Should EICR (Electrical Instalation Condition Report) be stored nationally or locally in a digital format in a similar way to an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)?

Should EICR (Electrical Instalation Condition Report) be stored nationally or locally in a digital format in a similar way to an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)?

This would allow for people and companies to look up the information rather than it being hidden away.  Knowledable people could then have a chance to look at the results or at the previous results to make comparisons and have some historical imformation on the site.  Furthermore it would allow for the information to be checked at a later date should the requirement arise.  (Grenfell Tower inquiry is a casing point)  It has come to light that some of the EICR may not be wholly accurate. 

Parents
  • No.

    I can, however, see merit in them being digitized and stored securely for the benefit of new owners or even bona fide prospective purchasers. Perhaps the DNOs could do it?

    In fact, there might even be some merit in making supplies conditional upon a current satisfactory EICR/EIC.

  • I don't see why the DNOs could not maintain the Database of EICR/EIC.  After all they are in the correct areana.  Obviouslt cost and resource will need to be allocated. 

    benefit of new owners or even bona fide prospective purchasers

    Worth remembering the thr PRS (Private Rental Sector) also require regular EICR and I am assuming the social houseing will soon follow suit with the same EICR requirement.

Reply
  • I don't see why the DNOs could not maintain the Database of EICR/EIC.  After all they are in the correct areana.  Obviouslt cost and resource will need to be allocated. 

    benefit of new owners or even bona fide prospective purchasers

    Worth remembering the thr PRS (Private Rental Sector) also require regular EICR and I am assuming the social houseing will soon follow suit with the same EICR requirement.

Children
  • Prospective tenants can ask in writing to view an EICR and the landlord must supply it within 28 days.

    Councils should hold a database of unsatisfactory EICRs, as copies must be sent to them. Whether landlords do this is another matter, probably just get remedials done and have a pass EICR issued.

  • Prospective tenants can ask in writing to view an EICR and the landlord must supply it within 28 days.

    This is true but the CPS (Competent Person Scheme) would find it easier to do a spot check if there was a database they could look up for one of the memebers and do spot checks.  This would help weed out any EICR that are not a rigerous as they should be.  Again Grenfell inquirey shows 1 person doing 5 EICRs in one day.  The databse could also be used by the insurance companies to check of the state of the instalation if an EICR is present on the database. 

    Councils should hold a database of unsatisfactory EICRs

    Do the councils have a competent person trained to interpret the EICR that are unsatisfactory or satisfactory?  I suspect for them (local council) this is just a tick box exercise. 

  • Prospective tenants can ask in writing to view an EICR and the landlord must supply it within 28 days.

    And this is the very thing feeding the drive-by EICR.Neither the person requesting nor the person performing the inspection has any great incentive for it  to be thorough, just a 'pass' with minumum expense. Now if the inspector or the landlord had ' skin in the game' then that woudl be a different matter.

    Now of course it may be that parliament is considering adding another piece of legislation to inadvertantly encourage the con-men - although currenty in the draft stages I reckon it has a reasonably good chance of escaping into law in a year or two, without too much expert thought.

    Domestic Premises (Electrical Safety Certificate) Bill

    https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46507/documents/1798

    Mike

  • Well spotted!

    The main problem, IMHO, is that the absence of an EICR is unlikely to deter a prospective purchaser; and in any event, there is nothing to stop a prospective purchaser right now from requesting one or even making an offer conditional upon one.

    • Thanks Mike. I notice that the legislation is ambulatory.
  • Domestic Premises (Electrical Safety Certificate) Bill

    Is there any update on this? 

  • well the lords gave it the nod, or more accurately discharged it - i.e agreed it was OK with no changes and no debate - last year actually, and it is now nominally in the queue for consideration by the commons, but there it seems to be stuck for months. At this rate there will be an election first and then all bets will be off, but the lack of interest is telling. The idea may well end up being  pushed into the long grass to die.

    Mike

    for reference of the process

    https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/bills/private/private-stages/

    - this is slightly unusual in starting off in the Lords - in which case it goes to the Commons and then back to the Lords and then to the king. Or stops at any stage in between

  • Need to print off a copy and keep it on standby at Savoy place for when HRH pays a visit.  Then it is just a case of ask for an autograph.  I am sure the King will visit soon.

  • But as it stands, that bill is unenforceable, firstly being ambulatory (refers to 'latest regs' instead of a specific edition) as well as having the rather gaping hole that an EICR fail is also accepted. It first  needs some intelligent revision, then an autograph ;-)
    On second thoughts, what is actually (not really) happening may be for the best.

    Mike.