pat including fixed appliances new tennants

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Please could someone give me some information as to the minimum safety requirements and testing criteria on electrical equipment in a private dwelling house about to be let.
The equipment consists of.

COOKER HARD WIRED.

4 STORAGE HEATERS HARD WIRED INTO TO A SOCKET WITH NEON LIGHT INDICATION THAT IT IS SWITCHED ON AROUND 2300 HOURS LOW TARIFF RATE.

3 KW IMMERSION HEATER WATER HEATER IN HOT WATER CYLINDER .

MAIN LIVING ROOM FAN ASSISTED 3 KW ELECTRIC FIRE ROOM HEATER WITH 13A PLUG.

EXTENSION LEAD WITH 4 SOCKET OUTLET 5 METRES LONG.

9.5KW SHOWER IN THE BATHROOM.

 

[STI]

The PAT first. The easiest way to answer this is if its got some flex (not cable) then it needs to be PAT tested. So in your examples

Cooker usually got cable not flex so no. Some may argue differently.
Storage heaters usually cable so yes.
Immersion usually flex so yes but this is also very often included in a PIR
3KW Fire flex so yes.
Extension lead yes
Shower cable so no.

Also if gas central heating fused spur to ignition usualy flex so should be done. Although as a requirement for letting you should have had a gas safety check so may have been done then.
Fridges/freezers washing machines if present also should be tested. As should wall adaptors(get rid of them anyway) Plug in air fresheners and charging units.
Code of practice is for the PAT to be done on change of tenancy. But some common sense needs to be applied here as there is no way a holiday let is going to be PATed every week or two.

The other requirement is for a PIR on your wiring unless this has been done recently.

Not sure what you mean by testing criteria but your PAT tester must know these. They are different for Cat 1 Cat 2 and CAT 3 equipment (Earthed not earthed and battery operated is a simple definition of the categories).

Two websites that may be of interest www.landlordzone.co.uk and http://www.pat-testing.info/landlords.htm

 

[joinerjohn]

""Also if gas central heating fused spur to ignition usualy flex so should be done."""


Hardly a Portable Appliance, is it?

If it has a 13amp plug on the end , then PAT test the item, If it's hard wired into a fused spur , leave alone.
Edit,,,,,
If there's a flex connecting to a fused spur, you can probably do a visual only check.

 

[STI]

""Also if gas central heating fused spur to ignition usualy flex so should be done."""


Hardly a Portable Appliance, is it?

If it has a 13amp plug on the end , then PAT test the item, If it's hard wired into a fused spur , leave alone.
Edit,,,,,
If there's a flex connecting to a fused spur, you can probably do a visual only check.

JJ Neither is a washing machine or a hand dryer on a wall but still need to be checked even if there is no plug. GN3

Edit unless agreed not to be checked and then i want it in writing from the client.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which bit of GN3 covers PA testing?

 

[Spark123]

Think this book is more relevant:
http://www.theiet.org/publishing/books/wir-reg/cop.cfm

 

[STI]

Think this book is more relevant:
http://www.theiet.org/publishing/books/wir-reg/cop.cfm[/QUOTE]

Thats the one not GN3 but 3rd edition

 

[riveralt]

Whatever happended to the 'Portable' bit?

This website might help http://www.pat-testing.info/appliance.htm

 

[joinerjohn]

""Also if gas central heating fused spur to ignition usualy flex so should be done."""


Hardly a Portable Appliance, is it?

If it has a 13amp plug on the end , then PAT test the item, If it's hard wired into a fused spur , leave alone.
Edit,,,,,
If there's a flex connecting to a fused spur, you can probably do a visual only check.

JJ Neither is a washing machine or a hand dryer on a wall but still need to be checked even if there is no plug. GN3


Edit unless agreed not to be checked and then i want it in writing from the client.

The person doing the Portable Appliance testing doesn't necessarily have to be a qualified electrician, but competent to undertake PA Testing.
If the appliance is hard wired into a fused spur then the PA tester may not be qualified to disconnect the appliance to undertake the insulation test. Therefore all that could possibly happen is the visual inspection test.

 

[skenk]

The landlord is responsible for the safety of the fixed wiring (so CYA with a full PIR) and all electrical equipment supplied by them (so CYA with a full PAT).

There is no requirement in law (AFAIK) to have the testing done but if you do you will have shown have fulfilled your responsibility if anything bad were to happen. Also these test may become compulsory if you need a HMO license, or via some other local council diktat.

 

[timtheenchanter]

If the appliance is hard wired into a fused spur then the PA tester may not be qualified to disconnect the appliance to undertake the insulation test. Therefore all that could possibly happen is the visual inspection test.

or even have the equipment to, most of the PA testers (as in operators) I have come across only have the equipment to test equipment with a plug on as they are employed as PA Testers, so only use a PAT machine.

Its likely that only sparks would have the equipment to disconnect and test equipment that is hard wired.

 

[plugwash]

The person doing the Portable Appliance testing doesn't necessarily have to be a qualified electrician, but competent to undertake PA Testing.
If the appliance is hard wired into a fused spur then the PA tester may not be qualified to disconnect the appliance to undertake the insulation test. Therefore all that could possibly happen is the visual inspection test.

Just because a barely trained PAT test guy can't do the testing safely doesn't mean that the equipment shouldn't be tested.

Unfortunately way too many places treat electrical testing as just a tick in a box and fixed equipment can easily fall down the crack between PIR and PAT.

 

[joinerjohn]

In the case of the wall mounted boiler connected to a fused spur,,, Would the qualified electrician, also have to be gassafe registered as he was actually testing a gas appliance? Even though he isn't touching the gas side of it, some plumbers and gas techies might argue the point.

Which reduces the argument to the point where it becomes nonsense.



EDIT, just noticed it's an electric boiler, but what about combi boilers? After all, these are usually supplied via a fused spur.

 

[ericmark]

I am unaware of anything to say portable equipment needs testing for domestic premises. However on change of occupant a periodic inspection report is recommended and there is a need to test anything hired and I suppose it would be considered any electrical equipment in the house is being hired to the occupant.
So everything will need inspecting and/or testing to show you have fulfilled your duty of care.
In the main this is to satisfy insurers and so who ever tests will need also to be insured and since it is a professional opinion likely PII rather than PLI but one would have to read the policy.

It is hard to say exactly what would be considered as enough but with anything to do with health and safety it needs to be written.

Although I have the skill and tools to complete an inspections I could not do the work because I am not insured and this is main point.

 

[vv2806]

I had an estate agent visiting my house recently to give me evaluation. She gave me some forms to fill if I decide to rent through them. According to the form, it is required to have a gas safety certificate before the tenancy starts and it has to be done every year. For the electricals a PAT is required, PIR is not required but recomended (every 5 years). It is for a family type dwelling, not HMO.