An inspector codes every observation on the report. The code tells you how serious it is and what has to happen next.
Quick answer
C1, C2 and FI each make an EICR unsatisfactory. C3 on its own doesn’t. In a rented home in England, anything coded C1, C2 or FI has to be fixed or investigated within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
The four codes at a glance
| Code | What it means | The report | What has to happen |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present. Risk of injury. | Unsatisfactory | Usually made safe before the inspector leaves, then repaired |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Unsatisfactory | Fixed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so |
| FI | Further investigation required without delay | Unsatisfactory until it’s resolved | Investigated, then anything found is fixed |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | Can still be satisfactory | Nothing required |
Pull a fuse on the fuse board on our home page to see typical findings and how they would be coded.
C1: danger present
Unsatisfactory. Made safe on the spot, usually by isolating it, and you’re told the same day. The repair is confirmed in writing to the tenant and the council within 28 days.
C2: potentially dangerous
Unsatisfactory. Must be fixed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so, then confirmed in writing to the tenant and the council. Missing main bonding to the gas pipe where it comes into the cellar is one of the most common C2s in older Leeds terraces.
FI: further investigation
Unsatisfactory until it’s resolved. Investigate without delay, then fix anything found.
An FI means the inspector found something they couldn’t settle on the day. The investigation is part of the remedial work, so the same 28 days apply.
C3: improvement recommended
The report can still be satisfactory. Worth doing at the next refurbishment.
You don’t have to make a C3 improvement, but it’s a useful list to work from when you next have an electrician in.
If the report is unsatisfactory
Any C1, C2 or FI has to be fixed or investigated within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so. We give you an itemised quote, and you can use any qualified electrician.
- Get the remedial work and any further investigation done within 28 days, or sooner if the report gives a shorter deadline.
- Ask whoever did the work for written confirmation. A satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate all count.
- Send the report and that confirmation to your tenant and to the council within 28 days of the work being finished.
- Keep the report until the next inspection, and give the next inspector a copy.
The law
The deadlines come from regulation 3 of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. A council can fine a landlord up to £40,000 for each breach, the limit set by S.I. 2025/1043. The government’s guidance for landlords explains each code.
Common questions
Does a C3 fail an EICR?
No. A C3 is a recommendation. A report with only C3s can still be satisfactory.
Do I need a whole new EICR after the repairs?
Not always. The written confirmation can be a satisfactory EICR, an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate, depending on the work that was done.
Can a different electrician do the remedial work?
Yes. You can use any qualified electrician. The confirmation comes from whoever carried out the work.
Want a fixed price for your property? Call 020 3386 1854 or send us the details and we’ll reply with the price in writing.
