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Can I please clarify something - do I have to bring my installation up to date with the latest regulations when having an EICR? For example, say in 10 years time there was a new Edition and I had an EICR done then - would I have to bring everything up to the new Edition?
Or, providing that the installation is safe, can it remain at 18th Edition standards?
Ah well, there's the big question ...
Assuming no faults (such as broken fittings etc) then the regs are not retrospective and the EICR would merely list items as "C3 - improvement recommended" and the overall result as "Satisfactory". Some things, such as lack of RCD on sockets likely to be used outside, might merit a C2 - potentially dangerous but not needing immediate upgrade.

I'm also a landlord, and so my reasoning goes along the lines of: if there's a "defect" listed on the EICR, could an unscrupulous tenant try and take advantage of it ? The answer in many cases is yes, and a few years ago I upgraded the CUs in my properties to all-RCBO (they previously had no RCD at all, built in mid 90s). IME, adding RCD where there's none is a no-brainer if you care about your tenants' safety.
However, now those are not completely to standard - the CUs have plastic cases. For one property the guidance is that it should not even be mentioned, for the other it should be a C3 as it's in the open-plan lounge and a fire (or smoke) from the CU would impact on the escape route from upstairs. At some point I'll probably consider replacing the latter - but I then have to decide whether to do it myself (and pay LABC handsomely to notify it), or tolerate paying someone else for whatever their work standards are and let them notify for peanuts via their scheme :mad: What I've saved not replacing the former goes towards the £300 I've just shelled out for new/extra linked smoke/heat/CO alarms in that property.
 
Ah well, there's the big question ...
Assuming no faults (such as broken fittings etc) then the regs are not retrospective and the EICR would merely list items as "C3 - improvement recommended" and the overall result as "Satisfactory". Some things, such as lack of RCD on sockets likely to be used outside, might merit a C2 - potentially dangerous but not needing immediate upgrade.

The regs are not retrospective, however an EICR is Carried out to the current edition regardless of when the installation was carried out.
Anything which is considered potentially dangerous under the current regulations will be coded C2 whether it complied at the time or not.
For example an efli reading which complied before Cmin was brought In may not comply now, this is a C2. The regulation was brought in because a danger has been identified which was not dealt with in previous editions.
 
Thank you to everyone with their information so far.
Regarding my first question:
If I quote Wylex's/Crabtree's marketing for their RCBO:

To me, that all sounds very helpful for an Electrician doing the work, verses the usual method of disconnecting the wires, but practically, would this switched neutral RCBO therefore save a lot of time when testing 5 circuits?
How much time (approximately) are we talking here in saving please?
I don’t know about others, but when I conduct Periodic Inspections, I charge for the day, irrespective of how long it takes (assuming that it’s less than a day).
Saving a few minutes of my time would be nice, but there would be no cost savings for you the client.
 
Thank you very much for your very helpful and detailed explanation @Simon47 - very kind of you. It explains why Wylex's NMX unit (which has all rounded corners to replicate a plastic unit) is only available in a few select ways.
Thanks also to @davesparks and @spinlondon for your added follow ups which have also been most helpful.

I am grateful for the advice and threads on this forum which will enable me to make a better, informed choice going forward - thank you.
 

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