EICRs – should appliances be included?

You want a simple answer?

No.

Just for reference im a landlord and fully qualified electrician.

Reply to the comment left by steve p at 22/12/2020 - 20:56
Thanks, but can you explain why and what about the second part of the question?

Reply to the comment left by steve p at 22/12/2020 - 20:56
Agreed. That further destructive bureaucratic burden yet to come, assuming that here are any landlords left. If there are, it will extend to everyone else except powerful vested interests in the usual and totally predictable manner.

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 22/12/2020 - 21:04Ok so when they say fixed electrical equipment, they are talking about equipment that is used in the electrical installation, so consumer units would be a good example in a domestic property. The reason for the vagueness is because there are so many things you can have such as say if you have solar panels you would have an inverter, that is electrical equipment.
Cookers are not electrical equipment, they are cooking appliances that use electricity. Storage heaters etc are heating appliances. Just because they are fixed wire connected makes no difference.
They are a fixed appliance as apposed to something with a plug that would be a portable appliance
A switch or socket etc would be classed as an accessory but yes probably still come under electrical equipment and would be tested on an EICR
As for what tests well that would be a PAT test, which although stands for Portable Appliance Testing also covers fixed appliances, this is where people just trained to do PAT testing come unstuck because they cant do fixed appliances where as an electrician that also does PAT testing can do both..
There is no legal requirement to do PAT testing however they should be electrically safe. A PAT test is generally fairly basic to be honest checking the fuse is the correct rating, checking earth path etc however with molded plug tops people dont tend to mess about with them much these days. There are limitations to PAT testing though as a lot of equipment say like a washing machine would have a switch for the motor and heating element as you dont want it on all the time, only at certain points of a cycle, with no power and not during that phase of the cycle the switch will be off (or open), so any testing you do will not reach those parts of the appliance, it also does not test if you have a build up of lint that may cause a fire, I cant say dont bother as legally if covers you but there is also no comeback on the electrician if the thing shorts out the next day.
On a tenanted property or a property with large appliances on an EICR most electricians me included will not move the appliances and it will be a limitation as you dont want the risk of damaging the flooring or appliance, however what I do and I think most electricians would do is test if possible the earth path is continuous all the way to the metal parts of the appliance, thats the important bit from an electric shock point of view.
Hopefully that makes sense.

Reply to the comment left by steve p at 22/12/2020 - 23:51
Thanks Steve for such a comprehensive reply. Much appreciated.

When will landlords learn not to supply any electrical equipment. I do not supply a fridge, washing machine or cooker, the only electrical device I have is a heater which is required by statute. I learnt the hard way that anything supplied by the landlord is either stolen or destroyed. Tenants must learn to look after themselves and their own electrical equipment.

If its not there you don't have to test it.

Reply to the comment left by steve p at 22/12/2020 - 23:51
That is really helpful. thank you so much.

Reply to the comment left by David Price at 23/12/2020 - 10:36The problem is a lot of tenants are prepared to rent properties unfurnished which is how I rent all my properties these days however, most want the white goods which is what I supply.
I think David, you must have been very unfortunate as, in 25 years, I have never had any of these items stolen or damaged deliberately.
In saying that, I have had other parts of properties wrecked and left in disastrous states on some occasions and I have been letting properties out to many benefit tenants as well as working tenants.

Reply to the comment left by steve p at 22/12/2020 - 23:51
I was well aware that EICR did not cover appliances but, your explanation of what is considered as electrical equipment and what is considered as appliances is excellent.