What is Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) for residential lettings? Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) refers to the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to ensure they are safe to use. An engineer can find most electrical safety defects via visual examination. But they will only find some types of defects through testing. However, it is essential to understand that visual examination is an essential part of the process because some types of electrical safety defect cannot be detected by testing alone.

Electrical Safety Regulations for rental properties

Where a landlord provides an electrical appliance as part of a tenancy, the law expects the appliance to be maintained in a safe condition that will not cause harm to the tenant. Failure to do so could lead to the landlord being sued for negligence. Portable appliance testing is always best practice for landlords but it is not a legal requirement.

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What are portable appliances?

A portable appliance is an item that can be moved and usually unplugged from a power supply. This does not mean it is light enough to be picked up by hand, so a portable appliance can be something as small as a kettle or as big as a free-standing fridge.

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There are a number of points to consider with visual inspections such as:

  • fraying, cuts or heavy scuffing to the lead.
  • damage to the plug such as bent pins.
  • tape applied to the lead to join leads together.
  • Visible wires where the lead joins the plug.
  • loose parts or screws.
  • signs of overheating, such as burn marks or staining on the plug.
  • equipment in dusty or wet environments.
  • cables trapped under furniture or in floor boxes.

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A competent person should carry out formal visual inspections at appropriate intervals. This also depends on the type of equipment you use and in which environment.

Private landlords must ensure the safety of all electrical appliances at the start of every tenancy. Therefore it is vital to ensure all appliances continue to be safe to use throughout the tenancy. A testing regime is therefore essential.

Please contact us to discuss your property or your Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) for residential lettings

If you have any questions on property or block management, please contact Pelin Martin to book a 30-minute complimentary property consultation on +0208 994 7327 – pm@bluecrystallondon.co.uk