EICR Before Selling in Bearsted, Kent

A pre-sale EICR isn’t legally required to sell your Bearsted property, but it’s increasingly common on older stock — particularly where the surveyor on the buyer’s side is likely to flag the electrics. CJA Electrical handles pre-sale EICRs across Bearsted and the wider Maidstone area, with same-week appointments and the report back inside 48 hours.

What an EICR involves for Pre-Sale

Pre-sale inspection follows BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 with the same scope as any domestic EICR — consumer unit, accessible accessories, supply route, earthing and bonding, then circuit-level testing for continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, and RCD operation. Findings get coded C1, C2, C3, FI per the standard. The deliverable is the standard three-part EICR PDF, ready to slot into the conveyancing pack.

When you need this in Bearsted

Worth thinking about a pre-sale EICR when: Your property is older than the late 1980s and the consumer unit hasn’t been replaced. You’ve owned the property for a long time and there’s no recent inspection on file. You’ve previously sold a property where the buyer’s survey flagged electrics and you don’t want a repeat. The market you’re listing into involves picky buyers (investor, BTL, second-time buyers in Bearsted). Or the property’s been recently extended and the audit trail is patchy.

What the report contains

Reports come back as a single PDF — three-part document covering the form, the schedule of inspection, and the test results per circuit. The same format any solicitor expects to see in a contract pack. Unsatisfactory reports come with a remedial-work quote attached. Done well before the buyer’s surveyor visits, this turns a potential renegotiation into a non-issue.

Why book CJA Electrical for your Bearsted EICR

For pre-sale work, what matters is turnaround and clean handover. We’re set up around exactly that — quick booking, inspection visit accommodated around viewings, report PDF in the inbox within 48 hours, remedials quoted at the same time so the vendor can act quickly. Same-week appointments typical for Bearsted. Direct delivery to vendor or solicitor, whichever the listing prefers.

How the inspection runs

1. Phone, WhatsApp, or email with the property address 2. Same-day fixed quote 3. Visit accommodated around viewings or marketing schedule 4. Inspection — usually a single morning or afternoon 5. Report PDF delivered to you (and your solicitor or agent if instructed) within 48 hours 6. Remedials quoted alongside any unsatisfactory findings; re-test on completion

What affects the price

Pre-sale EICR pricing depends on the property — size, circuit count, consumer unit type, accessibility, and the age of the wiring. Bearsted stock varies; older property with multiple consumer units takes longer than modern flats. Same-day fixed quote on receipt of the address. No deposit, payment on certificate.

FAQs

Will the EICR check things like the boiler and gas?

No — EICR scope is fixed wiring only. Boiler safety is covered by a separate Gas Safety check (CP12) carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer; the boiler’s wiring and switching is in EICR scope but the boiler itself is not. For pre-sale documentation on a property with a gas boiler, you’d typically have both.

Can I get the EICR done while the property is empty between owners?

Yes — vacant property is the easiest to inspect because access isn’t constrained by a tenant or homeowner’s schedule. We can usually fit empty-property inspections on shorter notice. The certificate names the property and is dated; it’s still valid evidence regardless of whether the property is occupied at inspection.

Should I get an EICR before listing my house in Bearsted?

If the property’s older than the late 1980s and the consumer unit is original, yes — a pre-sale EICR is the cheap insurance against the buyer’s surveyor flagging the electrics post-offer. For modern stock with a recent consumer unit, the value is lower. Worth a phone call to talk through the property before booking either way.

How long is a pre-sale EICR valid for?

EICRs don’t have a formal validity period in the same way a tenancy-related certificate does. In practice, buyers and their solicitors accept reports up to about five years old; older than that and a fresh inspection is usually preferable. For older Bearsted stock specifically, a recent report carries more weight than an older one. The IET recommends ten-yearly inspections on owner-occupied homes as a baseline.

Can my EICR be used by the buyer for their due diligence?

Yes — that’s the point. A vendor-commissioned EICR is supplied to the buyer through the conveyancing process, normally as part of the contract pack. The buyer is free to commission their own inspection if they want a second opinion, but most don’t bother when a recent satisfactory report is already on file. Saves time and cost on both sides.

What if I get an unsatisfactory pre-sale EICR?

You have options. Fix the issues pre-listing (clean certificate goes in the contract pack); fix them during marketing and supply the fresh certificate at offer-accepted; or disclose the unsatisfactory report and price the property accordingly. Most Bearsted vendors choose to fix pre-listing because it’s usually the smallest impact on the asking price. We quote the remedial work alongside the report so you can decide quickly.

Will the buyer’s mortgage lender ask for an EICR?

Usually not directly — most mortgage valuations are visual and don’t require a specialist electrical inspection. However, if the valuer flags older electrics in their report, the lender may require an EICR before releasing funds. Having one already in the contract pack avoids that delay and the additional cost (which often ends up on the vendor).