How long is an electrical installation report valid?
One year from the date the report was prepared. That's twice as long as the condition report, which is only valid for six months, and the difference trips up a lot of buyers because the two documents are usually ordered together and sit in the same folder in the sales particulars.
| Document | Who prepares it | What it covers | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical installation report | Authorised electrician | The electrical installation only | 12 months |
| Condition report | Building surveyor | The building's physical condition | 6 months |
The report needs to be valid at the moment the buyer receives it. If the property sells more than a year after the report's date, a new or renewed report is required.
Renewal is cheaper, but only within that one-year window. Once the year has passed without a sale, the old report can no longer be renewed, and a completely new inspection has to be ordered.
What does the report itself cost?
This is about the inspection itself, not about fixing what it finds.
Typically 1,500-3,500 kr. In a broader nationwide range, 2,000-5,000 kr also appears, depending on the electrician and the size of the home.
It's the seller who orders and pays for the report, because it's part of the home-inspection scheme and a precondition for the seller to take out change-of-ownership insurance. The buyer doesn't pay for it.
If a seller says there's no report because "it's expensive", it's worth remembering: the amount is a couple of thousand kroner against a deal worth several million. That's rarely the real reason.
Is the electrical report the same as the condition report?
No. The two documents are produced by two different professionals, as the table above shows: a building surveyor writes the condition report, an authorised electrician writes the electrical installation report. Both are a precondition for the seller to offer change-of-ownership insurance, but they each cover their own area, and one does not replace the other.
What do the categories in the report mean?
Illegal condition, safety risk. The most serious finding. Can mean a risk of fire or electric shock. Should be clarified or fixed, regardless of scale.
Illegal condition, not a safety risk. The installation doesn't meet the regulations, but poses no immediate danger. Can still require fixing later, e.g. at renovation or resale.
Not investigated. The electrician couldn't assess the condition, typically because it's hidden in walls or under the floor. Same logic as BLACK in the condition report: an unknown quantity, not a clean bill.
How do you turn a category into a bill?
An isolated finding, a wrong fuse, a socket without correct earthing, a missing RCD (HPFI) in one place. Typically a couple of hours' work for an electrician.
Several findings in the same place or fuse board, an older fuse board without correct RCD protection on all groups, or several illegal conditions in the same installation. Typically a day's work or more.
A thorough overhaul, the whole installation is outdated or has been done illegally over time, typically in older houses with many extensions and renovations. Can require a full review of the electrical installation.
What does it cost to fix elrapport findings?
Source: håndværkpriser.dk, checked August 2026. Not a binding quote, an indication only. The actual price requires a concrete estimate from an authorised electrician.
What can you see in the photos before you book a viewing?
The listing photos show the electrical installation long before the report does. Often there's enough to see whether it's even worth going to a viewing with a calculator in mind.
Old sockets without earthing. In homes where the wiring hasn't been touched in decades, sockets are often two-pin, without the third earth pin. That's visible in photos. It isn't necessarily illegal on its own, old installations can remain as they were built under the rules of their time, but it says something about the age of the whole system behind the wall.
Old wiring under a modern load. The problem is rarely the socket itself, but what's behind it. Wiring sized for 1980s consumption wasn't designed for an air fryer, kettle, dishwasher and oven running at once on the same kitchen circuit. At best, the fuse trips. At worst, the cable heats up inside the wall over time, the insulation ages faster, and it ends in a short circuit.
The kitchen and bathroom are therefore the first places to look. That's where the load is highest, and where the old circuits give out first.
The fuse board. If the photos show an old board with screw fuses instead of circuit breakers, or no visible RCD, that isn't a minor detail. A new fuse board costs 15,000-35,000 kr, and that's not an amount negotiated after signing.
Signs of DIY work. A cable run along the outside of a wall and painted the same colour. An extension lead that's clearly feeding something permanent. A socket in a garage or shed with a cable running from somewhere unclear.
Is the electrical installation even legal and registered?
It's a question buyers rarely ask, and it's different from the question of whether the electrics work.
Electrics can work perfectly well and still be run to something that officially doesn't exist. The classic example is an extension, a carport roof, a conservatory or a shed that isn't registered in BBR (the Danish building register), but that has still had permanent power run to it.
