1 .    Cooking appliances      It’s always a good idea to have a small fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen.   Cooking appliances cause over 40% of accidental house fires.      Cookers, ovens, rings and hot plates, grills and toasters are the common sources of ignition.      2.    Electrical      Electrical failure of a component of the main electrical installation or fixed equipment is the second highest cause of fires.   This is why an EICR is so important, it may not prevent all fires but can highlight any problems.           Wiring, cabling and plugs (especially if overloaded), heating equipment                such as thermostats or fixed heaters are the common sources of ignition.        3.    Electrical appliances      This runs ...

EICRs are graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory rather than pass or fail.   However, to be clear an unsatisfactory test is a fail when it comes to letting out a property for tenants or paying guests and any unsatisfactory issues need to be fixed before doing so. Every EICR should have a summary near the front of the report highlighting any issues and the report should clearly state the satisfactory or unsatisfactory grading – usually on the front sheet. There is then a more detailed report which will show exactly where any issues have been found and need action. The gradings are C1, C2, C3 and F1. Any CI, C2 and F1 issues found will classify the inspection as unsatisfactory and will need the issues fixed. C3 issues do not need immediate action and a property can continue to be let but it could lead to a bigger issue later. The good news is you don’t need a full new EICR after any remedial work as each piece of work will be certified in its own right and have its own ...

What is an EICR? Electrical Installation Condition Report is an electrical safety certificate to show that all the fixed electrical equipment that is supplied through the electricity meter has been tested.  It’s basically the hard wired system through your property. Consumer board This is different from Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) which covers portable equipment and appliances such as washing machines, hairdryers, kettles and tv’s, and will be covered in a different blog post. Do Short Term Lets need an EICR? In short yes, Scotland is the only part of the UK where an EICR is mandatory for any short term let property.  Why do we need a certificate? Faulty electrical installations can cause electric shocks and fires by generating high temperatures. The risk of fire and shock can be reduced by ensuring the electrical installations and appliances are safe. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service figures for 2022 – 2023 show that 12% of accidental house fires and 6% of deaths ar...