PAT testing — what the law actually says
Contrary to what a lot of people think, PAT testing is not a specific legal requirement in the same way an EICR is. What the law says (Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and for landlords the Housing (Scotland) Act) is that appliances must be maintained in a safe condition. PAT testing is the accepted way of demonstrating that — but not the only way.
In practice, if you're providing appliances to guests, staff, tenants or the public, you need to show you've checked them. PAT gives you that evidence trail.
How often to test
Depends on the appliance and where it's used. Rough guide:
- Holiday let / STL — annual, or on change of ownership/managing agent.
- Office (low-risk) — 24-48 months.
- Construction site / hire kit — every 3 months.
- Café / hospitality — annual, sometimes shorter for kitchen equipment.
- Hairdresser / beauty salon — annual for hairdryers, straighteners, hot tools.
We'll set your next test date based on how you use the space, and send you a reminder a month before it's due.
What we don't PAT
Fixed installations — cookers, extractor hoods that are hardwired, integrated fridges plumbed in — are covered by the EICR, not by PAT. We check them anyway while we're there but they don't get a PAT sticker.
Anything on a battery only (mobile phones, cordless drills, laptop docks) — not tested. If it has a mains lead it gets a sticker, if it doesn't, it doesn't.
