It is found that:
Most deaths from electric shock and fires in UK homes are caused by misuse of, or faulty, plugs, leads and appliances.
Landlords are exposing themselves to significant financial risks, from fines and invalidated insurance, through not acting on their electrical safety obligations.
Landlords are also putting millions of UK private tenants at risk of a serious accident or fire.
But many of these fatalities and risks can be avoided by taking simple steps.
As a Landlord you are required by law to ensure:
That your rental property, and any electrical equipment provided, is safe before a tenancy begins and throughout its duration.
That any appliance provided is safe and has at least the CE marking (which is the manufacturer’s claim that it meets all the requirements of European law).
So if you provide appliances (such as a washing machine, cooker, kettle or iron etc.) for your tenant(s) you should check that the item carries the CE marking and regularly carry out safety checks to ensure that the electrical appliances are safe and working.
Why do I need to have the appliances tested?
The best way of ensuring that your appliances are safe is to have PAT testing carried out on them. This is a good way for landlords to ensure that they are meeting their legal obligations to maintain high standards of electrical safety in their rented property.
What does Portable Appliance Testing involve?
To establish the safety and suitability of your electrical appliances, the competent person will carry out a formal visual inspection of the appliance, its plug and lead. The equipment will then be connected to a test instrument called a PAT tester where it will have a number of electrical tests performed to test the integrity of the plug, lead and appliance. The results are then recorded and the appliance is appropriately labelled.
Who should do the work?
Electrical work must only be carried out by people who have the necessary knowledge, skill and experience needed to avoid danger to themselves and others, to interpret their findings and readings, and to appropriately rectify any issues found.
What will I receive?
Upon completion of the portable appliance inspection and testing you will receive the following:
An inventory, detailing the equipment’s unique asset ID, description, location, inspection and testing result and reading, and any faults rectified/repairs carried out.
A faulty equipment register, detailing any faulty equipment with an explanation of why it failed.
A certificate of Inspection and testing.
If you are not technically aware or have any difficulty understanding the report, then we will be more than happy to talk through your report with you and advise you of any further action required.
Any recommendations?
To help ensure your tenants use appliances correctly, we recommend you make copies of the manufacturers’ instructions, and make them available for your tenant(s) to refer to.
Who is responsible for communal areas?
A landlord is also responsible for the communal areas of a house, block of flats, or an estate that residents use in common with other tenants, such as:
• Entrance halls and foyers.
• Lifts and stairwells.
• Corridors.
• Landings.
• Kitchens and bathrooms.
• Laundries.
• Gymnasiums.
• Swimming pools and other leisure
facilities.
• Parking and refuse areas.
• Pathways.
• Gardens.
How safe are your electrical appliances? When were they last tested?
Call us today.
For your PAT Testing in South Wales & West England contact Patman 4 Safety, the PAT Testing specialists:
📞 02920 023 282
📞 07391 159 367
