What is PAT testing?
PAT stands for portable appliance testing. It is the routine inspection and testing of electrical equipment that plugs into a socket, to find damage or faults before they cause a shock or a fire.
The term covers more than things you carry around. It includes kettles, toasters, microwaves, computers, monitors, printers, extension leads, vacuum cleaners, fans, heaters and plug-in kitchen equipment. Long leads and extension reels are some of the most common failures, because they get trodden on, trapped and overloaded.
PAT testing does not cover the fixed wiring in the building, such as sockets, circuits and the board. That is checked by an EICR, which we can do on the same visit.
How often does PAT testing need to be done?
There is no fixed legal interval. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require equipment to be maintained so it is safe, but they do not say how often it must be tested.
The IET Code of Practice for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment gives guidance, and the right interval depends on the type of equipment and the environment it is used in. A desktop computer that never moves in a quiet office is low risk. A kettle in a busy staff room, a power tool on a building site or a blender in a restaurant kitchen gets much harder use, so it is usually checked more often.
We can suggest sensible intervals for your premises based on that guidance. Your insurer, landlord or a company policy may also set one, and that is the one to follow.
- Low-risk office equipment
- Typically checked less often, with regular visual checks between.
- Shops and public areas
- Often checked more often, as equipment is handled more.
- Commercial kitchens
- Usually the most frequent, because of heat, water and heavy use.
- Leads and extension reels
- Wear quickly in any setting and are worth checking often.
What is the difference between a visual check and a full PAT test?
A visual check looks for damage you can see. A combined inspection and test adds electrical measurements that find faults you cannot see.
Guidance generally describes three levels. User checks are quick looks by staff before using something. A formal visual inspection is done by a competent person and includes taking off the plug cover to check the fuse, the cable grip and the connections. Combined inspection and testing adds instrument tests, such as earth continuity and insulation resistance.
Most faults are found by a careful visual inspection: cracked plugs, cut cables, scorch marks and wrong fuses. The electrical tests catch the rest, such as a broken earth inside an appliance that looks perfect from the outside.
What are Class I and Class II appliances?
They describe how an appliance protects you from electric shock, and they decide which tests are needed.
- Class I
- Relies on an earth connection, often with a metal case. Tested for earth continuity and insulation.
- Class II
- Double insulated, marked with a square inside a square. No earth, so insulation is the focus.
- Class III
- Runs from a separated low-voltage supply. The charger or transformer is what gets tested.
What labels and records do you get?
Every item we test gets a label showing it passed or failed, with the date. You also get a full record of everything tested.
The record lists each item with a reference number, a description, where it is, its class, the test results and whether it passed. Failed items are listed separately with the reason. The record is what an insurer, landlord or inspector is likely to ask to see, and it makes the next round of testing quicker because every item is already on the list.
Keep the record with your other premises paperwork, alongside your EICR and emergency lighting logbook. New equipment added between visits can be added to the list next time.
What happens to items that fail?
They are labelled as failed and taken out of use, and we tell you straight away. You decide whether to repair or replace them.
Many failures are simple. A wrong-rated fuse is replaced on the spot, and a cracked plug can often be replaced quickly. If a lead or an appliance needs more than that, we explain the fault and give you a fixed price to fix it, or recommend replacing it if a repair would not be worthwhile. A failed item should not go back into use until it has been repaired and passed a retest.
Do landlords need PAT testing?
It is not required by law for private landlords in England, but it is widely seen as good practice for any appliances you supply with the property.
Landlords must make sure appliances they provide are safe, and a PAT record is a simple way to show you have checked them. It covers items such as a fridge, washing machine, microwave or kettle left for tenants. The tenants' own appliances are their responsibility.
Some HMO licences, letting agents and insurers ask for PAT testing, so check your licence conditions with Leicester City Council and your agreements. Testing between tenancies works well, and it can be done on the same visit as the EICR to save a separate trip.