Ignoring a failed EICR code puts you at serious risk of electric shock, fire, and legal liability. C1 codes represent immediate danger and must be made safe before using the installation. C2 codes require urgent remedial work, typically within 28 days. Landlords face fines of up to £30,000 for non-compliance under the 2020 Electrical Safety Standards Regulations. Always instruct a qualified electrician to carry out remedial work promptly and obtain a new satisfactory EICR once work is complete.
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What Happens If You Ignore a Failed EICR Code?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) grades faults using codes — C1, C2, C3, and FI. If your report comes back with anything other than a clean bill of health, ignoring it is never a safe or legal option.
What the Codes Actually Mean
C1 (Danger Present): An immediate risk of injury or death. The installation or part of it should be disconnected and made safe immediately.
C2 (Potentially Dangerous): A serious fault that requires urgent remedial work. The risk may not be immediate, but it could become so without warning.
C3 (Improvement Recommended): Not a failure, but best practice improvements that should be considered.
FI (Further Investigation Required): Something could not be verified and needs further assessment before the installation can be deemed safe.
What Actually Happens If You Ignore Them
Fire risk increases significantly. Many electrical fires in the UK are caused by faults that were identified but never fixed.
Risk of electric shock. C1 faults in particular can cause fatal electrocution.
Your home insurance may be invalidated. Insurers can refuse claims if a fire or damage is traced back to a known unfixed electrical fault.
As a landlord, you face fines up to £30,000 under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
Mortgage or sale complications. Solicitors and surveyors increasingly request valid EICRs, and a failed report can delay or collapse a property transaction.
What You Should Do Safely
Do not attempt DIY remedial work on C1 or C2 faults — these require a qualified electrician.
Tell your electrician about the codes on your report so they can prioritise accordingly.
Keep the failed EICR and any remedial invoices — these form part of your compliance paper trail.
Once all remedial work is complete, request a new satisfactory EICR to confirm the installation is now safe.
Even a C3 code is worth acting on — it represents an opportunity to improve safety before a fault becomes something more serious.