Preparation
Preparing for an EICR inspection
Prepare safe access to the installation, gather previous electrical records and tell the electrician about known problems. Preparation helps the inspection proceed; its result depends on the findings.
Reviewed 5 October 2026 by Michael (Technical Supervisor) and George Opsenica (Director, Codeex Maintenance Ltd). General guidance, not a reading of your own report and not legal advice.
Review details
- Michael: electrical guidance within the recorded review scope.
- George Opsenica: service information and presentation.
- George Opsenica: service information and presentation.
Preparation is not a result
Preparing access does not determine the observation codes.
The result depends on the installation and the findings recorded by the electrician.
Tell the electrician about known defects and arrange qualified help for electrical work.
What to have ready
Clear the cupboard in front of the board if you can do that without electrical work. Do not open enclosures, change connections, or paint over damage as a way of steering the report. If there are signs of immediate electrical danger, do not wait for a routine EICR or attempt a repair from this page; keep clear and arrange appropriate electrical assistance.
| Item | Why the inspector needs it | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Keys and entry | The installation that cannot be reached is a limitation | Remove a defect |
| Consumer unit access | The board has to be opened for the inspection | Set the codes in advance |
| Previous reports and certificates | They show what was recorded before | Guarantee the same outcome |
| Tenant notice | Someone may need to be in, or out, for isolation | Create an exemption |
| Areas that cannot be isolated | Say so before the visit so the extent is honest | Force a satisfactory result |
| Known limitations | Lofts, locked rooms and occupied clinics | A reason to skip them silently |
The day before, without trying to steer the result
1. Entry
Confirm who has the keys, and that someone can be there if a room has to be opened.
2. The board
Clear stored items from in front of the consumer unit if you can do that without electrical work. Do not open the enclosure yourself.
3. Papers
Put previous reports and any installation certificates where they can be read. They do not guarantee the same outcome.
4. People on site
Tell tenants or staff if circuits may need to be isolated. Notice is access planning, not an exemption.
5. What cannot be isolated
Say so before the visit. An honest limitation is more useful than a silent gap.
6. Leave defects alone
Do not repair, repaint or conceal damage in order to change what is found. Preparation does not determine the codes.
The result is read afterwards
Book the inspection through EICR testing in London. Read codes on the EICR code guide.
Related pages
Make the visit possible.
Access and papers help the inspection. They do not decide the codes.
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