Landlords Certificates / PAT testing

If you are a landlord, it is the law to make sure that the electrics in your property are safe.  In order to comply you should have a property maintenance and appliance testing procedure in place.

The NICEIC advice is that the property should be inspected and tested by a competent person on change of occupancy or at least every 10 years.  This inspection is known as a Periodic Test and Inspection.  If there are regular changes of tenancy, then a visual inspection can be carried out.   

In addition, regular inspections on all electrical appliances (known as PAT testing) should be carried out.


Landlords Certificates - Periodic Tests and inspections
A Periodic Test and Inspection is an electrical survey, known as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR).  This will reveal if electrical circuits are overloaded, find potential hazards in the installation, identify defective DIY work, highlight any lack of earthing or bonding and carry out tests on the fixed wiring of the installation. The report will establish the overall condition of all the electrics and state whether it is satisfactory for continued use, and will detail any work that might need to be done.

We carry out a full safety test on the supply of your potential home to BS7671 2008 IEE Wiring Regulations including fuse board, RCD, earthing arrangements, wiring, fixtures and fittings (i.e. lights, sockets, switches). Installation methods, loose connections etc

The following tests are carried out:

• Visual inspection of fittings
• Continuity of earth conductors
• Continuity of ring final conductors
• Polarity
• Installation resistance – to check for any arking or moisture between phase – phase earth
• Earth loop impedance – to verify path of earth
• RCD test to check tripping times and mA settings

This test needs to be carried out either every ten years or change of tenancy.  However, if your tenants change in a short period of time then we can carry out a visual inspection


PAT (Portable Appliance Testing)
A Portable Appliance Test or PAT, in the United Kingdom is a process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked for safety.  To comply with the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is a requirement that you implement a programme of inspection and testing or all portable appliances.  
The laws promoted by the HSE and other organisations are designed to improve safety for everyone in the workplace and other public areas or buildings.  With the introduction of a periodic PAT testing system you can comply with the legislation and ensure that your tenants are fully protected.
Testing should be carried out at regular intervals to ensure continual safety; the interval between tests depending on both the type of appliance and the environment it is used in.  Our specialists can advise you further.
An electrical appliance that can be moved if connected to the mains by a lead and a plug has to be maintained. The reason for this is that most of the damage occurs to the power cord or the plug and the chances of this happening are higher if the appliance can be moved.
Therefore, not only small portable appliances have to be tested, equipment such as fridge freezers, washing machines, PC’s, power tools etc also need to be tested.
Handheld items such as drills and hair dryers can suffer damage more easily. For this reason they are maintained more frequently than stationary items such as fridge freezers.

Please remember anything that has a plug on it needs to be PAT tested so this will include extension leads in addition to appliances.