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Is a QS entitled to sign off an EICR?

Chris Pearson
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.
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    Kind of you Chris to suggest I might employ an incompetent inspector, so I expect this is a wind-up! DZelectrical, not quite right! You are unlikely to find me in a trade listing or social media type advert.


    As I do not take part in the QS scheme either, I can only comment on documents I have, of which there are a pile and growing. I have one electronically generated one with the QS signature missing, although there is a name and no mention of the inspector at all. The contents are basically rubbish, and I am even suspicious of the measurements as they do not tie up well with my mind's eye view of the premises, although I have not seen it directly. There is a second similar which has a QS name and signature, but again no Inspector. Lack of RCDs is coded C1, fault protection is by ADS only is stated not EEBADS. New CU quote enclosed. Both have a number of other question mark items that I will not list.


    In my view both of these EICRs are not competent, not compliant with BS7671, and should result in some fairly serious penalty for the contractors involved. Both are for new rentals recently. I have even had a suspicion that the QS may no longer work for this contractor, yet to be verified, hence the lack of signature. Of course, it could be an oversight, but a highly non-compliant one.


    I have been collecting a whole lot of evidence that there are serious difficulties with various parts of the industry, not because I have any grudge against anyone in particular, but because so many things seem to be going on which are likely to bring everyone into disrepute at best and serious trouble at worst. I believe it is necessary to have reliable and honest electricians for the good of society as a whole. If this breaks down it will become a "free for all" and the real cowboys will win over everyone else. This must not happen.
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  • 0
    Kind of you Chris to suggest I might employ an incompetent inspector, so I expect this is a wind-up! DZelectrical, not quite right! You are unlikely to find me in a trade listing or social media type advert.


    As I do not take part in the QS scheme either, I can only comment on documents I have, of which there are a pile and growing. I have one electronically generated one with the QS signature missing, although there is a name and no mention of the inspector at all. The contents are basically rubbish, and I am even suspicious of the measurements as they do not tie up well with my mind's eye view of the premises, although I have not seen it directly. There is a second similar which has a QS name and signature, but again no Inspector. Lack of RCDs is coded C1, fault protection is by ADS only is stated not EEBADS. New CU quote enclosed. Both have a number of other question mark items that I will not list.


    In my view both of these EICRs are not competent, not compliant with BS7671, and should result in some fairly serious penalty for the contractors involved. Both are for new rentals recently. I have even had a suspicion that the QS may no longer work for this contractor, yet to be verified, hence the lack of signature. Of course, it could be an oversight, but a highly non-compliant one.


    I have been collecting a whole lot of evidence that there are serious difficulties with various parts of the industry, not because I have any grudge against anyone in particular, but because so many things seem to be going on which are likely to bring everyone into disrepute at best and serious trouble at worst. I believe it is necessary to have reliable and honest electricians for the good of society as a whole. If this breaks down it will become a "free for all" and the real cowboys will win over everyone else. This must not happen.
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