A test analysis we did before launch, of a home with a self-built carport roof, shows how this can go unnoticed: the structure wasn't in BBR, but it had fixed, wired-in power, not an extension lead for occasional use. The electrical installation report didn't mention it. That says something about how easily it happens: the report reviews the registered home installation, and anything built without registration can fall outside both documents at once, missing from BBR because it was never reported, and missing from the electrical report because that report takes BBR as its starting point.
What this means for you as a buyer, in practice:
- An unregistered extension becomes your problem after takeover, along with the electrical installation in it.
- The municipality can demand legalisation or demolition, and legalisation usually means the electrics have to be brought up to standard too.
- The insurer can refuse to pay out for damage in a part of the building that officially doesn't exist in the register.
- Who made the connection, and whether it was an authorised electrician, is usually impossible to establish after the fact.
How to check it in five minutes. Put the BBR plan next to the listing photos. Count the buildings and square metres. If something in the photos isn't in BBR, there's only one question for the agent: is there a permit for it, and has an electrician looked at it?
What if there's no electrical report at all?
This happens more often than you'd think, and it's often misread in both directions.
Having an electrical installation report prepared is not a legal requirement in itself. But without a condition report and an electrical installation report, the seller can't take out change-of-ownership insurance, and without that insurance the seller is not released from liability for defects.
In other words: a missing report doesn't mean the seller hid something and got away with it. It means:
- The seller's liability stays broader than it would otherwise have been.
- You, in turn, have no map to work from.
- The purchase agreement will typically recommend directly that you order your own technical inspection.
- You can decline, but the consequences if defects turn up later are yours to bear.
If there's no electrical report, and the photos also show old sockets, a board with screw fuses, or signs of DIY connections, that's a good reason either to order your own inspection or to price the unknown into your offer.
How to use the report as a buyer
- Read the descriptions for each finding, not just the number of remarks.
- Ask for a concrete electrician's quote on the biggest findings before you bid.
- Cross-check with the condition report and BBR. The same house can have a fine condition report and a worrying electrical report, or the other way around.
- Check the date. If the report in the sales particulars is more than a year old, it's no longer valid and can't be renewed.
- Hold the photos up against the BBR plan. Anything visible in the photos but missing from the register is an open question.
- Ask the agent directly whether a newer version exists.
Never ask only "how many remarks are there". Ask "what's the date on the report, what wasn't investigated, and what does an electrician say it costs to fix the biggest finding".
Frequently asked questions
How long is an electrical installation report valid?
One year from the date it was prepared. That's twice as long as the condition report, which is valid for six months.
What does an electrical installation report cost?
Typically 1,500-3,500 kr, in a broader nationwide range 2,000-5,000 kr. The seller pays, not the buyer.
Can the electrical report be renewed?
Yes, at a reduced price, but only before the year is up. After that a completely new inspection is required.
Is the electrical installation report the same as the condition report?
No. Two different documents from two different professionals. The condition report covers the building structure, the electrical installation report only the electrical installation.
Does an illegal condition mean I can't take out change-of-ownership insurance?
Not necessarily. But an illegal condition that is a safety risk should be clarified or fixed, and it can affect the insurance's coverage and price. Always check the specific quote from the insurer.
What do I do if there's no electrical report at all?
You order your own inspection, or price in the unknown. The seller remains liable for defects, because without the report no change-of-ownership insurance can be taken out.
Are old sockets without earthing illegal?
Not always. Old installations can remain as they were built under the rules of their time. But two-pin sockets are a sign of the age of the whole system, and it's often the old wiring that can't carry a modern kitchen's load.
Can an electrical installation report miss an illegal installation?
Yes, precisely where power has been run to something that isn't in the BBR register. The report reviews the registered home installation. An unregistered extension with self-installed power can fall outside both documents at once.
What happens if an extension isn't registered in BBR?
It becomes yours after takeover, along with the electrical installation in it. The municipality can demand legalisation or demolition, and the insurer can refuse to pay out for damage in a part of the building that officially doesn't exist.
What does it typically cost to fix findings in an electrical report?
From a few hours' work for an isolated fault to a larger sum for replacing the main fuse board. Always get a concrete quote before using the figure in a negotiation.
This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Rules and practice can change, and your case may differ from the typical one. If in doubt about your own situation, ask a lawyer or a building professional before acting.
