Who is Responsible for PAT Testing in Rented Properties and Communal Areas — and How Often Should It Be Done?

Responsibility for PAT testing generally follows ownership and control. A landlord should manage the safety of portable appliances they provide inside a rented home, while equipment in communal areas is usually managed by the party that controls those common parts — often the freeholder, resident management company or a managing agent acting for the dutyholder. There is no universal rule saying every appliance needs PAT testing every year: inspection and testing should be based on the equipment, how and where it is used, its condition and a suitable risk assessment.

Key takeaways

• PAT testing relates to portable or moveable electrical equipment; an EICR covers the fixed electrical installation.
• Keep a clear asset list showing who owns each appliance and which party controls the area where it is used.
• Visual checks, user reporting and recorded maintenance can be as important as formal electrical tests.
• Higher-use or harsher environments may justify more frequent checks than low-use equipment in a clean, low-risk setting.
• For blocks, review the lease, management agreement and contractor arrangements before allocating tasks.

Who is responsible for PAT testing?

Start with two simple questions: who supplied the appliance, and who controls the area in which it is used?

For a rented property, the landlord will normally be the party to arrange electrical safety checks for portable appliances they supply for the tenant’s use. Typical examples include a supplied fridge, washing machine, microwave, television or portable heater. The landlord’s duties concern the equipment they provide; a tenant’s own appliances remain the tenant’s responsibility unless another arrangement has been agreed.

In a block or managed development, the answer is often different for common parts. A hallway vacuum, portable fan, communal laundry appliance, caretaker’s tools or equipment in a shared office should usually sit with the organisation or person that owns or controls that equipment and area. This may be the freeholder, a resident management company, a right-to-manage company, or a managing agent carrying out agreed duties on their behalf.

> CONTROL MATTERS, BUT SO DO THE DOCUMENTS — The lease, management agreement, maintenance contract and insurance arrangements can all affect who is expected to organise and pay for electrical maintenance. Check these before assuming the managing agent is the dutyholder; an agent may arrange work, but the underlying responsibility can remain with the client organisation.

For landlords in England, government guidance says landlords must ensure that electrical equipment they supply is safe. In workplaces and common parts used for work, duties under electricity-at-work legislation may also apply to those with control of the electrical systems and work activities. The exact position can depend on the building’s use and arrangements, so it is sensible to document decisions rather than rely on an informal assumption.

PAT testing and an EICR are not the same thing

They address different parts of the electrical system, so one should not be treated as a substitute for the other.

What each electrical check is designed to cover
| Service | What it considers | Typical examples |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PAT / in-service inspection and testing | Portable or moveable appliances, their plugs and leads | Kettles, supplied white goods, extension leads, portable heaters and communal cleaning equipment |
| EICR | The fixed electrical installation | Consumer unit, fixed wiring, sockets, switches and fixed circuits |
| Visual condition checks | Obvious damage or deterioration between formal visits | Cracked plugs, frayed leads, scorch marks, loose sockets and damaged appliance casings |

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) concerns the fixed installation, not the condition of each portable appliance connected to it. In the private rented sector in England, landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years, or sooner where the report requires it. That fixed-installation requirement does not create an annual PAT testing rule.

PAT is a commonly used shorthand, but good electrical appliance management is broader than applying a test label. It can include an initial check, routine user checks, formal visual inspections, testing where appropriate, repairs, replacement and accurate records. A competent person should decide the appropriate approach for the appliances and environment involved.

How often should PAT testing be done?

There is no one-size-fits-all annual interval for every rental appliance or communal item.

The Health and Safety Executive explains that there is no legal requirement to test portable electrical appliances at fixed annual intervals, and that maintenance should be proportionate to risk. In practice, a seldom-used lamp in a dry, low-risk setting does not present the same inspection needs as a frequently handled extension lead used by cleaning staff or maintenance contractors.

