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Is a QS entitled to sign off an EICR?

Open to debate, but I say no.


The whole concept of QS seems to be a creation of NICEIC, but I can see the point of it. If I am employed by DZ Electrical and make a mess of things, the company is vicariously responsible for my errors. I cannot be sued. So it would be in the interests of DZ Electrical to ensure that I am competent to work for them.


However, I suggest that an EICR is personal. The model form in Appendix 6 (page 473) has a declaration, but includes the name and signature of the inspector and tester as well as whoever authorises the report.

651.5 The periodic inspection and testing shall be carried out by one or more skilled persons competent in such work. Skilled person is defined in Part 2. If the identity of the inspector and tester is not disclosed, how may I as the client know that he or she is skilled?


The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require that A private landlord ... must ... ensure that every electrical installation in the residential premises is inspected and tested at regular intervals by a qualified person and qualified person is defined as a person competent to undertake the inspection and testing required under regulation 3(1) and any further investigative or remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety standards.


If the identity of the inspector and tester is not revealed, how could the landlord possibly ensure that he (or she) is qualified?


So, in my opinion, at the very least for a private landlord's report, the EICR must be signed off by the inspector and tester. I might go further and suggest that the report should include the inspector's qualifications.
  • Is this relating to a particular EICR Chris? In which case did the QS sign both boxes? Or was I&T box left empty? Or was there no I&T box at all? 

    I have seen some really poor EICRs, more so recently, but all have had 2 boxes to fill
  • On a NICEIC EICR the tester still has to sign and it signed as checked by the QS
  • The tester and QS can be the same person
  • Chris 


    What do you mean by sign off?


    A lot of QSs do not have any inspect and test qualifications to carry out inspections under the PRS scheme.


  • John Peckham:

    Chris 


    What do you mean by sign off?


    A lot of QSs do not have any inspect and test qualifications to carry out inspections under the PRS scheme.


    John, OK, delete "off".


  • OlympusMons:

    Is this relating to a particular EICR Chris? In which case did the QS sign both boxes? Or was I&T box left empty? Or was there no I&T box at all? 

    I have seen some really poor EICRs, more so recently, but all have had 2 boxes to fill


    Yes, more or less. I was thinking of the recent thread, EICR Remedial Work. Only one box and signed by a "QS".


  • So does this person meet the requirements of Regulation 16 of the EAWR 1989? 


    Do do they meet the requirements of Regulation 615.5 of BS 7671?


    Whilst the employer may be vicariously liable for their acts and omissions that does not absolve them personally from prosecution in the criminal courts.


  • If a person is genuinely capable of carrying out EICRs properly, then what has it got to do with NICEIC and their home-made rules and restrictive practices?
  • Hi Chris , the problem I have regarding the QS signing the EICR is if you have large amounts coming in are you not allowed to sample an amount of each inspector and let them know this? I have worked at companies before where they are uneditable so you have to inform the inspector his will be audited and he can populate QS details. Obviously the others that aren’t being audited at that time won’t carry any QS details. Some say this makes the EICR non compliant?
  • From NICIEC website.
    The Qualified Supervisor is the electrically competent person with specific responsibility for the safety, technical standard and quality of electrical installation work.


    No mention of inspections in that definition, just installations  (and the usual worrying implication that no one else in the company is guaranteed  to be an electrically competent person
    , though they probably are.)


    What is the role of the QS in the compilation of an  EICR  unless he is present for at least some of it?

    How can he take responsibility for actions and decisions he has not seen and has little control over ? 

    Is the role really limited to a judgement 'I know this chap, as I employ him, and I think  his judgement  is OK?'

    The inspector, surely, is the one who inspects, as in climbs a ladder, holds a torch, wrinkles their nose and goes 'humf ' occasionally, and is the responsible person.

    Mike