Landlord Electrical Safety Certificates
EICR Manchester
07749 730033
Landlord Electrical Safety Certificates, EICR
Able Electricians have been providing electrical testing and certification since 2015 and we are fully qualified to the latest City & Guilds standards.
As from the 1st of July 2020 it is a legal requirement for all property landlords to obtain an Electrical Safety Certificate for each property for all new tenancies in England All existing tenancies must comply by April 2021.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, under the government’s guidance, landlords and letting, agents are required to provide safe homes during the COVID19 pandemic.
What Certificate Do I Need ?
All landlords as from the 1st of July 2020 will need to proved all new tenants of their properties with an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report).
To obtain an EICR a qualified and competent person must carry out a periodic inspection of the electrical installation within the property.
A periodic inspection involves testing the entire installation from the consumer unit, checking there is adequate earthing provisions and safety by automatic disconnection from supply for each circuit.
We test that the wiring is in good condition and there is adequate protection from electric shock. We provide an EICR which demonstrates all test results performed on each circuit and a summery of the overall condition of the installation.
Do I need to give my tenant an EICR?
In compliance to Electrical Safety Standards, all landlords must provide an EICR to each new tenant or local authority on commencement of the tenancy.
You have up to 28 days to comply with the legislation, non-compliance can result in a £30,000 fine for each breach and can be enforced by your local authority.
A standard EICR last for five years when a new certificate will be required and will be issued on completion of another periodic inspection.
All existing tenancies have until April 2021 to have an up to date EICR which again will last five years.
What Is an EICR?
Periodic Inspections should only be carried out by qualified and competent persons carrying the relevant certifications. Able Electricians are qualified to the latest City & Guilds In Periodic Inspection and Testing. We will check the condition of the electrics against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations, BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations (IEE Wiring Regulations).
We inspect and test the entire system ensuring all earthing and bonding is adequate based on the use and type of system you have. We test and inspect all switchgear, over-current protection and fault protection in the for of RCD's and RCBO's. We test the performance of the wiring by passing a test current through each cable ensuring the insulation is of suitable quality, this test may indicate the need for a full or partial rewire. All light fittings and power outlets are tested to ensure they comply to safety standards.
The person carrying out the report will detail any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliance throughout the property and will record it accurately on the certificate.
EICR Manchester, Your Step By Step Guide…..
We inspect and test the entire system ensuring all earthing and bonding is adequate based on the use and type of system you have. We test and inspect all switchgear, over-current protection and fault protection in the for of RCD's and RCBO's. We test the performance of the wiring by passing a test current through each cable ensuring the insulation is of suitable quality, this test may indicate the need for a full or partial rewire. All light fittings and power outlets are tested to ensure they comply to safety standards.
An EICR is basically an MOT for an existing electrical installation whether it be in a domestic dwelling, factory or hospital. Each type of premises has a given time schedule between inspection and testing with a view to the general purpose and usage of the installation. An EICR is to ascertain the general condition of the installation and the overall safety for its user.
For an EICR we perform a test regime that identifies any faults within the wiring and safety devices. We determine that all accessories and devices are of the stipulated quality and design to meet the requirements set by the wiring regulations BS7671 18th Edition 2018.
For installations that are in constant use 24 hour a day, like a hospital for instance, this periodic inspection can be replaced by a regime of supervision, constant monitoring and maintenance. All records of such work being stored and available for scrutiny.
Routine Checks
Electrical installations should not be left for years without any form of inspection, therefore along with periodic inspections there should be routine checks carried out by the person responsible for the installation, this person known as the duty holder.
Routing checks include looking for and rectifying the following; • Breakages and wear and tear of wiring, enclosures, accessories and protective devices. • Signs of overheating. • Missing covers, loose fittings etc. • Operation of switchgear and equipment such as RCD’s.
Continuity of bonding conductors and protective conductors
This where we ensure that exposed conductive parts of any current using equipment is correctly earthed in the case of a fault, metal casings of appliances etc. Continuity of bonding conductors typically, this is where we check that the gas and water pipes within premises are correctly earthed from supply intake to the electrical supply at source.
Continuity of the conductors in a final ring circuit
This usually applied to power sockets whereby the circuit operates as a ring where each conductor runs from the fuse board supplying each socket and returning to the fuse board, rather like a daisy chain. We check the continuity of each conductor at each and taking a measurement. From the measurements, we can ascertain whether there is any damage or poor connections within the circuit.
Earth fault loop impedance
This test is to determine that all protective devices for each circuit will operate within the stipulated time given by BS7671. We are measuring the resistance of the line and the earth conductor from source to its furthest point from the supply. This reading needs to be within a given limit in ohms and recorded on a schedule of test results as R1+R2. This reading is the added to the external earth fault loop impedance to give an overall earth fault loop impedance for the circuit known as ZS.
Here are the most common limits for ZS for protective devices.
Insulation Resistance Test
Each circuit within an installation has line conductors, a neutral and a protective conductor. The live conductors are wrapped with PVC insulation designed to stop any current from escaping to earth. Over time the insulation can deteriorate through temperate changes and general wear and tear.
We measure the general integrity of the insulation through an insulation resistance test. The insulation resistance test is carried out by sending a given voltage DC ( Depending on what equipment the circuit supplies) down each conductor and measuring the resistance. The minimum allowable resistance stipulated by BS7671 is 1Mega ohms. A poor resistance reading would lead to further investigation to find any faults.
Operation Of RCD's
All circuits supplying power sockets on a circuit not exceeding 32amps now need to be protected by RCD. In addition to this any locations including a bath or shower also need to be protected by RCD. As from the 18th edition of BS7671 all luminaires now need to be protected by RCD. An RCD provides additional protection to the circuit breaker by activating in the event of an earth fault rather than an overcurrent or short circuit fault. RCD’s come in several forms offering different levels of protection for different locations.
We test the RCD’s with six tests for each. The testing involves different fault currents to give a general indication of the operation of the device.
We used Able Electricians earlier this year to provide a new electrical installation for our out building. Excellent workmanship. Able Electricians are very professional I would have no hesitation in recommending them.
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