Cost of PAT Testing

How Much Does PAT Testing Cost?

PAT Testing on average ranges from 80p to £2 per item, depending on how many items you're having tested, although there's normally a minimum fee (around £50 to £100) so it's worthwhile getting a number of items checked at once.

Portable appliance testing requires a manual inspection along with electrical testing following IEE guidelines. The results are a Pass or Fail and all items will be clearly labeled as such.

Additional services are also offered such as fuse replacement (usually around 25p per item), the re-wire of existing plugs at around £1.50 and the fitting of a replacement plug for around £4.50.

Pricing involves quite a bit of work beyond just PAT Testing. Many professional testing companies will include a few extra benefits, going beyond simply testing each appliance. This can often include the following:

• Visual checks
• Plug rewiring
• Fuse replacements
• Pass and fail labels
• PAT testing certificate
• Detailed test results

Within the detailed results, customers can also expect to receive a further breakdown including serial numbers for any appliances where available.

PAT Testing Prices

Below are some estimated costs of PAT testing appliances:

5 %

Materials
10p

95 %

Tradesmen
£1.90 (per item)

0 %

Waste Removal
£0

Additional PAT Testing Costs

The main factors affecting the cost of PAT testing are the number of items being tested and how long it will take to complete. However, that's not the only potential cost to consider.

While a PAT test focuses on portable appliances, an Electrical Safety Certificate is required for the building’s electrical installation (electrical wiring, circuits etc) and costs between £125 and £300 depending on the size of the property.

It may be worth having other safety checks carried out around your home or business at the same time.

Smoke alarm tests, including checking the wiring or replacing batteries should be carried out on a regular basis, along with a thorough inspection every six months.

Some properties have a Residual Current Device (also known as a RCD), which automatically disconnect the power if an electrical fault occurs. This can often be tested at the same time as a PAT test, to help protect against electric shocks and fire hazard.

Testing your fuse box regularly can also help avoid any unexpected issues, as well as extra costs, with the average price of replacing a fuse box costing around £500 to £600.

In the event testing the electrics highlights a major concern with your electrical supply, the cost of completely rewiring a house is in the region of £1,500 and £6,000.

What Does PAT Testing Entail?

Portable appliance testing (PAT) is the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to ensure their safety. This is mostly a visual electrical safety check, but some testing is also carried out.

A basic user safety check using a checklist can be useful but a formal visual inspection and testing carried out by a competent person at appropriate intervals is the preferred solution.

All electrical appliances can cause electrical shock or be a fire hazard and over 500 people are injured in the UK every year due to faulty electrical installations. Electrical appliance testing ensures that any electrical faults are identified, so potential hazards can be removed.

This electrical appliance testing is often referred to as "portable appliance testing" or PAT. It is completely different from electrical installation testing, which checks the fixed electrics in your home and would require an Electrical Safety Certificate instead.

Whereas portable appliance testing, as the name suggests, is concerned with the safety of individual, movable items of electrical equipment. A portable appliance is defined as an appliance which can be moved between periods of use and is connected via a power cable the electrical supply.

Approved contractors will also offer a guarantee with proof that you have carried out electrical testing and have complied with current Health and Safety regulations.

The costs of portable appliance testing will vary but typically professional PAT firms will charge around £1 and £2 per tested appliance. Some firms offer pricing a bit less than £1 per item, but these companies will usually operate on a minimum amount of appliances, typically 100 or more portable appliances.

DIY PAT Testing vs Professional PAT Testing

An official PAT test can be carried out by a qualified electrician, or suitable technicians with the relevant training. Although it is possible to go DIY and purchase the equipment to test appliances yourself, you won't be able to issue an official certificate.

As a result, DIY PAT testing comes with its own pros and cons, but a qualified professional is still the better option:

DIY PAT Testing

Pros

• ✔ Convenient - you can test appliances as and when required
• ✔ Cost-effective - as there are no labour costs involved
• ✔ Instant retesting - if a failed item is then fixed

Cons

• ✖ Cost of equipment (£200 to £500)
• ✖ Training course required (£100 to £200)
• ✖ Not always legally accepted for insurance purposes

Professional PAT Testing

Pros

• ✔ Accurate testing with correct PAT testing equipment
• ✔ Experience and time-efficient (especially with larger volumes)
• ✔ Covers legal and insurance requirements, complete with certification

Cons

• ✖ Higher labour cost than going DIY
• ✖ Need to schedule with several items at once
• ✖ Potential delay in repeat testing if item needs fixing

Although a competent DIY expert can PAT test themselves, it's always best to hire a professional to ensure your certifate is formally recognised - especially if you're testing for commercial use.

PAT Testing Regulations and Legal Requirements

While there are no strict legal requirements to carry out PAT testing annually, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require all electrical equipment to be maintained in a safe condition.

It is at the discretion of the homeowner whether or not to carry out electrical appliance testing, but in commercial premises, it is a legal requirement of the Health and Safety At Work Regulations that all electrical appliances in the workplace comply.

If you are a landlord, you should test appliances when the property is first being let out and then again every time the tenants change. If you are a tenant, you should be aware that your landlord is responsible for portable appliance testing.

The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting acts as the regulatory body in the UK for electrical safety matters with over 10,500 approved contractors. Employing a professional to carry out electrical appliance testing is far quicker than doing it yourself, plus should anything go wrong, there will be a formal procedure to register any concerns.

FAQ's

By law, do I need to have my portable electrical appliances tested every year?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state that electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury has to be maintained in a safe condition. However, the Regulations do not specify exactly what needs to be done in terms of testing or how often it is required. So it is not a legal requirement to undertake this testing annually. But it is recommended that some appliance testing is carried out periodically.

Do I need to get a qualified electrician to do portable appliance testing?

The person doing the portable appliance testing obviously needs to be competent to do it. Although this could often mean a member of staff with sufficient knowledge and training for simple visual checks. But for combined inspection and testing a higher level of knowledge and experience will be required along with the right equipment and the ability to use the test equipment and properly understand the results.

Are wired appliances part of portable appliance testing?

One of the big myths about portable appliance testing is that it only covers items with a plug. However, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 act covers all electrical appliances and does not differentiate between equipment with a plug and equipment which is wired directly to the electrical supply. So all electrical appliances and equipment need to be maintained in a safe condition.

Who is responsible for portable appliance safety?

All businesses have a responsibility for the safe use and maintenance of electrical appliances. In addition, they are also responsible for any electrical appliances brought onto their premises. Landlords are responsible for any electrical appliances that they provide.

What will happen if we don't have portable appliance testing carried out?

It is likely, nothing will happen - unless there is an accident. A preventable accident could lead to prosecution and there will likely be no insurance cover. So if an employee or customer is injured by an electrical appliance and it is discovered that no appliance testing has been carried out, the insurance policy will likely not pay out and there could well be criminal as well as civil charges.