Electrical advice guides
Written by a working NICEIC electrician, not a copywriter. Straight answers on EICRs, landlord duties, consumer units, EV chargers, rewires and the faults people ring us about most.
What is an EICR, and do I need one?
An EICR is a health check for the fixed wiring in a building. It is not a formality and it is not a quick look round: it is a measured inspection that ends in a written verdict of satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Read the guideEICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI
Most confusion about EICRs comes down to four codes. Once you know what they mean, an unsatisfactory report stops looking like a disaster and starts looking like a list of jobs.
Read the guideHow much does an EICR cost, and what affects the price?
There is no single national price for an EICR, because the work is driven by how many circuits there are and how easy they are to reach. Here is what actually moves the number.
Read the guideLandlord electrical safety duties, in general terms
This is a general overview, not legal advice. The rules are set out by government and enforced by your local authority, and the official guidance linked below is the final word on your specific situation.
Read the guideDo I need to upgrade my consumer unit?
A consumer unit upgrade is one of the most frequently oversold jobs in the trade. Sometimes it is exactly right. Sometimes it is an expensive way of avoiding the real problem.
Read the guideHow much does an EV charger installation cost, and what grants are available?
Most EV charger quotes vary for one reason: the distance and difficulty between your consumer unit and where you want the charger. Everything else is comparatively predictable.
Read the guideSigns your house needs rewiring
Full rewires are disruptive and expensive, so it is worth knowing which warning signs genuinely point to one and which have cheaper explanations.
Read the guideWhy does my RCD keep tripping?
An RCD tripping is not the RCD failing. It is the RCD detecting current leaking to earth and cutting the supply, which is exactly what it exists to do. The job is finding out where the leak is.
Read the guide