Always make sure that you retain the paperwork for any completed electrical installation work which you have done, including all periodic inspection and testing work. Every certificate and report that you have will have the schedule of inspection and the test results.

There are different types of certificates and reports that you will get and they depend upon the type of electrical installation work, or inspection and testing, that you have had.

If you are the person or business responsible for the safety of the electrical installations within a given building you will need an Electrical Installation Certificates (EICs) and Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates (MEIWCs) with a declaration that the new installation, or alteration or addition, is safe to use at the time it was put in.

The EIC will indicate whether the electrical work that has been carried out is:

New – where the whole installation has been installed as new, if a complete rewire has been carried out.

Addition – applies if an existing installation has been modified by adding one or more new circuits.

Alteration – applies where one or more existing circuits have been modified or extended (for example to add a socket), or items such as a consumer unit (fusebox) and switching equipment have been replaced.

Sometimes known as a landlord certificate.

An EIC must be issued for all new electrical installations.

It may also be required for an alteration or addition to the installation – depending upon whether or not a new circuit has been installed. Where an alteration or addition is carried out but does not include a new circuit, a MEIWC or an EIC may be used.

You should always use a registered contractor who will issue the correct certification for the work they undertake.

You should retain these certificates as they will provide a foundation for any further inspections and tests which you have completed. This can also act as a way of saving money as you will not need the same level of exploratory work which is required to understand what has been done before.

If there is an injury or fire which was caused by an electrical installation, the certificate that you have retained will act as documentary evidence that the installation had been installed to a satisfactory standard of safety.