An EICR can be marked unsatisfactory when the inspection identifies electrical safety issues that require urgent action, improvement or further investigation.
The most common EICR failures usually relate to electric shock risk, fire risk, damaged equipment, missing protection, poor workmanship or lack of safe earthing and bonding.
An EICR is not simply a visual check. The electrician is assessing whether the installation is safe for continued use and whether defects create danger, potential danger or require further investigation.
Circuits that should have RCD protection may be coded where additional protection is required for safety.
Missing or inadequate bonding to gas, water or other services can create serious shock risk.
Cracked sockets, exposed conductors or loose fittings can result in C1 or C2 observations.
Burning, melted insulation, heat damage or thermal stress can indicate dangerous loose connections or overload.
Oversized breakers, incorrect fuses or poor circuit protection can leave cables inadequately protected.
Unsafe additions, exposed joints, incorrect cable routes and poor terminations are common causes of failure.
A broken ring circuit can affect current-carrying capacity and may require investigation or remedial work.
Missing circuit protective conductors or broken earth continuity can make exposed metalwork unsafe.
Damaged boards, missing blanks, poor IP rating or unsafe enclosure conditions may lead to unsatisfactory results.
You can read a more detailed breakdown on the TESC EICR coding guide.
A failed EICR does not always mean a property is unsafe to occupy, but it does mean the recorded observations must be taken seriously.
Check the report carefully and identify whether the issues are C1, C2, C3 or FI.
Dangerous or potentially dangerous defects should be corrected by a competent contractor.
Landlords and duty holders should keep records of the report, remedial works and confirmation of compliance.
If you need to check whether an EICR has been filed, search the TESC register or use the compliance guidance pages below.