FCA authorised · FRN 724952 0117 325 0027Quote & buy →
Property owners guide
Fixed wire testing is the periodic inspection and testing of a building's fixed electrical installation, recorded in an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). It matters for insurance because commercial property and landlord insurers commonly ask for evidence of it, and a lapse can complicate a fire or injury claim.
Part of: Property owners insurance
In short
Fixed wire testing checks the permanent wiring, consumer units, sockets, switches and fixed equipment in a building, and the results go into an EICR. In England, private and social landlords must have the installation inspected and tested at least every five years by a qualified person, and before a new tenancy starts. Employers have no fixed interval in law, but the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained to prevent danger, and an EICR is the usual way to show that. Insurers often make periodic testing a policy condition, although the Insurance Act 2015 limits when an unrelated breach can defeat a claim.
“Fixed wire testing” is the commercial term for inspecting and testing the parts of an electrical installation that are hard-wired into the building: distribution boards and consumer units, circuits and cabling, sockets, switches, lighting and fixed equipment. Plug-in equipment is a separate check, usually called portable appliance testing.
The inspector records the results in an Electrical Installation Condition Report. An EICR lists observed defects, gives each a classification code, states whether the installation is satisfactory or unsatisfactory for continued use, and recommends the date of the next inspection. In practice, the report measures the installation against British Standard 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations.
For context on how electrical checks fit with other statutory inspections, see our wiki entries on electrical inspection and statutory engineering inspection.
Regulation 4 requires all electrical systems to be constructed and, as may be necessary to prevent danger, maintained so as to prevent danger so far as is reasonably practicable. The duties fall on employers, the self-employed and, for matters within their control, employees.
The regulations do not name a test interval or require an EICR by name. HSE's guidance on the regulations, HSR25, says inspection and, where necessary, testing is an essential part of preventive maintenance, leaves frequency to the judgement of the dutyholder, and notes that keeping records is not a legal requirement but helps show maintenance has been done. It describes BS 7671 as a widely recognised code of practice, compliance with which is likely to achieve compliance with relevant aspects of the regulations. HSE's electrical safety FAQs say installations should be tested often enough that there is little chance of deterioration leading to danger, by someone competent to do it.
The IET publishes guidance on maximum intervals between periodic inspections, which varies by type of premises and is shorter for higher-risk environments. This is guidance rather than law. The inspector sets the next date on each EICR based on the installation's age, condition and use, and that date is the one insurers and enforcing authorities usually look at.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020. Under regulation 3, a landlord must:
Amending regulations made in 2025 extended these duties to social landlords in phases from 1 November 2025 and raised the maximum financial penalty to £40,000. Government guidance confirms houses in multiple occupation are covered and lists exclusions such as long leases, student halls, hostels and care homes. Separate rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The government guidance for landlords explains the codes as follows:
| Code | Meaning | Action for a landlord |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Danger present, risk of injury | Remedial work required; the inspector may make it safe before leaving |
| C2 | Potentially dangerous | Remedial work required |
| C3 | Improvement recommended | Not required; the report can still be satisfactory |
| FI | Further investigation required without delay | Investigative work required |
For businesses, the same codes are a sensible way to prioritise work, and insurers commonly expect C1, C2 and FI items to be dealt with promptly.
The landlord regulations require a “qualified person”, meaning someone competent to carry out the inspection and testing. The government guidance points to registered competent person schemes and electrician registers to help find one. HSE likewise says the test should be done by a person with the competence to do it. Inspection and testing is a specialist skill: check the contractor is registered for periodic inspection and that their insurance is in place.
Insurers of commercial property, landlord, HMO and blocks of flats policies commonly ask at proposal or renewal whether the fixed wiring has been tested within a stated period. Some policies turn this into a condition or warranty requiring periodic inspection by a qualified electrician and completion of remedial work. Answering accurately is part of your duty of fair presentation.
If a loss happens and testing was overdue, the Insurance Act 2015 limits the consequences for business policies:
These scenarios are illustrative only. A landlord's EICR is three years overdue and a fire starts at the consumer unit: the insurer is likely to argue the breach was relevant to the loss. The same landlord suffers storm damage to the roof: the overdue test probably could not have increased that risk.
If an employee is injured by an electric shock or an electrical fire, the claim usually falls under employers liability insurance. The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998 prohibit policy conditions that remove cover because the employer failed to take reasonable care, failed to comply with a statutory requirement to protect employees, or did not keep specified records. So a lapse in testing should not stop the injured employee being compensated.
The same regulations do allow a policy to require the employer to pay or contribute sums to the insurer in respect of a claim it has satisfied. Separately, HSE can investigate and prosecute breaches of the 1989 Regulations whether or not anyone is hurt, and the business bears that exposure itself.
There is no fixed legal interval for most businesses. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained to prevent danger so far as reasonably practicable, and HSE guidance treats inspection and testing as an essential part of that. An EICR is the usual way to show compliance, and insurers often require one.
At least every five years, and before a new tenancy starts, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. If the last report recommends an earlier date, the landlord must test by then. Amendments phased in from November 2025 extend the same duties to social landlords.
C1 means danger present, with a risk of injury. C2 means potentially dangerous. C3 means improvement recommended but not required. FI means further investigation is needed without delay. Landlords must deal with C1, C2 and FI items within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
Not automatically. If the policy has a testing condition, the insurer may rely on it for a loss it is relevant to, such as an electrical fire. Under section 11 of the Insurance Act 2015, it cannot rely on the breach if you show it could not have increased the risk of the loss that happened.
A qualified, competent person, usually an electrician registered with a competent person scheme for periodic inspection and testing. Landlord regulations require a qualified person, and HSE says testing should be done by someone with the competence to do it. Check registration and insurance before booking.
Tell us about your business and a broker will come back to you with options. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Get a quote Start a commercial enquiryApex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
