reset pat testing course - business in a box

[saltstein]

I am a landlord and thinking of doing a pat testing course so that I can do my own pat testing on my properties. I am thinking of also offering my services to other landlord friends and anywhere else I can get work. I am looking at the business in a box pat testing training course run by reset. The course is 5 days and is £1,500 + vat. You get the following including qulification and business start up help :

*A professional Megger PAT tester
*All of the most popular leads, connectors and adaptors required
*Compliance labels
*Basic hand tool kit
*Software, containing templates for customer invoices, customer letters
*Press release ideas to promote your new business
*IEE Code of Practice for In-Service Testing and Inspection of Electrical Equipment
*Safe isolation lock out kit

my question is does anyone know if the course is worth it? Is there work at the end of it other than my own properties?

here is a link to their web site:
http://resettrainingltd.web.officelive.com/E11_Business_in_a_Box_1000.aspx

Many Thanks in advance for your help

 

[flameport]

Overpriced and takes far too long. Same course/exam here:
http://www.techniquetraining.co.uk/courses/city&guilds/2377_12.html

The test machine included might be worthwhile, but only if you want that particular model. The rest of the stuff supplied is essentially worthless.

As for a career - not likely. There are companies doing these tests for less than £1 per item.

If you want to save money on appliance testing, don't include any portable appliances when letting your properties - tenants can supply their own appliances.

 

[dingbat]

Wow, that's a lot of money - most of that is for a tester which does a million things you may never need.

Why not invest in a course first and then decide which, if any tester you want to buy?

Give these people a call and have a chat about it: www.electricaltraining.co.uk

 

[sparky0000]

like dingbat said do a caurse first then go from there, you could get a course and a half decent pat tester for about £500_£600

 

[Grizzly]

here is a link to their web site:
http://resettrainingltd.web.officelive.com/E11_Business_in_a_Box_1000.aspx

It also doesn't help that they seem to be peddling the usual inaccuracies (or is that lies) most of us have seen & heard before:

Introduction
In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment or 'PAT' testing, as it is more commonly known is a legal requirement for every business and public premises...

 

[saltstein]

Many thanks for all your answers, I appreciate the advice, It has made me think.

Flamport:

As for a career - not likely. There are companies doing these tests for less than £1 per item.

Surely there is a minimum call out fee like say £40 example?

If you want to save money on appliance testing, don't include any portable appliances when letting your properties - tenants can supply their own appliances.

Unless you offer the houe unfurnished, I dont see how I can do this. I rent to students so they expect fridge, frezzer, washing machine, hoover etc.

Grizzly:

It also doesn't help that they seem to be peddling the usual inaccuracies (or is that lies) most of us have seen & heard before:

can you give me more detail please, I thought that by having your appliances pat tested then it meets the legal requirment to supply portable electric items in good working order?

 

[dingbat]

I am a landlord and thinking of doing a pat testing course so that I can do my own pat testing on my properties. I am thinking of also offering my services to other landlord friends and anywhere else I can get work.

I think this is a good plan for yourself and for friends who have the same duties of care to their tenants. Go for it.

As for making a general living out of it, many electrical contractors use in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment as a loss-leader; it is a viciously competitive market, awash with all sorts of misconceptions and plain old incompetence. You're better off not going down that road.

 

[dingbat]

Grizzly:

It also doesn't help that they seem to be peddling the usual inaccuracies (or is that lies) most of us have seen & heard before:

can you give me more detail please, I thought that by having your appliances pat tested then it meets the legal requirment to supply portable electric items in good working order?

You have a legal duty to keep your clients safe. How you do this is up to you, but there is no actual legal imperative that a formal inspection and testing regime is carried out. (You'll learn this if you go on a proper course!)

 

[flameport]

There is a minimum fee, but even so, there is no real money in it.
The only companies which actually make money doing this are either those which do large buildings with vast amounts of equipment, or those which miss out most/all of the procedures.
It is also extremely tedious and boring work.

Whether you supply appliances is up to you, but items such as washing machines and freezers won't need testing that often, as they won't be moved.
Most faults can be identified without any test equipment at all - damaged leads, plugs, broken parts, bodged repairs and so on.

Further information here:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/maintenance/safety.htm

Something else to consider which is far more important than tests on portable appliances is the fixed wiring in the property. Not just that it is safe, but it is actually is fit for purpose. Suitable numbers of socket outlets for example - not enough or in the wrong places will encourage use of extension leads and adaptors.

 

[RF Lighting]

*Safe isolation lock out kit

How would that ever be needed for PA Testing?

 

[Click-Sure]

What? a roll of brown tape...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As a general rule, take any offerings by commercial companies of training/equipment/franchises and claims that you can end up with a profitable business with a pinch of salt the size of Utah....

 

[wingcoax]

As you can imagine, there are loads of outfits round here doing pat testing and lots of them use scare tactic,ie "your insurance will be invalid" and charge arond £50-£75 for a 10 bedroom b&b. With the number of appliances these days they cant be doing a thorough job. Fortunately there are also reputable companies who do a proper job.