PAT testing rules and FCUs

[Lobster]

I recently had a sparks round to check the wiring on a property which I'd rewired prior to letting it. I had several electrical appliances therein, viz, an flame-effect fire, built-in fridge, built-in oven, hob, and cooker hood, all of which I'd wired using conventional plugs and sockets rather than hard-wiring them using FCUs. This meant that all 5 of these items required PAT testing, and will do so again every year.

Sparks says that if I'd used FCUs instead (and tbh there was no major reason for not choosing to) then the appliances wouldn't have fallen within the requirements for PAT testing. Does this scenario sound right? I can understand the logic that genuinely 'portable' appliances like kettles and toasters - which can be moved around, dropped, abused etc - might need testing, but all my appliances were permanently fixed and couldn't be moved without tools.

So - is this another example of dopey regs; do my 'fixed' appliances really need annual testing, and/or can PAT testing be circumvented by hard-wiring said appliances?

Thanks David

[Christian McArdle]

Personally, if I was renting out a property, I would have such appliances tested annually anyway, whether required by regulation or not. You can't trust tenants to be sensible. You or I might turn off an appliance when we get electric shocks, or it smells fishy. Recent news indicates that others may not be so sensible. If attending a coroner's court, I want to do so with a fistful of safety certificates.

Christian.

[Jonathan Pearson]

As I understand it, although you must ensure that all electrical systems have to be safe, there is no statutory obligation on landlords or agents to have professional checks carried out on the electrical system or appliances - its only a recommendation by the HSE - however it may be a requirement by your insurance company.

see

[BigWallop]

On the link you provide Jon, it clearly states that electrical items/appliances should be checked for proper flex condition and intact installation and condition. These are, or should be, all checked by a PAT test. So, it is a normal practice for a company and their insurers to insist on PAT testing every year. You have to remember that the flat in question is being rented for profit in the eyes of the law, so these conditions have to be met because the landlord and their agents are classed as a business offering services and goods.

As Christian says, "I'd much rather have a fist full of safety certificates" in a court of law if the worst should happen. If the appliances are installed using Fused Connection Units then they aren't classed as being portable any more.

To disconnect them means removing the appliance completely from the electrical supply and not just easily un-plugging them from a socket and moving them about. FCU's do cut down on the appliance being moved and so reduces the wear and tear on the flex and the casings/housings of the items, which then means that PAT (portable appliance testing) isn't needed.

[Lobster]

certificates"

This is really what I was getting at in my original post... I appreciate the point about hard-wiring reducing the wear and tear; but my appliances are all fixed in position with screws etc, so are definitely immobilised and in no way portable, and I can't see any difference between using FCUs or plug/sockets in this scenario. OTOH, if as Christian points out, it's a good idea to have them tested anyway (which I wouldn't argue with), then why isn't there some provision made for electrical testing of 'fixed' appliances? I mean, if I had used FCUs then none of the appliances would have been tested at all, nothwithstanding the certficate from my sparks saying my house rewiring was OK. All seems a bit odd to me.

BTW, good to see you back (again!) BigW!

[Owain]

"Jonathan Pearson" wrote | Lobster wrote: | > So - is this another example of dopey regs; do my 'fixed' appliances | > really need annual testing, and/or can PAT testing be circumvented by | > hard-wiring said appliances? | As I understand it, although you must ensure that all electrical systems | have to be safe, there is no statutory obligation on landlords or agents | to have professional checks carried out on the electrical system or | appliances - its only a recommendation by the HSE - however it may be | a requirement by your insurance company. | see

Scotland, for a House of Multiple Occupation, the council can demand to see the certificates before granting a licence.

Owain

[Owain]

"Lobster" wrote | So - is this another example of dopey regs; do my 'fixed' | appliances really need annual testing, and/or can PAT testing | be circumvented by hard-wiring said appliances?

I don't think it makes any difference, in practical terms. If you have an appliance of a type or nature which is customarily inspected and tested annually, then you should inspect and test it annually, regardless of whether it is a portable appliance or part of the fixed installation. If you don't, then you may have to justify to a coroner why you thought a lower standard of inspection and testing was satisfactory.

A one-day Portable Appliance Testing course will mean you are more qualified to do this work than the majority of sparks.

Owain

[BigWallop]

But the appliances have a moulded plug top on the ends of their flexes, so are still classed by laws to be portable and, therefore, need to be tested as such. Removing the plug top and permanently connecting the flex to a fixed electrical connection unit then classes the appliance as being a fixed immovable object in the eyes of the safety people, so, this classes them as not being easily moved and reconnected in a different position or situation, hence the phrase, not portable meaning not being easily moved from port to port.

It is also a good idea to have fixed appliances checked over every so often. It helps in keeping tabs on what might need replacing through normal wear and tear before any major breakdown or damage occurs. It also lets you recoup any second hand value before having to totally replace a completely duff unit.

As me Dad always said "When it start to make funny noises or not work as it used to, sell it". :-))

P.S. Thanks for noticing I was back. LOL