The original draft for EICR was with 10 years experience in the trade, that was dropped, so it seems the only requirement is
“qualified person” means a person competent to undertake the inspection and testing required under regulation 3(1) and any further investigative or remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety standards;
if I read that be the letter of the law, then the bit "remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety standards" is the bit which raises questions, if your not a scheme member can you do remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety standards. Since one can go down the LABC route and pay the in Wales £100 plus vat fee, then yes I can do one, even if I would not want to go down that route, I know the LABC will accept my signature on an installation certificate as I have done it once, so I could do an EICR.
But it does raise other questions, the
“electrical installation” has the meaning given in regulation 2(1) of the Building Regulations 2010(2);
leads to
“electrical installation” means fixed electrical cables or fixed electrical equipment located on the consumer’s side of the electricity supply meter;
that then raises questions, as it is not the same definition used in the regulations, the consideration is there are two areas, one the installation, and two the in service electrical equipment.
So we have the EICR and the testing and inspecting of in service electrical equipment (PAT testing) but the landlord laws seem so have grouped some of the PAT testing in with the EICR.
So we have items like boilers to consider, with the IET these would come under in service electrical equipment but the government laws puts them under the EICR, so where there is gas on the premises one would need to be "gas safe" to do the full EICR.
This would mean most electricians will fall foul of the "remedial work in accordance with the electrical safety standards" as they should not be removing any covers which need "gas safe" status, however in my mothers house (I use oil) I saw no sticker to say this cover must only be removed by "gas safe" registered personal, there seemed to be no gas seal so not reason why I should not remove the cover.
Be it "gas safe" or "high voltage" we would all hope there is some label, I know I had reservations in a power station about removing covers, where there were no labels to say which boxes were low voltage and which exceeded low voltage, (1000 volt AC) but most installations that is not an issue. I personally would remove any cover without a "gas safe" or "corgi" label. I know very well that plumbers are not in general good electricians. So would want to check the green/yellow wires not used for line. This seems common with wiring to class II thermostats on hot water cylinders. Also missing grommets etc.
The more than 10 years in the trade allows one to work out likely problems, be it lighting with no earths, or poor central heating installations, one gets a feel of what to expect, for example if I was asked to do an EICR where I work, I would be looking at 16 amp sockets designed to supply caravans and similar items, I know should be TN-S or TT and that TN-C-S is not permitted. But this is because I have had 50 years plus in the trade, would a 20 year old look for that?
There has been one court case, in Pembrokeshire, but unaware of any others, where the inspector did not do his job. A buyer report often has a section about the electrics, clearly done but a surveyor, who one would thing has little knowledge of electrical systems, but is clearly an EICR, so can't see any reason why anyone with a C&G 2391 should not do a report.
