Understanding EICR Report Codes: C1, C2, C3 & FI

Every observation on an EICR gets a code. Those four short codes decide whether your report reads satisfactory or unsatisfactory, how urgent the work is, and — if you are a landlord — what your deadline looks like. They are worth ten minutes of your time.

C1 — Danger present

A C1 means somebody could be hurt by this today. Exposed live conductors, a broken accessory with live parts accessible, a missing earth on a metal enclosure that is already live to touch.

C1 items are not left until later. Your engineer will make the installation safe before leaving — usually by isolating the affected circuit — and will tell you what needs doing to restore it properly. A C1 always makes a report unsatisfactory.

C2 — Potentially dangerous

A C2 is the most common reason a report fails. Nothing is dangerous while everything is working normally, but if a single fault develops, it becomes dangerous.

Typical C2 observations include a missing main protective bonding conductor to gas or water, no RCD protection on socket circuits used for outdoor equipment, a damaged cable sheath inside a wall, or a borrowed neutral shared between circuits.

C2 items must be put right, but the installation can normally stay in service while that happens.

FI — Further investigation required

FI is not a verdict, it is a flag. It means something did not behave as expected and could not be resolved within the inspection — a reading that does not add up, a circuit that cannot be traced, or a section of installation that was inaccessible on the day.

Because the outcome is unknown, an FI makes the report unsatisfactory until it has been investigated and either cleared or recoded.

C3 — Improvement recommended

C3 is the code people worry about unnecessarily. It means the installation does not meet the current edition of the wiring regulations, but it is not unsafe. Older wiring colours, no RCD on a lighting circuit that does not need one, a consumer unit in a plastic enclosure that was compliant when installed.

C3 items on their own do not fail a report. They are a list of sensible improvements, not a demand.

What you actually have to do

If you are a landlord and your report comes back unsatisfactory, you have 28 days from the report date (or sooner if the report specifies) to complete the remedial work and obtain written confirmation that it has been done. That confirmation goes to your tenant and, if asked, your local authority.

If you are an owner-occupier, there is no legal deadline — but a C1 should be treated as today’s job and a C2 as this month’s.

How we handle it

We do not hand over a coded list and wish you luck. Every observation on our reports is written out in plain English, photographed, and quoted for within 24 hours. If you want us to carry out the work, the same team returns, completes it, and re-issues the certificate — no second contractor, no second inspection fee.

Send us your report and we will tell you what it means and what it will cost to clear it.