Pat Testing UK

On-Line Guide to portable appliance testing (pat testing) in the UK.

How much does it cost?

As a rough guide, you should expect to pay between £1.00 and £2.00 per item, but you may find you have to pay a minimum charge to cover the call out. If you have large numbers of items to test, the price will drop considerably, perhaps as low as £1.00 per item.

Make sure that you know exactly what you are paying for. Some companies charge just for the pat test, and will fail and set aside any items which have minor faults, eg wrong fuse in the plug.

More recently, a worrying trend has seen some companies offering a service as low as 75p and even less for a pat test. It is unlikely that anybody could offer a full service for this small amount, although you may find somebody who is prepared to put a sticker on your item (and nothing more.) You will also find that YOU are still responsible if something goes wrong (and you could be culpable if it could be shown that you accepted a price that was articifically low!)

There are many BAD pat testing companies out there - contact us for COMMON SENSE advice that you can afford to follow!

t2technical.co.uk have more information about costs on their website www.t2technical.co.uk.

What does the law say about testing?

The responsibility of employers
Electricity at work regulations 1989:-

Regulation 4 (2): 'As may be necessary to prevent danger all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as is reasonably practicable such danger.'

To meet the requirements of the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is widely regarded to be necessary to implement a programme of planned inspection and testing of portable appliances. The law does NOT require annual testing of all electrical appliances, although some system of inspection and testing is the best way to comply with the statutory requirements.

The regulations on electrical appliances for landlords and/or letting agents
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, have been inplace since 1 January 1997. The rules state that all electrical appliances supplied with let accommodation must be safe. This applies to both new and second-hand appliances and covers all electrical items supplied for the intended use of the Tenant. The only sure method of ensuring that these appliances are safe is to have them tested by a trained competent person using the appropriate calibrated portable appliance testing equipment (PAT).

Tests and inspections should be made at reasonable and regular intervals, bearing in mind the rate of use of both portable and fixed appliances.

Failure to comply with the Electrical Regulations may constitute a criminal offence under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 which carries a maximum penalty on summary conviction of a £5,000 fine and/or 6 months imprisonment.

Landlords and/or letting agents could also, in addition, be sued in Civil Law under the duty of care for failure to ensure the tenants safety and face punitive damages

pat testing UK is an information site, owned and maintained by t2 technical services ltd - the UK's leading portable appliance testing specialists.

For more information visit www.t2technical.co.uk