What is PAT testing?
Last verified 23 October 2026
PAT testing (portable appliance testing) is the inspection and testing of electrical appliances that plug in, such as kettles, toasters and lamps, to check they are safe to use. It is carried out by a competent person and combines a visual check with tests using specialist equipment.
Why it matters to landlords
In England, the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations focus on the fixed installation, and government guidance gives the duty to test supplied equipment to social landlords only. HSE also says that, in workplaces, the law requires electrical equipment to be kept safe but does not make annual testing a legal requirement. The same guidance says tenants are responsible for the safety of their own appliances.
Testing can still be required in practice. Conditions on an HMO licence in England and Wales include providing electrical appliance safety certificates when the council asks for them. In Scotland, landlords must make sure appliances they supply are safe and regularly inspected under the repairing standard. Many landlords elsewhere test supplied appliances as good practice, because a dated test record is the easiest way to show they took care.
Example
A furnished flat in Glasgow comes with a microwave, a kettle and a washing machine. The landlord has a competent person inspect and test them before each new tenancy and keeps the dated results with the electrical installation report.
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Related terms
- EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
- Electrical Safety Standards Regulations
- Repairing standard
- HMO licence