Four documents get called an "electrical certificate". They do different jobs, and buyers, landlords and insurers ask for different ones.
Electrical certificates explained
EICR, EIC, Minor Works and Part P: which certificate is which, and which one you actually need.
EICR: Electrical Installation Condition Report
A report on the condition of an existing installation. It's what landlords need every five years and what buyers ask for. It doesn't certify any new work. See EICR inspections.
EIC: Electrical Installation Certificate
Issued for new work: a new installation, a rewire, a new circuit or a consumer unit replacement. It records the design, construction, inspection and testing, and it is signed by the people responsible. A full EIC can stand in for a landlord's EICR until five years after its date.
Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate
For small additions and alterations that don't add a new circuit, such as an extra socket on an existing circuit, a replacement light fitting or a moved switch. It shows the work was tested and is safe. Keep these. They're part of the property's electrical history.
Building regulations (Part P) compliance certificate
Some electrical work in homes is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations: in England, mainly a new circuit, a consumer unit replacement, and additions or alterations to circuits in rooms with a bath or shower. Notifiable work must either be done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who self-certifies and notifies building control, or be notified to building control directly before work starts. The homeowner then receives a compliance certificate. Solicitors ask for these when you sell.
Which one do I need?
| Situation | Document |
|---|---|
| Letting a property | EICR (or an EIC less than five years old) |
| Buying or selling a house | EICR, plus certificates for any recent work |
| Had a new consumer unit or rewire | EIC and building regs compliance certificate |
| Had an extra socket or light fitted | Minor Works Certificate |
| Business premises | Periodic EICR, plus PAT records for equipment |
Questions people ask
Is there such a thing as an electrical safety certificate?
I've lost my certificates. What now?
Certificates
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