Rewiring & Electrical Certificates
for House Sale North London

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a formal inspection of the wiring in a property, issued by a qualified electrician, that grades each part of the installation as satisfactory or codes any defects (C1 immediate danger, C2 potentially dangerous, C3 improvement recommended). Conveyancing solicitors ask for one to confirm the wiring is safe before the buyer commits.

Most pre-sale EICRs we book are surveyed within 48 hours of the call, with the written report issued within 5 working days. Pricing starts at £180 for a 1–2 bed flat or £230 for a typical 3-bed. See our EICR cost guide for a fuller breakdown.

For an EICR-only job with no remedials needed: about 5–7 working days from your call to your solicitor receiving the PDF and posted original.

For an EICR plus targeted remedial work: typically 2–3 weeks end-to-end — survey within 48 hours, EICR within 5 days, remedial work booked 7–14 days later, re-test and fresh cert issued same-day, full pack to solicitor within another 24 hours.

If your exchange date is tight, tell us at the first call — we’ve cleared exchange-ready in under 10 days when the deadline was hard.

They cover different things and conveyancing solicitors often ask for whichever applies:

• EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) — periodic safety inspection of the existing installation. Recommended every 5 years for owner-occupied homes, every 5 years (or change of tenancy) for rentals.
• EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) — issued by an electrician when new circuits are installed. Required for any new work since the last EICR.
• Part P Building Control certificate — required for notifiable work (consumer unit, kitchen, bathroom, other high-load equipment) done since 2005. Either lodged with Local Authority Building Control or self-certified by an NICEIC-registered installer.

You need whichever applies to the work history of your property. We issue all three when needed, and lodge Part P retrospectively if a previous installer didn’t.

Almost always, yes — if you want a clean sale. A C2 code means “potentially dangerous” and the buyer’s solicitor will normally insist on either remedial work being completed before exchange, or a price reduction reflecting the cost.

The cheaper, cleaner route is to fix the C2 items, get a fresh satisfactory EICR, and exchange on your original price. Most C2 codes (missing RCD protection, borrowed neutrals, damaged insulation on a single circuit) cost £950–£3,200 to remedy, far less than the price drop a buyer’s solicitor would push for.

C3 codes are advisory only — you don’t need to fix them, though doing so can strengthen your position.

Common situation. Two routes:

• If the original electrician is contactable — ask them for a copy. NICEIC-registered electricians keep records for 6 years minimum.
• If not — we can issue a retrospective Electrical Installation Certificate after a brief inspection. The work has to be visible (consumer unit accessible, sockets and switches in place) and we test the relevant circuits to confirm compliance. For Part P retrospective lodgement, we file with Building Control on your behalf as NICEIC-registered installers.

Turnaround is typically 5–10 working days for retrospective Part P; same-day for an EIC if the work passes test.

Most likely, yes. If your consumer unit is a rewireable fuse box, a metal-cased older board, or any unit without RCD/RCBO protection on every circuit, it pre-dates the 2008 BS 7671 amendment and the buyer’s side will normally insist on replacement.

A pre-sale fuse-box upgrade typically runs £800–£1,200, takes one working day, and clears the most common single objection on conveyancing. We issue an EIC for the new board and Part P notification through Building Control. See our Consumer Units North London page for full scope.

For most London property sales post-2022, yes. Many councils now require evidence of Grade D1 mains-wired interconnected smoke alarms (BS 5839-6) before completion — smoke detectors on every storey, heat detector in the kitchen, all interconnected, all backed up by sealed lithium cells. Battery-only alarms or older standalone mains units don’t pass the check.

Installation is a 1-day job for most properties, and we issue the D1 declaration on completion to forward to your solicitor. If your property is a rental being sold with vacant possession, the requirement is identical.

Almost always remedial / partial rewire work, not a full rewire. Most pre-sale electrical objections are one or two specific items — missing RCDs, borrowed neutrals, an unnotified consumer unit replacement — and targeted remedial work fixes those for £950–£3,200.

A full rewire (£4,500+) is rarely the right answer when you’re selling. The buyer benefits from a generic rewire less than they would from picking their own electrician for sockets, smart switches and lighting after they move in. Spend on the targeted fixes that clear the conveyancing objection, not on work the next owner won’t value at full cost.

The exception: pre-1960s wiring with no earth, cloth insulation throughout, multiple C1 codes — full rewire is genuinely needed. See our House Rewiring North London page for that scope, and the House Rewire Cost Guide for pricing.

Yes — and it’s often the easiest way. If you’ve moved out and the property is empty pending exchange, we can hold a key, work through the day uninterrupted, and lock up. We send daily progress photos so you can confirm scope without needing to attend.

If the property is still occupied (your tenants, or you’re still living there during the sale), we work room-by-room and keep core services live each evening — fridge/freezer feed, lighting, Wi-Fi point. Most pre-sale remedial jobs run 1–3 days on site either way.

Yes — estate-agent referrals are a big chunk of this work. Pass the client’s number with the property address and we’ll call them within 4 working hours, book the survey within 48 hours, and keep you copied on the cert pack so you can pass it to the buyer’s side directly if you’re managing the chain.

We’ve worked alongside several North London independent agents on time-pressured sales — offer accepted, exchange in 4–6 weeks, electrical objection at week 2, sale completes on schedule. Call 07932 772050 to set up a referral channel for your office.