Appliance safety · UK pillar guide
PAT Testing: the definitive UK guide
Portable appliance testing for landlord-supplied appliances. Everything a landlord needs on one page — the law by nation, the process, pricing guidance, and every area we cover.
Straight answer
PAT test record / register
PAT testing checks the plug-in appliances a landlord supplies — kettles, white goods, lamps, extension leads — with a visual inspection plus instrument tests. There's no blanket legal interval in England and Wales; the duty is that supplied equipment is safe, and testing is the standard evidence. HMO licences in any UK area commonly require it on a set cycle.
There is no blanket law that says rented homes must be PAT tested. What the law does require is that any electrical appliances the landlord supplies are safe — PAT testing is the standard practical way to evidence that, and it is frequently a condition of HMO licences.
The 5-yearly electrical safety inspection must include appliances provided by the landlord, so appliance testing is effectively part of the statutory regime in Scotland.
Appliance safety
Is PAT testing actually a legal requirement?
Not as a blanket rule with a fixed interval — and any seller implying otherwise is overreaching. In England and Wales the legal duty is that electrical equipment a landlord supplies must be safe; Portable Appliance Testing is the recognised, practical way to evidence that duty rather than a statute in itself. Scotland goes further: the Repairing Standard requires appliances the landlord provides to be regularly checked.
Where PAT does become effectively mandatory is by condition rather than statute: HMO licences very commonly require supplied appliances to be tested on a stated cycle with records available, and some insurers and agents contract for it. The honest summary: the duty is real, the evidence is PAT, and the fixed schedule — where one exists — comes from your licence, your nation, or your own risk judgement.
Appliance safety
What's in scope for a rental?
Everything with a plug that you supplied with the tenancy: white goods, kettles, toasters, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, lamps, and — the perennially forgotten category — extension leads and adaptors, which fail more often than the appliances plugged into them. Tenants' own equipment is theirs, not yours, and doesn't belong on your register.
The scope question is really an inventory question. Walk the property once, list what you actually provide, and the PAT schedule writes itself — including for 'unfurnished' lets, where a single supplied fridge or washing machine is still supplied equipment carrying the same duty as a houseful.
Appliance safety
How often is often enough?
Risk-based, not calendar-worship: change of tenancy and annually are the common rhythms, with high-use items, previously repaired items and anything in an HMO justifying the shorter end. Licence conditions may fix the interval outright; Scotland's regular-check duty implies a rhythm rather than a date. Brand-new items are generally presumed safe on purchase, logged with a visual check, and folded into the next cycle.
The trap to avoid is the single heroic test round with nothing after it. A register showing a rhythm — items, dates, results, repeated — evidences a managed duty; a one-off from three tenancies ago evidences that you once met a tester.
Appliance safety
What does a proper test involve?
A visual inspection first — plug, fuse rating, cable, casing, signs of overheating — because the majority of real-world failures are visible before any instrument is connected. Then instrument tests matched to the appliance class: earth continuity for earthed equipment, insulation resistance, polarity. Each pass earns a dated label; every item lands on a register with the result and the tester's details.
Competence, not an electrician's ticket, is the requirement: training, calibrated instruments, and the judgement to match tests to classes. Many landlords use an electrician so testing rides along with other electrical work; specialist firms are equally valid. What's non-negotiable is the output — per-item results, not a sticker service.
Appliance safety
What records prove the duty was met?
The per-item register from each round (item, test date, result, tester), the labels on the items themselves, receipts for newer appliances brought in on visual checks, and written notes retiring failures — so nothing quietly returns to service. Keep the set with the tenancy file, where inventories and licence evidence already live.
These records earn their keep at the boundaries: an HMO licence renewal, an insurance claim after an appliance fire, a deposit dispute over a damaged washer, a Repairing Standard question in Scotland. Minutes per item at test time; disproportionately valuable the day someone asks the question.
FAQ
Every common question, answered
What is PAT testing?
Portable Appliance Testing combines a visual inspection with electrical tests of plug-in appliances — kettles, washing machines, lamps, extension leads — to confirm they are safe to use. Each item is usually labelled with the result and test date.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement for landlords in your area?
There is no blanket statutory PAT interval for private rentals in England and Wales — the duty is to ensure any electrical equipment you supply is safe, and PAT testing is the standard way to evidence that. Scotland requires appliances provided by the landlord to be regularly checked under the Repairing Standard, and HMO licences across the UK frequently require PAT as a condition.
Which appliances should be tested?
Anything with a plug that you supply with the tenancy: white goods, kettles, toasters, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, lamps and extension leads. Tenants' own appliances are their responsibility, not part of your test.
How often should appliances be PAT tested?
Risk-based rather than fixed by law: many landlords test at each change of tenancy or annually, and HMO licence conditions from your local council may specify an interval. High-use or previously repaired items justify more frequent checks.
Who can carry out PAT testing?
A competent person with the right training and calibrated test equipment. It does not require a full electrician's qualification, though many landlords use an electrician or specialist test company so the paperwork is professionally recorded.
How long does PAT testing take?
Only a few minutes per appliance — a typical furnished rental with ten to twenty items is usually completed within an hour, making it easy to combine with other visits such as an EICR or inventory.
What happens if an appliance fails?
It should be removed from the property or repaired by a competent person and retested before reuse. The record notes the failure — replacing cheap failed items is usually more economical than repair.
Is PAT testing the same as an EICR?
No. The EICR inspects the fixed wiring of the building; PAT covers plug-in appliances. A rental in your area with landlord-supplied appliances is fully evidenced by having both: EICR for the installation, PAT records for the appliances.
My your area let is unfurnished — do I need PAT testing?
If you supply no electrical appliances at all, there is nothing to test. Any item you do leave — even a single fridge or lamp — is equipment you supplied, and testing it is the sensible way to show it was safe.
What records should I keep?
A register of appliances with test dates and results, plus the pass labels on the items themselves. Keep the records with your tenancy file — they are your evidence if an appliance is ever implicated in an incident.
Do HMO licences require PAT testing?
Very commonly, yes — licence conditions frequently require appliances supplied by the landlord to be tested at set intervals with certificates available to the authority. Check the schedule issued with your licence from your local council.
Do brand-new appliances need testing?
New items are generally presumed safe on purchase, so many testing regimes record them with a visual check and bring them into the normal cycle at the next round. Keep purchase receipts as part of the evidence trail.
What affects the cost of PAT testing?
Mainly the number of appliances and the callout: per-item pricing usually drops as quantity rises, and minimum charges apply for small jobs. Combining PAT with other visits to the property typically works out cheaper.
What's the risk of skipping appliance safety checks?
If a supplied appliance injures someone or starts a fire and you cannot show it was safe, you face civil liability, insurance difficulties, and potential prosecution under general safety law — plus breach of licence conditions where an HMO licence requires testing.
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