PAT testing for landlords in Scotland

If you let a furnished or part-furnished home in Scotland, the portable appliances you provide need PAT testing. The tester sets the next test date each time, and it's usually sooner than every 5 years.

We're a free matching service. We pass your enquiry to a local electrician or trained tester, who quotes you and does the test.

What gets tested

PAT (portable appliance testing) covers anything with a plug that you supply with the let: kettle, toaster, microwave, washing machine, fridge, lamps, the vacuum cleaner in the cupboard. Your tenant's own appliances aren't included. The fixed wiring is a separate check, the EICR, and the two are usually booked together because the same person can often do both.

The tester looks over each item, then tests the ones that need it, and records the results. Scottish Government guidance says the PAT records should be attached to the EICR, so it makes sense to keep the two together.

The rules in plain terms

• Which appliances: only the ones the landlord provides.
• How often: the retest date is set during the test. It's usually more often than every 5 years, and at the least, appliances should be inspected every 5 years.
• Who can do it: an electrician, or anyone, including the landlord, who's completed appropriate training.
• If something fails: it must be repaired or replaced straight away.

Testing it yourself

Some landlords with several furnished flats do the training and test their own appliances. It can make sense if you've got a lot of items and want to keep on top of them between tenancies. For one or two flats, it's often simpler to have the electrician do the PAT testing while they're there for the EICR.

Small businesses and workplaces

The rules for workplaces are different. HSE is clear that the law doesn't require PAT testing, and it doesn't require testing every year. Employers are expected to take a risk-based approach. For most portable equipment in a low-risk workplace, such as an office or a small shop, a full test isn't needed; regular visual checks by a sensible, trained member of staff do most of the work, and you don't need to be an electrician to do those.

Equipment that's moved around a lot, used hard, or used somewhere wet or dusty is a different matter. If you're not sure where you fall, a tester can advise and quote.

Cost

PAT testing is usually priced by the number of appliances, so a fully furnished house costs more than a flat with a fridge and a kettle. We don't publish a figure because we haven't found a source we're happy to cite. Ask for a quote that says what's included and whether it's priced per item.

The rest of the paperwork

PAT is one line on a longer list. Our landlord certificates checklist covers every check, and the new tenancy safety checklist is a printable version. We match enquiries across Scotland, with local pages for Edinburgh and Glasgow.