can I avoid PAT testing?

[ajrobb]

I have notified BC under Part P that I am doing some kitchen rewiring. As part of the work, I am installing a cooker hood. Initially, I was thinking of plugging the hood into a new socket concealed in its chimney above the outlet with a 20A isolator at counter height.

This house will be rented out and I'd like to avoid annual PAT tests. The cooker hood and combi boiler will be the only electrical items supplied apart from ceiling lights. The tenants will have to supply their own slot-in cooker, washer and fridge.

Do 13A fused outlets need PAT testing or is it just plugs?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I wasn't aware, there was a legal requirement for pat testing to be done on appliances in domestically rented properties.
I don't think either the cooker hood nor the boiler would be considered a portable appliance.
As I understood the legal requirements are, that the equipment should be safe, well-maintained and suitable for it's purpose. No requirement for PAT Testing.

 

[ajrobb]

Thanks PBD, you might be right about no annual PAT requirement. I am not sure but safety checks might come under common law rather than building regulations:

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/electrical_safety.htm :

Regulations

There is no statutory obligation on landlords or agents to have professional checks carried out on the electrical system or appliances. However, under Common Law and various statutory regulations: The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, The Housing Act 2004, The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, and the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, both of which come under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, there is an obligation to ensure that all electrical equipment is safe.

In January 2005 new legislation under Part P of the Building Regulations make it a requirement that for certain types of electrical work in dwellings, plus garages, sheds, greenhouses and outbuilding comply with the standards. This means a competent electrician must carry out the work. For DIY electrical work you must belong to one of the Government's approved Competent Person Self-Certification schemes or submit a building notice to the local authority before doing the work.

Compliance

We strongly recommend that any Landlord, regardless of whether they see themselves as running a business or not, should make absolutely sure they are complying with these regulations to ensure that all electrical equipment supplied is safe.
In order to do this we recommend:

• Annual visual inspections by the landlord or agent - recording this on a safety checklist.
  Inspections on tenant change-overs, recording electrical equipment, its condition and fuses fitted - see PAT Testing.
  Periodic inspections of electrical equipment by a qualified electrician.
  5 yearly inspections by a qualified electrician to ensure safety and that the electrical system complies with current electrical regulations.
  Keep all records of these inspections.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

They are only recommendation, there is no statutary law saying either I&T or PAT needs to be carried out for rented property.

 

[ajrobb]

They are only recommendation, there is no statutary law saying either I&T or PAT needs to be carried out for rented property.

It's a bit weird, they are recommendations of that site to demonstrate that the landlord is complying with their general requirement to ensure that electrical equipment is safe.

Thanks again. I feel more relaxed about it now.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I am not saying don't do it, as a landlord you do have a responsibility to make sure the property is safe and hazard free.
It's a case of how do you best prove you have done that.
I do believe the laws are different for houses of multi-occupancy.

 

[ajrobb]

I am not saying don't do it

Sorry, I should have said I am more relaxed about using a plug and socket to connect the cooker hood. Once electrical work is complete and BC have accepted it, I'll get an electrical safety test done before letting it out.

 

[pjcomp]

PAT testing applies to appliances not the installation. As the cooker hood and boiler are built into the property - or at least very definitely attached to it - they aren't portable so count as fixed equipment and fall outside the PAT testing regime.

PAT testing is aimed at items that can be moved. Things like kettles, toaster, fan heaters are obvious candidates; not so obvious are fridge freezers and washing machines (unless they're integrated into the kitchen installaiton).

Go to the thinking behind the process - if something is fixed in position it's not likely to suffer damage being moved around; if something is frequently unplugged and plugged in, can be picked up and moved around, there is greater chance of damage leading to a potential hazard, hence the need for testing.

If you let your property through an agent check what their rules say. As has been mentioned, there's no specific rules about any electrical testing beyond the requirement that tenant safety is ensured, but some agents and/or their insurers take it a bit further. Having a paper trail of testing also means you have a defence if anything ever comes to a dispute with the tenant.

PJ

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thank you, PJ. Someone knows what he is talking about.

Also I agree. If you let through an agent they may insist on PAT testing - they need to cover their bottoms if things go wrong.

