As a landlord or letting agent, are you fully up-to-speed with PAT testing?
It’s your responsibility that your tenants have a safe property to live in, so for very little cost you can be assured that your electrics are checked annually along with your gas appliances – and surely that’s worth it for a good night’s sleep, don’t you think?
Below, I’m going to detail everything you need to know about PAT testing, as well as five main points you need to bear in mind.
What is PAT testing?
PAT basically stands for portable appliance testing in regards to electrical appliances supplied by landlords in let properties. We’re talking things like kettles, irons and radios.
Annually, they should be checked for correct fuses and load, to ensure tenants are protected from faulty products which can cause a fire hazard or other dangers (such as electrocution).
The PAT safety checklist
Below are four main points you need to know about PAT testing, whether you’re a landlord or a letting agent:
1. Annual checks
PAT safety checks should be carried out every year for all portable appliances supplied by the landlord – things like toasters, kettles and televisions. According to the Electrical Safety Council, it’s recommended that you at least make a visual inspection of all electrical appliances you provide.
2. PAT safety stickers
When appliances have been checked, they should each be provided with a sticker (usually located on top of the plug) stating when the next test is due to be carried out – this is mainly for your own records. Sometimes we all need a little reminder, don’t we? This should visibly display either a ‘pass’ or a ‘fail’.
You should also receive:
- An full inventory that includes all your appliances, types, names, locations and descriptions
- The test results for each appliance that has been tested
- A list of any failed items with details about what has caused the failures
3. Tenants’ own appliances
You are not responsible for PAT testing appliances that have been supplied by the tenants for themselves; this is the tenants’ responsibility. Can include things like phone chargers, hair straighteners, or electric razors etc.
4. PAT testing is non-compulsory
At present, as per the HSE website, annual PAT testing is not compulsory by law. However, from 1st December 2015, you are responsible by law for making sure an electrical safety inspection (which includes a PAT test) of your property is carried out by a registered electrician once every five years.
Many estate and letting agents will not let properties until a PAT test is carried out. It can be a bit of a grey area, as PAT testing is something you probably want to carry out to ensure you’re covered if anything does go wrong.
TIP: PAT testing from a qualified professional should cost between £50 – £100.
5. Good practice
Many of my clients who let properties have read up a lot about their obligations on the internet, yet many don’t seem to be aware that PAT testing is not compulsory. However, it is a good practice to carry out PAT testing at the same time as your gas safety check, and many companies will offer to do this for you.
Conclusion
I hope this blog post has helped highlight your PAT testing responsibilities as a landlord or letting agent, and cleared a few things up. Many of my clients carry out PAT testing along with their annual gas safety check, and this can usually be arranged at a low cost.
If you have any specific questions about PAT testing and who can carry it out, please leave a comment on this blog post or get in touch with me directly.
