PAT testing and fixed wire testing are both about electrical safety, but they cover different things. Here is how they differ and why you may need both.
What PAT Testing Covers
PAT testing covers portable and transportable electrical appliances — anything with a plug that can be moved. This includes kettles, computers, power tools, extension leads, and similar items. PAT testing is about the safety of individual appliances and their cables, plugs, and connections.
What Fixed Wire Testing Covers
Fixed wire testing (also called periodic inspection or EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report) covers the permanent electrical installation within a building. This includes the consumer unit (fuse board), all wiring circuits, sockets, light switches, distribution boards, and any other fixed electrical infrastructure. Fixed wire testing must be carried out by a qualified electrician.
Do You Need Both?
In most cases, yes. PAT testing ensures your plugged-in appliances are safe. Fixed wire testing ensures the building's electrical infrastructure is safe. One does not cover the other. A property could have perfectly safe wiring but dangerous appliances, or vice versa.
Legal Requirements
For rental properties in England, landlords have been required to have an EICR carried out at least every five years since 2020 under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. PAT testing, while not specifically mandated by a single regulation, is the accepted method of meeting the broader duty to ensure electrical appliance safety.
Our Service
At EPC Bedford UK, we provide PAT testing services. For fixed wire testing (EICR), we can recommend qualified electricians in the Bedford area or, through our parent company Zoha Property Services, help arrange this service alongside your PAT testing.
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