EICR Codes Explained: C1, C2, C3 & FI for London Landlords

C1 — Danger present. Risk of injury. Action required immediately. Common examples: exposed live conductor, missing fuseboard cover, damaged supply cable.

C2 — Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required. Examples: incorrect polarity, missing RCD on a circuit serving a bath/shower, broken earth bonding.

C3 — Improvement recommended. Not a fail. Examples: lack of RCD protection on a sockets circuit, Type AC RCD where Type A would be safer, no SPD installed.

FI — Further investigation required without delay. Used when the inspector cannot fully verify safety from visual + testing on the day.

Only C1 and C2 codes (and any FI that turns out to be a real issue) make an installation "unsatisfactory". A C3 by itself never fails the EICR — it's a recommendation, not a defect.

Landlords sometimes worry about every C3 on the report. You shouldn't — they're improvements, not blockers. You can address them at your own pace, often at the next fuse board upgrade.

If your EICR comes back unsatisfactory, the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 require remedial work to be completed within 28 days (or sooner if the inspector specifies). Tenants must receive written confirmation within 28 days. The local authority must be informed within 7 days of remedial completion.

Missing the 28-day window is a serious breach with fines up to £30,000. The simplest defence is to book the remedial straight away — most contractors can complete C2 remedials within 7 days.