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EICR visual inspection?

Dave Thomas
This came up in another forum question and when I looked, the NICEIC sell "visual inspection forms", but I'm struggling to see when or how these would be suitable or deemed sufficient as they apparently involve no testing whatsoever. the info I found was sketchy ( I didn't buy any!) but it looked as though you don't even take the cover off the board or do a Ze/polarity test?

I accept that in a well finished house with a high standard of decor (especially if they have just done it up and it's on the market) the customer might not want you taking loads of stuff apart and I it may be appropriate to list "limitations" on the report and get on with what you can, but: 

If you surely cannot state an installation is safe for use because the CU is modern, all the tails and earths look the right size and there's an RCD? Yes, knowing that there are no obvious risks of direct contact electric shock is a start, but surely you would at least need to do Ze and Zs for each circuit as well as bonding conductor continuity and RCD/RCBO trip times? Anyone know more about these, or does anyone do them?
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    651.2


    Z.
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    Funnily enough i have just done a report this morning and i finished by saying i recommend it be inspected again in 5 years or if the tenant leaves before then have as a minimum a visual inspection done to see if there are obvious signs of damage to accessories etc.


    Gary
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    That bit  I get: in fact in the past I have done a full periodic on a rental and when the customer has rung up 6 months later and told me the tenant is changing, I've gone and done a visual: made sure nobody has messed with it, no cracked sockets etc, but I've done Ze/Zs and RCD tests. Just because there are no obvious electric shock risks doesn't mean the tenant can't get a shock off a poorly wired metal light fitting changing a lamp. In theory I would spot that it had been changed and test it, but if you are doing a new "visual only" this won't happen. What I'm trying to understand is the circumstances under which such a test would be deemed satisfactory? Is it for unskilled persons doing a walk round before handover? You know the installation has an in date test so you're just looking for broken things?
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    Visual inspections are best left to super heroes that have X-Ray vision, not us mere mortals. So much can be missed. And just think what can go wrong in 5 or 10 years.


    Z.
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    If undertaken in a correct and meaningful way then yes they can be quite helpful therefore do have some merits.

    However they are only one facet of a proper undertaking. On their own are not much cop at all.

    The real danger is some people want only that and some people will supply them with only that.

    Gives a false feeling of safety.


    If I walk into a property to do a small job or even just an estimate I quickly scan with the  ubiquitous Mark 1 Eyeball, 

    I owe it to the customer to mention things I spot but explain it`s only a quick glance and the remainder I can not comment on.
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    Dave Thomas:

    That bit  I get: in fact in the past I have done a full periodic on a rental and when the customer has rung up 6 months later and told me the tenant is changing, I've gone and done a visual: made sure nobody has messed with it, no cracked sockets etc, but I've done Ze/Zs and RCD tests. Just because there are no obvious electric shock risks doesn't mean the tenant can't get a shock off a poorly wired metal light fitting changing a lamp. In theory I would spot that it had been changed and test it, but if you are doing a new "visual only" this won't happen. What I'm trying to understand is the circumstances under which such a test would be deemed satisfactory? Is it for unskilled persons doing a walk round before handover? You know the installation has an in date test so you're just looking for broken things? 


    Dave in that instance it`s a full monty. EICR.

    Other than that a good regime might do all EICRs and EICs to rented properties then every 6 to 12 months do a viz only , mostly to make sure the blighters have not damaged things or commited DIY on it


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    To my mind visuals are in addition to normal periodic inspections - not instead of. We all know that an MOT or EICR is only as good as the day it's written - anything could have happened afterwards (accidental damage, bodged alteration, struck by lightning...) that could result in a damaged installation long before the next periodic is due. Ideally we rely on people's common sense - knowing that impact they know about might have resulted in damage and keep an eye out for wear and tear that can happen any time. But common sense seems to be lacking these days, so a Visual is a way of formalising what ideally should be happening all the time anyway, but probably doesn't.

       - Andy.
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    AJJewsbury:

    To my mind visuals are in addition to normal periodic inspections - not instead of. We all know that an MOT or EICR is only as good as the day it's written - anything could have happened afterwards (accidental damage, bodged alteration, struck by lightning...) that could result in a damaged installation long before the next periodic is due. Ideally we rely on people's common sense - knowing that impact they know about might have resulted in damage and keep an eye out for wear and tear that can happen any time. But common sense seems to be lacking these days, so a Visual is a way of formalising what ideally should be happening all the time anyway, but probably doesn't.

       - Andy.


    I issued an E.I.C.R. recently to a landlord. The installation had two mains battery smoke alarms. As I usually do, I pushed the test buttons to check operation. The units were life expired. The batteries were U/S. The "replace by" date stickers on the units confirmed that renewal was needed.

    I remarked to the tenant that she may consider fitting two new battery operated smoke alarms for immediate cover, whilst the elderly landlord gets the originals replaced. The alarms did not work on batteries at all, just when mains powered.


    She said that they worked when she burnt the toast. She said that replacement  was the landlord's responsibility.


    A "walk by" visual inspection  would not have discovered the faulty smoke alarms.


    Z.

     


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    Correct Zoom lad and that`s why visual has its limitations and must be used alongside a robust system not as instead of. Pressing Test buttons on smokes and RCDs doing Zeds again improves it a little , plug in socket tester yes again. 


    A decent landlord would prefer not only EICRs at stated intervals but annual/twice annual drop in , quick peek and a little chat to the tenant to ask if they`ve any concerns, show how to test RCDs  by pressing buttons etc just adds that little bit a low cost and you might just see if a blighter has meddled or running extensions etc etc.
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    Very few rented homes in England have smoke alarms that are not time expired and are in an acceptable condition. 


    Visual only inspections are not acceptable for the EICRs that landlords required to be able to let a home out to tenants, but they are acceptable as interim checks and for home owners who want general guidance on if they should be considering upgrading or repairing their electrical installations.


    There is no reason why a visual inspection cannot include reading the expiry date on the smoke alarms and checking their batteries.

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