No regulation actually says the words "you must PAT test". What the law requires is that electrical equipment be maintained in a safe condition. PAT testing is the recognised way most employers and landlords go about proving that duty is being met, which makes it close to compulsory in practice even though its name never appears in the regulations themselves.
The regulation behind it
The duty comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which require that electrical systems and equipment be maintained, so far as reasonably practicable, to prevent danger. The regulations do not specify a testing method, an interval, or even the word "test" — they leave the how up to whoever is responsible for the equipment. HSE guidance on maintaining portable equipment is where PAT testing gets named as one accepted way of meeting that duty, not the only one, but by far the most consistent record to point to if the question is ever raised.
Why PAT testing became the default anyway
A visual check alone will catch a cracked plug or a frayed lead, but it cannot find a failed earth connection or insulation that has broken down inside the casing. A proper test can, and it leaves a dated, itemised record against each appliance. That record is what an insurer, a fire risk assessor or an HSE inspector actually wants to see if something goes wrong. None of that is written into law directly — it has simply become the standard proof, in the same way a receipt is not legally required for every purchase but is what everyone keeps anyway.
Who this duty actually falls on
- Employers, for equipment staff use at work — kettles, monitors, extension leads, power tools.
- Landlords, for any electrical appliance they supply as part of a let, which comes up most often in furnished lets and HMOs.
- Anyone running a business the public visits, where a faulty appliance could cause a fire or injury on the premises.
- Holiday let and serviced accommodation operators, for broadly the same reason as a residential landlord.
What actually happens if you skip it
There is no fixed penalty for not PAT testing, because there is no regulation naming it to break. What you are exposed to instead is the consequence of the underlying duty not being met — an insurance claim contested after a fire is traced to an unmaintained appliance, or a landlord or employer struggling to show reasonable care was taken if someone is hurt. The absence of a PAT certificate is not itself the offence. It is the absence of any evidence that the equipment was being looked after at all.
We carry out PAT testing across London and Essex for landlords, offices and businesses that need to show their equipment is being properly maintained, with a certificate covering every item tested.
If you are unsure, it is always cheaper to ask than to guess. Give us a call and we will tell you straight.