Commercial EICR in Sturry

For Canterbury business owners, building managers, and commercial landlords, the EICR is the piece of paper that closes the loop on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. CJA Electrical does the inspection, the test schedule, and (separately, if needed) the remedial work to clear observations. Most Sturry commercial jobs are scheduled outside trading hours so the testing doesn’t disrupt the business.

What Commercial EICR actually is

A commercial EICR is a periodic inspection and test of the fixed wiring in a commercial premises — the distribution board, sub-circuits, sockets, lighting, and fixed equipment connections. It’s the same fundamental process as a domestic EICR, but typically covers larger installations, three-phase supplies, and the kind of building services (emergency lighting interface, fire alarm interface, plant equipment) that don’t appear in residential. The output is a written report against BS 7671 with observation codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) on anything that doesn’t meet the regulations, plus a schedule of test results documenting what was actually measured. The duty-holder uses the report to plan remedial work and demonstrate compliance.

When you need Commercial EICR in Sturry

There’s no single statutory cycle for commercial EICRs the way there is for domestic landlord property — the duty-holder works to IET Guidance Note 3 and to whatever the insurer’s policy schedule requires. Most policy schedules across Canterbury reference five-year intervals as standard, with shorter cycles where the building has higher inherent risk. What we see most often in Sturry is the renewal trigger — the insurer asks for a current certificate at the policy anniversary, the building’s last EICR is more than five years old, and we get called in to bring it back into date. Other common triggers: a new tenant on the lease, a CDM-flagged fit-out completion, a refurbished consumer unit that needs documenting against the new circuits.

Standards and what compliance looks like

The two pieces of regulation that sit behind a commercial EICR are BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the IET Wiring Regulations — the technical standard the inspection works to) and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (the legal duty on the employer or building owner to keep the installation safe and maintained). The EICR document itself follows the format set out in BS 7671 Appendix 6 — schedule of inspections, schedule of test results, list of observations with codes. Reports formatted to that standard are accepted by every insurer, every Canterbury local authority, and every commercial landlord we’ve worked with.

Testing schedule and remedials

Each circuit is tested in turn. Dead testing — with the circuit isolated — covers continuity of protective and bonding conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, and (for ring finals) ring continuity. Live testing — with the supply restored — covers earth fault loop impedance, prospective fault current, and RCD operating times. Every measurement is recorded on a schedule of test results and lodged with the certificate. Findings are recorded against observation codes (C1, C2, C3, FI) with a note against each. The summary on the front of the certificate gives an overall verdict — satisfactory or unsatisfactory — based on whether any C1 or C2 observations are present. C3 observations alone don’t make a report unsatisfactory; they’re recommendations rather than failures.

Why Sturry property owners book CJA Electrical

CJA Electrical is based in Rochester and covers commercial work across the whole of Canterbury from there. Sturry sits within the 48-minute working radius — close enough that scheduling around your trading hours and getting back for remedial work is a non-issue. The work is done by someone qualified to City & Guilds 2391 (Inspection & Testing) and 2382 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations), using calibrated test equipment, with reports produced in the standard BS 7671 format your insurer and managing agent recognise. No subcontracting — the person on site is the person signing the certificate.

How the work runs

Step one is a scoping call — usually 10 minutes — to establish the size and complexity of the installation. We’ll ask about the distribution board count, circuit count, three-phase vs single-phase, and any specialist equipment. From that we put a fixed-price quote together, usually within a working day. Step two is the actual testing visit, scheduled to fit around your operations. Most commercial EICRs in Sturry take half a day to two days on site, depending on the installation size. We can phase the work across multiple visits if the premises can’t sustain a single block of testing. Step three is the report — a PDF within 48 hours of testing completing, with the BS 7671 standard format and all observations coded. If the report is unsatisfactory, step four is a separate remedial quote so you can plan the work to bring the installation back to compliance.

What affects the price

Commercial EICR pricing is driven by the size of the installation — number of circuits, number of distribution boards, total accessory count — and the access conditions. Most Sturry office EICRs come in as a fixed price after a five-minute scoping call. Industrial premises and multi-board commercial often need a brief site visit before the quote firms up. What’s included in the quote: the inspection, the testing, the written report formatted to BS 7671. What’s quoted separately: any remedial work needed to clear C1 or C2 observations after the report. We don’t bundle remedials into the inspection price — keeping them separate means the duty-holder can shop the remedial quote against other contractors if they want to.

FAQs

Do you handle three-phase installations?

Yes. Three-phase is normal on commercial Sturry premises with higher load — workshops, larger offices with mechanical plant, industrial units. Test equipment, methodology, and reporting formats are the same as single-phase but with phase-specific readings recorded on the schedule.

What documentation do I get at the end?

The Electrical Installation Condition Report itself (front page with verdict, schedule of inspections, schedule of test results, list of observations) as a single PDF. We can split it into board-specific certificates if you need separate documents for individual tenants in a multi-tenanted building. The PDF is what your insurer, Canterbury City Council, and any future buyer’s surveyor will expect to see.

How often does a commercial EICR need doing?

IET Guidance Note 3 is the reference. Five years is standard for offices, retail, and most small commercial in Sturry. Three years for industrial, educational, and most workshop premises. One year for higher-risk environments — cinemas, swimming pools, places of public assembly. The duty-holder can shorten these intervals based on risk assessment, and most insurers require evidence the building is on cycle.

What law requires a commercial EICR?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Regulation 4(2) makes the duty-holder responsible for keeping the installation safe and maintained, and Regulation 16 makes the employer responsible for ensuring competent persons do the testing. The EICR is the standard documentary evidence of compliance with both. Insurers commonly require it as a condition of policy.

Can testing be done out of hours so we don’t shut the business?

Yes. Out-of-hours testing is the default for retail units, restaurants, and most Sturry commercial premises. We can also phase the testing across multiple visits if the building can’t sustain a single block. Tell us when you’re closed (or quietest) and we’ll plan the work to fit.

What’s a sampling EICR and is it appropriate for our building?

Sampling is when the duty-holder specifies a percentage (often 10–20%) of circuits and accessories to be tested rather than 100%. The remaining circuits are visually inspected only. The sample is documented on the report and the duty-holder accepts responsibility for the un-tested portion. Appropriate for large, low-risk premises on tight inspection cycles. For most Sturry commercial, full testing is the right call.

Who’s legally responsible — landlord or tenant?

Depends on the lease. In a typical full-repairing-and-insuring (FRI) commercial lease the tenant carries the duty for the installation within the demise. In shorter leases the landlord usually retains the duty. For multi-tenanted buildings, the landlord normally holds the duty for shared common parts and main supply. We can read the lease with you on a quick call and clarify who needs to commission the EICR.