How Often Should a Commercial Property Have an EICR?

For business premises, there isn't a single rule that says an EICR is due every set number of years in the way the private rented sector rules work for homes. Instead, a general legal duty to maintain electrical systems sits alongside guidance on inspection intervals, and insurers and leases add their own requirements. This guide explains how those fit together in general terms. It isn't legal advice; speak to your advisers about your own obligations.

The duty to maintain

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that electrical systems in workplaces are maintained so far as is reasonably practicable to prevent danger. They don't specify a test interval, but periodic inspection and testing by a competent person is the recognised way of finding deterioration and showing that the system is being maintained. The resulting EICR is the record of that inspection.

Recommended intervals vary by premises

Guidance published by the IET, which supports the national wiring standard, suggests maximum intervals between inspections for different types of premises. In general terms, buildings with heavy use, public access or harsher conditions are given shorter intervals, and offices and shops longer ones. Industrial units, hospitality premises, places where the public gather and buildings with special locations such as swimming pools tend toward the shorter end. These are starting points, not fixed rules.

The inspector sets the next date

Every EICR includes a recommended date for the next inspection. The inspector bases it on the type of premises, how the installation is used, its age and the condition found. A well-maintained installation in a low-risk office might be given the full recommended interval; an older one with signs of wear or heavy use, a shorter one. Plan your next inspection around that date.

Insurers and leases

Commercial insurance policies often require a current EICR, sometimes at a specified interval, and may ask for remedial work to be completed within a set time. Leases commonly allocate responsibility for the fixed installation between landlord and tenant and may require inspection at particular intervals or at the end of a term. Check both documents, as their requirements can be stricter than the guidance.

Changes of use and new tenants

A change of use, a major refurbishment or a new occupier is a good reason to inspect regardless of the last date, because the way the installation is used may have changed significantly. A report at the start of a lease also gives both parties a clear record of its condition.

Between inspections

Periodic inspection doesn't replace routine checks. Staff should report damaged sockets, cables and fittings, and anything that buzzes, smells or gets hot should be taken out of use and checked. RCDs have a test button that should be operated as the manufacturer recommends.

Large and multi-unit sites

On larger sites, inspection is sometimes split across a rolling programme so that a portion of the installation is tested each year and the whole site is covered within the interval. This can reduce disruption, especially where power has to be isolated.

Fixed wire testing

You may hear the inspection called fixed wire testing. It means the same thing: periodic inspection and testing of the fixed installation, recorded on an EICR. Our commercial testing page explains how we plan visits around trading, and our guide to commercial EICR cost explains what drives the price.

Getting the most from an inspection

Before the inspection, gather any previous reports, drawings and board schedules, and tell the inspector about recent alterations, problem areas and equipment that mustn't lose power. Agree in advance which areas will be isolated and when, so staff and customers aren't caught out. Afterwards, use the report's observations to plan remedial work and budget for improvements, rather than filing it until the next date.

Remedial work

Items coded C1 or C2, or marked for further investigation, should be dealt with promptly. Our guide to EICR codes explains what each code means. C3 recommendations can often be bundled into planned refurbishment work.

Records

Keep reports, remedial certificates and board schedules together and easy to find. Insurers, landlords, buyers and the next inspector may all ask for them.