• <strong>Type of equipment:</strong> Hand-held, movable and frequently plugged-in items tend to receive more wear than stationary equipment.
• <strong>Environment:</strong> Damp, dusty, outdoor, shared or high-traffic spaces can increase the likelihood of damage.
• <strong>Frequency of use:</strong> Equipment used every day deserves closer attention than an item used occasionally.
• <strong>Who uses it:</strong> Shared equipment, or equipment used by multiple contractors, benefits from clear reporting and inspection arrangements.
• <strong>Past condition:</strong> Previous faults, repairs or recurring damage are useful evidence when setting a review interval.

> SET A REVIEW DATE, NOT AN ARBITRARY PROMISE — Use a documented risk-based schedule and review it after a change in use, a reported fault, damage, refurbishment or a change of managing party. This gives landlords and managing agents a clearer audit trail than applying the same interval to every item.

Appliance testing should be carried out by someone competent for the work. Competence is about suitable knowledge, training and practical ability for the task, rather than simply owning a tester. A good record should identify the appliance, its location or responsible party, the inspection date, findings, any action taken and the next review point.

A practical process for landlords and letting agents

A simple handover routine makes it easier to keep supplied appliances visible, maintained and correctly allocated.

Before a tenancy starts or renews
1. List supplied appliances — Record the make or description, room, condition and serial number where available. An inventory report can help distinguish landlord-supplied items from the tenant’s own belongings.
2. Check obvious condition — Look for damaged leads, plugs, casings, signs of overheating and unsuitable extension arrangements. Remove damaged equipment from use and arrange suitable action.
3. Decide the maintenance approach — Use the appliance type, condition and expected use to set appropriate visual inspection and testing arrangements. Keep the decision recorded.
4. Give tenants a reporting route — Ask tenants to report damaged supplied appliances promptly and explain that they should not use equipment that appears damaged.
5. Keep records together — Store appliance records alongside EICR, inventory and repair information so the property file is easier to review at renewal, inspection or change of agent.

For managed portfolios, consistency matters. A central register can show which appliances are landlord-owned, which have been removed or replaced, what checks are due and who is authorised to approve repairs. At AG Site Solutions, PAT testing can be arranged alongside other property visits where appropriate, including EPCs, inventories and mid-term inspections.

Managing PAT testing in communal areas

Common parts need a clear ownership map, particularly where a block has several decision-makers.

Begin by separating fixed items from portable equipment. The building’s fixed wiring and communal consumer units belong in the fixed-installation maintenance plan. Portable equipment should be listed separately, including items held by cleaners, caretakers, concierge teams, contractors and the managing agent.

Communal-area equipment checklist
- [ ] Identify each portable appliance and its normal storage or use location.
- [ ] Confirm whether it belongs to the freeholder, management company, managing agent or contractor.
- [ ] Check whether contractors bring and control their own equipment.
- [ ] Set out who can remove unsafe equipment from use and approve replacement.
- [ ] Keep inspection and testing records available to the responsible client and managing agent.
- [ ] Review the list after staff changes, contractor changes, refurbishment or new equipment purchases.

Be especially careful with contractor-owned items. A cleaning company’s vacuum, for example, may be used in your building but still be supplied and controlled by the contractor. Ask the contractor how it maintains its equipment and keep responsibilities clear in the service agreement. Conversely, if the block provides the vacuum for the contractor’s use, the party controlling that appliance should include it in its own maintenance arrangements.

A mid-term property inspection can identify visible issues in a tenanted home, but it is not a replacement for electrical inspection, appliance testing or an EICR. Each service has a different purpose. Clear scope, good records and prompt attention to reported defects are the practical foundations of a sensible electrical safety process.

Frequently asked questions

Does a PAT label prove an appliance is safe forever?

No. A label records the result at the time of inspection or test. Equipment can be damaged afterwards, so ongoing visual checks and prompt reporting still matter.

Can a letting agent arrange PAT testing for a landlord?

Yes, an agent can arrange it where authorised. It is worth confirming the scope, approval process, record storage and cost arrangement in writing.

Should unused appliances be included in the register?

If the appliance is supplied and remains available for use, it is sensible to record it. If it has been permanently removed from service, update the inventory and appliance list accordingly.

What should happen if an appliance fails an inspection?

It should not be used until it has been suitably repaired, retested where needed or replaced. Record what was found and the action taken.