As a landlord, you may be asking, why do I need to have my electrical appliances pat tested? Ensuring that all supplied electrical appliances to your properties is essential to safeguard your tenants and guarantee that all appliances meet the legal standards.
A Landlords Safety Obligations for Electrical Appliances
Without even knowing, you could be setting your self up with huge legal fees, from fines and invalid insurance by not ensuring that your electrical safety obligations are not met. By not having PAT testing carried out on the property, you are putting your tenants at risk of serious in of serious injury and also putting your property at risk of fire or significant damage.
Whilst it’s not currently a legal requirement to have PAT testing carried out on your electrical appliances to meet the health and safety regulations it is your duty to ensure regular safety checks are carried out on electrical installations and appliances. Most local councils will recommend that any appliances left in a rental property by tenants after they have vacated are thoroughly checked before any new tenants move in. This can be achieved by using a professional PAT testing company that will thoroughly check all electrical appliances in the property and flag up any equipment that is deem unsafe.
Any appliances that are flagged as being unsafe will be presented with a red sticker detailing the fault. Once your property is fully PAT tested and any damaged equipment or wiring is fixed or discarded you can then rest assured that your future tenant will be completely safe.
Where as there is no actual requirement to how often electrical appliances should be pat tested but it is good practice as a responsible landlord to carry our PAT testing once every 2 years or when a new tenant moves in. Many insurance companies offering landlords insurance will have it as part of their policy to have items PAT Tested regularly, especially if you had to make a claim.
We would recommend having larger appliances like fridges, washing machines and dishwasher checked every four years as these items are not moved around as much as say a kettle, hoover or toaster.
If you would like more information please get in touch with a professional PAT Tester at Sense PAT Testing now.
