Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is the checking of the safety of portable (as opposed to fixed) electrical appliances in your property. Confusingly, portable appliances include stationary equipment like fridges and washing machines, as well as things like TVs, kettles and space heaters.

Getting these appliance tested with a PAT is a great way to ensure and prove their safety, allowing you to efficiently fulfil your duties as a landlord.

As a landlord, your duty is to ensure the safety of the electrical appliances in your property. Having a PAT test carried out is a great way to meet your legal obligations and keep your tenants safe.

From a practical point of view, different appliances need testing in accordance with their risk of breaking. High-use, highly portable appliances like toasters are far more likely to be damaged in everyday use than a stationary washing machine, meaning a landlord might responsibly have the former tested every two years, but the latter every four years.

As a minimum, you will need to have the fixed wiring tested at least every five years – see further below. You should also check whether different licensing requirements apply for landlords of HMOs in your area.

Getting a periodic inspection of your electrical installations via an Electric Installation Condition Report is the best way to fulfil your legal duties as a landlord and make sure that the electrical infrastructure of your property is safe for your tenants.

Your EICR should be carried out by a registered electrician. The inspection will check the condition of your property’s wiring, look for wear & tear and see if your property’s electrical installations pose any shock or fire hazards. You will then receive a report from the electrician.

As a landlord, your duty is to ensure the safety of the electrical infrastructure of your property. There is no legal requirement to get a EICR periodically unless your property is a House in Multiple Occupancy, but doing one is a great way to meet your legal obligations and keep your tenants safe.

If you are the landlord of an HMO, then you must carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Report every five years. This will reveal any defective electrical work, identify fire hazards and check if any circuits are overloaded and dangerous.