PAT testing, explained simply.
What it is, what the law actually asks for, and exactly what you get when we visit.
What is PAT testing?
PAT stands for portable appliance testing, sometimes called in-service inspection and testing. It combines a visual inspection (checking the plug, cable and casing for damage) with electrical tests using calibrated equipment. Each item gets a pass or fail label, and you receive a certificate and itemised report.
Is it a legal requirement?
There's no law that says you must PAT test every year. What the law requires is that electrical equipment is maintained so it doesn't cause danger, and that duty comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Insurers and the IET Code of Practice treat regular inspection and testing as the expected way to meet it, so in practice most businesses, landlords and venues have it done.
How often should you test?
It depends on the equipment and the environment. A kettle in a busy café or a power tool on a building site needs testing far more often than a monitor that never moves. We'll recommend sensible intervals for your premises so you aren't paying to test more often than you need.
What you get with us
- Travel and call-outs across our area, with nothing added on top
- A pass or fail sticker on every appliance
- New plugs and fuses fitted on the spot where they're needed
- A PDF certificate and full itemised report, emailed the same day
Also available
As well as standard PAT testing, we test equipment for events and production companies, and we carry out microwave leakage testing. Tell us what you need when you book. We can also test in the evening or overnight if your premises can't shut during the day, at an out-of-hours rate.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement in the UK?
PAT testing is not named in any single law, and there is no law that says you must test appliances at a set interval. What the law does require is that electrical equipment is kept safe. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 place a duty on employers, the self-employed and those in control of premises to maintain electrical equipment so it doesn't cause danger.
In practice, regular in-service inspection and testing (PAT) is the recognised way to meet that duty. Insurers and the IET Code of Practice treat it as the expected standard, which is why most businesses and landlords have it done.
How often should appliances be PAT tested?
There is no fixed legal interval. The right frequency depends on the type of equipment and the environment it's used in. Higher-risk items that get moved around, like power tools, extension leads and kettles, are tested more often than low-risk, stationary equipment such as a desktop monitor.
As a rough guide, many offices and shops test annually, while construction and hire equipment may be tested every few months. We'll advise the right interval for your premises when we visit, so you're not paying to test things more often than you need.
What's included in the price?
Everything you'd expect for a compliant test: travel to your premises, visual inspection and electrical testing of each appliance, a pass or fail sticker on every item, minor repairs (new plugs and fuses fitted on the spot), and a PDF certificate with a full itemised report emailed the same day.
Ready to get tested?
Pick a slot in the next four weeks, or send us the details for a date further out. Confirmation lands in your inbox straight away.