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EICR in St Albans.
Electrical safety reports for landlords, homeowners, buyers and businesses, from our office in Chiswell Green. Faults explained, and often fixed on the same visit.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a full inspection and test of a property’s fixed wiring: the fuse board, every circuit, the earthing and bonding, and the sockets, switches and lights. We carry them out across St Albans for landlords, homeowners, buyers, block managers and businesses, from our office on Watford Road in Chiswell Green.
Recent EICRs in St Albans
Chiswell Green, September 2026: inspected and put right the same day
Our engineer Luke arrived at 07:39. Testing the house turned up four things that needed fixing:
- A doorbell transformer hanging outside the fuse board instead of inside it.
- The kitchen sockets wired as a single radial circuit on a 32A breaker, shared with the security system.
- A burnt 13A fused spur feeding the immersion heater.
- Socket and switch faceplates missing their screws.
With the owner’s go-ahead he moved the transformer into the board, split the kitchen into two radial circuits (16A and 20A), gave the security system its own 16A breaker, replaced the burnt spur with a 20A double-pole isolator, secured the faceplates and relabelled the board. He left at 13:30 with everything tested.
St Albans, September 2026: a 35-year-old installation
A house with wiring around 35 years old and no previous reports on file. The smoke alarms were in date and the gas and water bonding was in place, but testing both socket circuits found problems behind the walls: no continuity on a neutral, an open circuit in a ring, and high readings that point to loose connections. That meant four C2 (potentially dangerous) codes and an unsatisfactory report, with two C3 recommendations: a plastic fuse board, and no surge protection.
None of it was visible from the sockets themselves. That’s why an EICR tests every circuit rather than just looking.
More St Albans reports this year
- A flat in St Albans (AL1), July 2026: tested and found satisfactory.
- A place of worship, May 2026: EICR plus an emergency lighting test and a fire alarm inspection on the same visit.
- A retirement flat, May 2026: inspection for a housing association’s repairs programme.
- A care home in Kings Park: EICR across several distribution boards, followed by remedial work in early 2025.
Who needs an EICR in St Albans?
- Landlords must have the electrics inspected and tested at least every five years, give the report to tenants within 28 days (and to new tenants before they move in), give it to the council within 7 days if asked, and finish any required work within 28 days. Councils can fine up to £40,000.
- Social landlords now have the same duties. For tenancies that existed before 1 December 2025, the first EICR must be done before 1 November 2026.
- Buyers and sellers: not a legal requirement, but buyers often ask for one, and it tells you what you’re taking on. See EICR costs, timings and selling a house.
- Homeowners: worth doing if the wiring is older, you’ve no records, or you’re planning an extension, a new kitchen or an EV charger.
- Businesses, schools, churches and block managers: see commercial fixed wire testing.
What happens on the day
- We arrive and agree the limits: which areas we can reach, and anything we can’t test (behind kitchen units, say).
- Power off in stages. A typical house takes three to four hours, and the power is off for part of that, circuit by circuit.
- Every circuit tested at the board, and a sample of sockets, switches and lights opened and inspected. We photograph what we find.
- Dangerous faults made safe before we leave. Anything else is quoted straight away, and we can often fix it on the same visit if you approve.
- Your report is emailed to you (and your letting agent if you want) after the visit.
What the codes mean
- C1, danger present: made safe immediately.
- C2, potentially dangerous: must be fixed; the report is unsatisfactory until it is.
- FI, further investigation: something needs looking into before we can say it’s safe.
- C3, improvement recommended: not dangerous now; worth planning in.
We looked at what we found across 101 home EICRs: read the results.
EICR prices in St Albans
Homeowners from £156 including VAT for a studio or one-bed flat, and £216 for a three-bed house. Landlords from £130 + VAT. Full price list, including extra circuits and boards: EICR prices.
Old fuse board flagged on your report? Read does my fuse board need replacing. Other examples: EICR remedials in a period home in Hertford and same-day remedials in Watford.
Questions we’re asked
How much is an EICR in St Albans?
For homeowners, from £156 including VAT for a studio or one-bed flat and £216 for a three-bed house. Landlords pay from £130 + VAT. Extra circuits and fuse boards are priced separately; see our full EICR price list.
How long does an EICR take?
Usually three to four hours for a typical house, a little less for a flat. In Chiswell Green in September 2026 we did the EICR and the remedial work in one visit, from 07:39 to 13:30.
Will my power be off?
For part of the visit, yes. We switch circuits off one at a time to test them, so you won't be without power for the whole time. Let us know about fridges, freezers or medical equipment.
What if my EICR is unsatisfactory?
It means at least one C1, C2 or FI item was found. We explain each one, quote the work straight away, and re-test once it's done so you get a satisfactory report. Landlords have 28 days to complete the work.
Do I need an EICR to sell my house in St Albans?
It's not a legal requirement, but buyers and their surveyors often ask for one, and it can stop surprises late in the sale.
Can you do EICRs for blocks, churches and businesses?
Yes. We've tested a care home, a place of worship and blocks of flats in St Albans, often with emergency lighting and fire alarm checks on the same visit.
Written by SEGplc. Last updated 21 October 2026.
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