In my view, an inadequate number of socket outlets is not contrary to any regulation and does not merit any code upon inspection. Provided that the installation does have a minimum of two double sockets in the kitchen and one double in each other room.

This rather paltry provision is AFAIK a requirement under some regulation to render a home fit for habitation. Not in the IET regs though, possibly building regulations ? 

Depends if this is residential or commercial/industrial.  Eg a small 2 bed flat I would say test them all.

A key point would also be the visual inspection.  Eg if there are signs the kit is quite old or damaged thermally or physically.  Then I would be more inclined to test a higher percentage or all of them.


The onsite guide is a good starting point but
IET Guidance Note 3 Inspection and Testing
Would be more helpful


As always on your quote you should state your limitations.  This is site dependant as always.  Eg on very large or complex sites you may need to quote for a discovery session

I think you're right.

I forgot to add that the reason this came about was a local authority carrying out an inspection on behalf of the tenants (we carried out an EICR on behalf of the landlords) and insufficient numbers of sockets was recorded on the Hazard Awareness Notice. I guess I should try to justify why we never mentioned it on the EICR. 

There seems some definite crossover here between the local authority (probably looking at some building reg) and BS7671 (which doesn't seem to mention it all). I think it shold be clear (not helped by the OSG) that as testers we're looking for what is potentially dangerous or not to current regulations, rather than whether the home is fit for habitation. Afterall it's not like we'd know how many people are going to live there or what electrical equipment they're going to plug in.

I guess in our defence, even if we had recorded it as a C3 then the landlord would still have had no obligation to rectify it. 

I think you've not understood.

Sorry - I wasn't asking how many of the socket outlets should be tested as part of an EICR.

Sergio Fernandez said:

The onsite guide is a good starting point

That's one opinion.

Scott Seedell said:

Interestingly the OSG quotes a regulation number (553.1.7) next to their table (H7) which doesn't correlate to the table at all.

Why? Doesn't the Regulation relate to adjacency of socket-outlets to equipment and adequate provision for someone to plug in appliances brought into a room?

Personally I quite like the one by Napit.

On-Site Solutions

Perhaps because that reg makes no mention of the total number of socket outlets that Table H7 in the OSG recommends? That reg mentions mobile equipment and the length of flex used. So by the logic of that reg then if there's no mobile equipment likely to be used in the room then there's no requirement to have any sockets at all.

Scott Seedell said:

So by the logic of that reg then if there's no mobile equipment likely to be used in the room then there's no requirement to have any sockets at all.

Quite possibly. That might apply to a bathroom? But not a sitting room, dining room or kitchen, and probably not a bedroom?

Part 2 gives a definition for mobile equipment (electrical equipment which is moved while in operation or which can easily be moved from one place or another while connected to the supply). So for all other equipment (clearly not many appliances will fall into this bracket) - this reg doesn't apply. Crucially though, it mentions nothing about the total numbers of sockets required, which the OSG provides a table for.