Reading · England
PAT Testing in Reading
From enquiry to certificate: PAT Testing for landlords in Reading, handled by professionals holding the registration the law requires, with pricing confirmed before you commit.
Straight answer
Every appliance with a plug that you provide in Reading — fridge, washer, microwave, lamps, extension leads — sits under your duty to supply safe equipment. PAT testing pairs a visual inspection with electrical tests and gives you the dated record that proves the duty was met.
Booking
Booking in three steps
Our network doesn't yet show confirmed availability in Reading. Rather than guess, tell us what the property needs and we'll come back with a real answer — coverage, timing and price — before you decide anything.
Credentials
Who you're letting in
A meaningful PAT visit leaves evidence: labelled items, a per-item register, tester identity, instrument details. If a quote can't describe that output, it's a sticker service, not a safety check. Competence, calibration and insurance are our three checks before any booking.
For landlords in Reading
Letting in Reading: the practical points
In Reading as anywhere, PAT earns its keep at the boundaries: HMO licensing from Reading Borough Council, insurance claims, deposit disputes over damaged appliances, and Scotland's regular-check duty where it applies. Cheap, quick, and disproportionately useful when something goes wrong.
Pricing
What PAT testing costs
PAT is priced per item with a visit minimum, and the per-item rate drops as quantity rises — which is why combining it with an EICR or inventory visit usually beats a standalone booking. The guidance range reflects a typical furnished let; unfurnished properties with a single appliance may only make sense bundled.
Paperwork
Registers, labels and receipts
Keep the register with the tenancy file: item list, test dates, results, tester details — plus purchase receipts for newer appliances brought in on a visual check. Labels on the items do the day-to-day work; the register does the work when Reading Borough Council, your insurer or a dispute asks the question.
The inspection
What the tester actually checks
Each item gets a visual check first — plug, cable, casing, signs of overheating — because most failures are visible. Then instrument tests as appropriate to the appliance class: earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity. Pass items get a dated label; everything lands on a register of results with the tester's details.
The law
What the law asks of landlords in Reading
Skipping appliance safety evidence carries indirect but real risk: civil liability and insurance difficulty if a supplied appliance injures someone or starts a fire, breach of licence conditions where an HMO licence requires testing, and Repairing Standard failures in Scotland. The testing itself is cheap; the gap it closes isn't.
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.
Penalties stated are statutory maximums or court-set; Reading Borough Council is the local housing authority for Reading.
FAQ
Common questions about the PAT test record / register
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.
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.
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.
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 Reading Borough Council may specify an interval. High-use or previously repaired items justify more frequent checks.
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.
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.
Nearby
Nearby coverage: Wokingham · Bracknell · Newbury · Basingstoke · all of Berkshire
Sort your PAT Testing without the phone-tag: tell us about the property and we'll take it from there. Get availability by email
Sorting your PAT Testing in Reading?
Tell us the property and we'll confirm coverage and price by email before anything is committed.