 

[JACKC]

The Code of Practise for the In Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment states "Other than the fixed installation, all electrical equipment in an installation, whether permanently connected or connected by a plug and socket outlet, should be inspected and tested in accordance with the recommendations contained in this Code of Practise."
That is word for word. I personally think PAT testing is a ball ache of a job but do it as it gets me into all sorts of other work whilst on site. Having said that in a rental if you are not going through an agency then the choice is yours to make. I have done some in privately owned and also in agency let.
If things do go wrong and someone gets an electrical shock and takes you to court you will have to justify how you carried out electrical maintenance. PAT testing and fixed installation testing is a way of proving you tried. Its up to you to make the decision if you test or not. It is only a code of practise and not law but it will be used as evidence in a court of law.

 

[DeadJoe]

Sorry to butt in, but...

For DIY electrical work you must belong to one of the Government's approved Competent Person Self-Certification schemes

Can someone point me in the right direction to understand what this means?

 

[DIYDANDY]

Sorry to butt in, but...

For DIY electrical work you must belong to one of the Government's approved Competent Person Self-Certification schemes

Can someone point me in the right direction to understand what this means?

It does not mean anything, to DIY you do not to be a member of any scheme. However, there are some restrictions on what you can DIY.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law

 

[STI]

Ive said this before and i will continue to say it, Do not consider just things that can be easily moved and portable as the only things that need to be have a PAT. Washing machine, dishwashers need to have a PAT if you go that route.

A PAT is not a legal requirment for anything, but if the worst ever happens to show you have had a regular auditable regime of safety checks will help your case. A good set of PAT records will show this to be the case.

As JACKC states the code of practise does not diferentiate between the "size" of appliances or how they are connected to the supply.

Who checks the cooker hood for safety, if its wired to a FCU a PIR wont do it as everything needs to be disconnected to do the insulation test.

I really am amazed that for the cost of a PAT people try to avoid it. I have found lawnmowers with the extension lead wired so that the live pin is exposed when the extension is disconnected, i have found a cooker ingnition wired up so that the hob was live, ex tennant thought it was a laugh! i have found numerous extension leads with the incorrect polarity, with no earth wire and yes i have found cooker hoods with 13a fuses in FCU'S, with no earth connection when it was required, with silver paper acting as filler so the bulb would work. I have found several FCU's with cable conductors stripped out to act as a fuse. Wshing machines under worktops with the cable cut through behind the machine just waiting to touch the casing.
I could go on but wont.

Its yours and the letting agents, insurance companies choice but for probably the equivalent oif a couple of days rent get it done.

 

[ericmark]

There is a problem not only with houses but commercial premises too where the word "PAT" is considered to mean "Portable Appliance Testing" and the guys doing the testing test the portable appliances only.

The Electrics can be split into two groups. The installation which covers the wires, sockets, fuses, and lights. The in service electrical equipment which covers the rest.

But so much of the in service electrical equipment is in some way special for example a frost free freezer which on a timed cycle will activate a heater to defrost the unit and so to test one either needs to test long enough for this timer to activate or do some dismantling in order to gain access to the heater to test it. I worked on a concrete batching plant which came as many truck loads and all connected together and sat on sight for 5 years. This was a portable appliance with a 125A three phase supply and the test (Service) would take 3 electricians all day Sunday to complete. We also had rather specialist knowledge to complete the task. It included testing every safety switch and sensor. Clearly one would not expect a guy with a yellow PAT test machine to do this sort of test.

Many items will have a recommended service interval and items like you refer to will likely need from time to time cleaning and lubricating and one can't really expect a tenant to complete this type of work. The same will apply to the boiler it will need a regular service which is a little more than just testing. What you need to do is work out how often the work needs doing. Annually is common but computers for example in an office environment can be tested every four years.

As to who does the service this could well be yourself and likely there will be some recommendation as to what is required.

The main difference between a owner occupier and rented is record keeping and when I check anything in my own house I rarely write down what I have done. And I will admit when I fit a new socket I use the test set but don't often record the results. However for a rented property records are really needed so that you can show should anything go wrong you have maintained the property. I would consider the bill for a service is good proof and to get a schedule of test results is not really that important.

There are so many little jobs we do in the home without even thinking about it. Oiling a door lock or hinge for example. But with rented property the tenant can and will complain of a sticking door and you will need to visit just to put on that drop of oil. Recording the visit goes a good way to proving you did maintain the property.

I would not ask anyone to PAT test any appliance if I can help it. You always want some one to not only test but correct any problems be that simple cleaning or drop of oil. Or even changing the fuse to correct size. I would call it a "Service" after all you would not just get your car MOT'ed you would also get oil changed etc.