PAT Testing Between Tenancies: What Landlords Should Think About
PAT Testing Between Tenancies: What Landlords Should Think About
The time between one tenant moving out and the next tenant moving in is often the easiest point for a landlord to look properly at the electrical appliances supplied with a rental property.
For furnished and part-furnished properties, this might include items such as a fridge, washing machine, microwave, kettle, toaster, lamp, television, vacuum cleaner or other plug-in appliances provided as part of the tenancy.
The property is usually easier to access between tenants, the rooms are clearer, and it is much simpler to see what is actually there. It is also the point where damaged, missing or replaced items are most likely to be noticed before the next tenancy starts.
Relevant for: landlords, furnished flats, rental properties, small property portfolios, tenancy changeovers, student lets, HMOs, landlord-supplied appliances and local rental properties.
Landlords have appliance safety responsibilities
If a landlord supplies electrical appliances with a rental property, those appliances should be safe for the tenant to use and kept in proper working order.
This is where regular PAT testing can be useful. It gives the landlord a simple record of the appliances checked, the condition they were found in, and whether anything needs attention before the next tenant moves in.
Rather than trying to manage appliance lists, risk assessments, retest dates and replacement items yourself, an annual PAT testing visit can be a straightforward way to keep the appliance records clear without creating too much extra admin.
Why between tenancies is a sensible time
Rental properties change over time. A kettle might have been replaced, a bedside lamp may have been moved, a microwave may have been added, or a vacuum cleaner may have ended up in a cupboard and been forgotten about.
None of this is unusual. It is just normal property use. The problem is that appliance records can slowly stop matching the property if they are not reviewed now and again.
A tenancy changeover gives the landlord a natural opportunity to walk through the property and confirm what is still being supplied. It does not need to become a complicated process. It is simply about knowing what electrical equipment is being provided for the next tenant.
Landlord-supplied items should be clear
One of the most useful things a landlord can do is be clear about which appliances belong to the property and which belong to the tenant.
If the landlord provides the appliance, it can be included in the PAT testing record. If the item belongs to the tenant, that is normally a different matter.
I have covered this in more detail in Landlord PAT Testing: What Should Actually Be Checked?, which explains the difference between landlord-supplied appliances and tenant-owned items.
The small items are easy to forget
Most landlords will remember the larger appliances, such as the fridge, washing machine, microwave or television. It is usually the smaller items that are easier to miss.
Bedside lamps, table lamps, kettles, toasters, routers, chargers, portable heaters, fans and vacuum cleaners may all be present in a furnished rental property. Some are used every day, while others sit in cupboards or storage until needed.
A simple way to think about it is this: if it is an electrical item supplied by the landlord for use in the property, it is worth considering. The guide What Counts as an Appliance for PAT Testing? gives a wider explanation of the types of equipment that may need to be included.
Annual PAT testing keeps it simple
There are different ways to manage appliance safety, but the more complicated the system becomes, the easier it is for things to be missed.
An annual PAT testing routine is easy to understand. Once a year, the landlord-supplied appliances are checked, the report is updated, and any issues can be dealt with.
For landlords with one or two rental properties, this can be a simple and affordable way to maintain clear records. For landlords with several properties, it can also make the process easier to manage from year to year.
New or replaced appliances should be added
If new appliances have been bought for the property, they should still be added to the records before the next tenant moves in.
New equipment should normally arrive in good condition, but it can still be damaged in transit or added to the property without being recorded. A quick look at the plug, lead and casing is sensible before it becomes part of the tenancy.
Our guide Do New Appliances Need PAT Testing Straight Away? looks at this in more detail.
A clear report can be useful later
PAT testing is not just about the test itself. For landlords, the report can be just as useful because it gives a clear record of what was checked at that point in time.
If appliances are replaced, removed or added later, the records can be updated. This makes it easier to keep track of the property and avoids relying on memory when the next tenancy changeover comes around.
If an appliance fails, it should not simply be left in place for the next tenant. The issue should be recorded and the item should be repaired, replaced or removed. I have covered that separately in What Happens If an Appliance Fails a PAT Test?.
A practical habit for landlords
Between tenancies, there are usually plenty of things happening at once. Cleaning, small repairs, inventories, keys and viewings can all compete for attention.
That is why a simple annual PAT testing routine can work well. The appliances are checked, the report is kept with the property records, and any issues can be sorted before the next tenant moves in.
It is not about making compliance more complicated. It is about making the appliance side easier to manage.
Thorn PAT Testing’s approach
Thorn PAT Testing provides local PAT testing for landlords, small businesses and workplaces across Glasgow, Bearsden, Milngavie and East Dunbartonshire.
For landlords, the service can help identify landlord-supplied electrical appliances, carry out visual inspection and testing where required, and provide a clear digital report for your records. This can be especially useful between tenancies, when the property is accessible and appliances can be checked before the next tenant moves in.
Need PAT testing between tenancies?
If you are preparing a rental property for a new tenant, Thorn PAT Testing can help check landlord-supplied appliances and provide a clear report for your records.
You can view the main PAT testing service information, check current pricing, or request an instant quote online.
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