Commercial building services / Practical guide
Commercial EICR and Electrical Testing: Preparing the Inspection
A useful electrical inspection starts with a defined installation, clear access and an agreed approach to reporting and remedial work.
Reviewed and rewritten 12 October 2026. General planning guidance; agree the actual technical scope for your building.
Define the installation and boundaries
Identify the building, supplies, distribution boards and the part of the installation to be inspected. Clarify landlord, tenant and shared-system responsibilities. Provide previous reports and available drawings; gaps in the information should be identified rather than concealed.
Agree extent, limitations and access
Discuss the inspection scope, any proposed limitations and access to equipment. Plan isolation and business interruption with the site team. The inspection should be carried out by a competent person with the appropriate responsibility for the work.
Read the findings as decisions
An EICR records the condition found within the agreed inspection and testing scope. Review the observations and any need for investigation or remedial work with the responsible competent person. Avoid presenting a report as a guarantee that an installation will remain safe indefinitely.
Authorise and record remedials
Agree who receives the report, who approves follow-up work and how completion is documented. Keep the original inspection, subsequent work and the related records connected. Inspection and remedial work are distinct activities even when arranged through one provider.
Review future inspection requirements
The appropriate programme depends on the installation, environment, use, previous findings and relevant duties or contract conditions. Do not assume one universal interval fits every commercial building. Confirm the recommendations and responsibilities for your actual premises.
Turn the information into a useful enquiry
Include the site postcode, the systems and the work required. Add records, symptoms and access restrictions where relevant. For urgent faults, call to discuss availability.