Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in Exeter

Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, every private rented property in England needs an EICR at least every 5 years, or sooner if the report recommends it. Our qualified electricians are registered with a competent person scheme, and we issue reports that landlords can hand to tenants, agents and local authorities. If the installation is satisfactory, the report confirms that the property meets the required standard at the time of inspection. If it is unsatisfactory, the findings must be acted on.

This varies street to street, so we go on your exact address rather than a town-wide average. homedata.co.uk records show 7,100 property sales in the Exeter postcode area between April 2025 and March 2026, down 15.9% by 1,600 transactions year on year, with only 209 newly built homes in that period. That points to a large amount of existing wiring rather than fresh installations, which is exactly the kind of stock where hidden defects can sit behind a neat faceplate. For landlords, an EICR is not just a tick-box file item.

The sales mix also gives a clue about the variety of installations we see. Detached homes made up 33.9% of sales, terraced homes 31.7%, semi-detached homes 21.5% and flats 12.9%, so Exeter has a broad spread of layouts rather than one single house type. Each style can hide different issues, from ageing accessories and extension circuits to absent bonding or weak RCD protection. A report that comes back with C1 or C2 items should be treated as a safety job, not an admin task. The penalty for non-compliance can reach £30,000 per breach, so the timeline matters.

If our report shows C1 or C2 findings, the landlord must arrange remedial action within 28 days, or sooner if the report sets a tighter deadline. The written report must also be provided to tenants within 28 days, and local authorities can request a copy if they are checking compliance. Where the installation is unsafe, we make the danger safe first, then explain the remedial route. That keeps the property usable while the electrical risk is being addressed.

After repairs, we can re-inspect the affected circuits or, where needed, carry out a fresh full report. In Exeter, that often matters where an older consumer unit has been replaced, a shower circuit has been altered or an extension has introduced a second set of cabling. homedata.co.uk records show 7,100 sales in the Exeter postcode area over the last 12 months, so many homes are changing hands while landlords are also renewing tenancies and insurance documents. A clean follow-up report can remove the uncertainty for everyone involved.

Missed deadlines carry real consequences. The local authority can take enforcement action, and the financial penalty can reach £30,000 for each breach. A C1 finding means immediate danger, so the installation should be made safe straight away. A C2 finding means the risk is serious enough that it should not be left waiting for a convenient diary slot. Our electricians explain the code, the fault and the repair path, so the next move is clear.

EICR prices in Exeter start from £120, and the final fee depends on property size, the number of circuits, the condition of the consumer unit and how easy the installation is to test. A 2-bedroom flat is usually quicker to inspect than a larger detached home, while older wiring or several consumer units can add time. The Exeter postcode area has a wide price spread too, with home.co.uk showing 2-bedroom homes at £246,716 and 3-bedroom homes at £343,089 in May 2026. That spread often mirrors the range of electrical layouts we see on site.

Our fee includes the inspection, the test results, the written report and a clear explanation of any C1, C2, C3 or FI observations. We test against the current wiring regulations, then issue the report once the notes are checked and written up. If the installation is unsatisfactory, we can quote for the remedial works separately and explain what needs to happen before the property can be signed off. Most inspections take 2-4 hours, although larger homes in Exeter may need a longer visit.