EICR codes explained: what C1, C2, C3 and FI mean
Your electrician hands back an EICR full of codes. Which ones are a fail, which are advisory, and what do you legally have to fix — and by when? Here's the plain-English version for landlords.
By the FixQuotes editorial team
- Published
- Reading time
- 7 min read
Key takeaways
- C1 means danger is present and there's a risk of injury — it must be made safe immediately.
- C2 means potentially dangerous — urgent remedial work is required.
- C3 means improvement recommended — it is not a fail, and a report can still be satisfactory with C3s on it.
- FI means further investigation is required without delay.
- A report is 'unsatisfactory' if it contains any C1, C2 or FI code. Landlords must complete the remedial work within 28 days (or sooner if the report specifies) and obtain written confirmation.
What is an EICR?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a formal assessment of the fixed wiring in a property — the consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches and accessories. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords must have the installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person, and give the tenant a copy of the report.
The inspector records their findings against each issue using standard observation codes — C1, C2, C3 and FI. Understanding them tells you exactly what's urgent, what's advisory, and whether the report passes.
C1 — danger present
A C1 means ‘danger present, risk of injury’. Something is live and exposed, or otherwise immediately hazardous — for example a broken socket with accessible live parts. A competent inspector will usually make a C1 safe on the spot (with your permission) because it can't be left.
Any C1 makes the report unsatisfactory and demands immediate action.
C2 — potentially dangerous
A C2 means ‘potentially dangerous’. It isn't an immediate risk like a C1, but it could become dangerous — for instance no earthing or bonding where it's needed. C2s are the most common reason a report comes back unsatisfactory.
C2 items require urgent remedial work, normally within the 28-day window below.
C3 — improvement recommended
A C3 means ‘improvement recommended’. It flags something that isn't dangerous and meets the standards it was installed to, but would be safer if upgraded to current standards — like the absence of RCD protection on an older circuit.
Crucially, C3 codes do not make a report unsatisfactory. You are not legally required to act on a C3, though many landlords choose to. Don't let a contractor pressure you into ‘fixing’ C3s as if they were a fail.
FI — further investigation required
FI means ‘further investigation required without delay’. The inspector has found something they couldn't fully assess and that needs looking into — it isn't a verdict, but it can't be ignored. Like C1 and C2, an FI makes the report unsatisfactory until resolved.
Satisfactory vs unsatisfactory, and the 28-day rule
The overall outcome is binary. If the report contains any C1, C2 or FI code, it is unsatisfactory. If it contains only C3 codes (or none), it is satisfactory.
Where a report is unsatisfactory, the 2020 Regulations require the landlord to carry out the remedial work within 28 days — or sooner if the report states a shorter period — and then obtain written confirmation from a qualified person that the work is done and the installation is now safe. You must supply that confirmation to the tenant (and to the local authority if they've requested it) within 28 days of completion. The exact code definitions and duties are set out in the government's electrical safety guidance.
Because the clock starts on the report date, you need quotes you can act on quickly. FixQuotes writes the remedial work up as one clear job, sends it to Part P competent electricians, and returns three quotes for the same job, so you can act inside the 28 days without overpaying.
Need quotes for any of this?
FixQuotes writes the job up once and returns three quotes from independent local trades. Free for landlords, letting agents, and property managers.