Frequently Asked Questions

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a formal inspection of your home's fixed wiring, carried out by a qualified electrician. It assesses the condition of circuits, earthing, bonding, and protection devices against current wiring regulations (BS 7671) and records any issues found. Landlords are legally required to hold a valid EICR for rental properties in England. Home buyers, sellers, and people who haven't had an inspection in many years also benefit from one.

For rented properties, a new EICR is required every five years or at the start of each new tenancy. For owner-occupied homes, the periodic inspection interval recommended by BS 7671 is every ten years — though older properties or those with known wiring issues may benefit from more frequent checks. If you have recently purchased a property with no record of the previous inspection date, booking an EICR is a sensible first step.

A consumer unit upgrade replaces your existing fuseboard with a modern unit containing RCDs (residual current devices) and MCBs (miniature circuit breakers). RCDs provide significantly better protection against electric shock and fire from wiring faults than older rewirable fuses or early MCBs. Your power is off to the affected circuits while the work is carried out and is restored on completion once testing confirms all circuits are safe. The appropriate certificate is issued on the day.

Yes. A dedicated 7kW home EV charger uses the standard Type 2 connector, which is compatible with the vast majority of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles sold in the UK today. Smart Choice Sparks carries out a pre-installation survey to confirm your consumer unit and supply can support the charger before any work is booked.

Smart Choice Sparks offers emergency electrical call-outs across Hampshire and Berkshire. Call Matthew directly on 07396 096687 to describe the fault and agree an attendance time. Availability varies, so calling is always the fastest way to get a response for an urgent job.

Smart Choice Sparks covers Tadley, Basingstoke, Thatcham, Reading, Newbury, Hook, Andover, and a wide range of towns and villages across Hampshire and Berkshire — including Baughurst, Kingsclere, Mortimer, Burghfield, Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Pangbourne, Tilehurst, Calcot, Woodley, Bracknell, Wokingham, Hungerford, Winchester, and many more. If your location is not listed, call 07396 096687 to check coverage.

Call Matthew directly on 07396 096687, or use the contact form on this website to send details of your job. Matthew will discuss the work with you, arrange a suitable time to visit or carry out the work, and confirm pricing before starting.

Yes. All notifiable electrical work — including new circuits, consumer unit upgrades, and certain socket additions — requires either a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or a Building Regulation Compliance Certificate, depending on the scope. Smart Choice Sparks issues the appropriate certificate on completion of all relevant work.