you can see exactly what is needed.

Booking an inspection

When you get in touch, tell us how many bedrooms the house has, whether it has more than one board and who holds the keys. Circuits are isolated one by one during testing, so it's worth letting the occupants know when we're due. If a property has been empty for a while, or has had previous remedial work, any earlier reports and certificates are useful to see, as they help us understand how the installation has changed over time. Once the report is issued, keep a copy for your records, give one to existing tenants within 28 days and provide one to new tenants before they move in.