What does PAT testing cost in the UK?
The two pricing models
PAT testing is usually priced one of two ways. Per-item pricing charges a rate per appliance — commonly £1 to £3 per item — but almost always with a minimum charge (often £50–£80) and sometimes a separate call-out fee, which makes small jobs disproportionately expensive and the final bill hard to predict.
Fixed banded pricing charges a flat rate for a range of appliance counts. It is easier to budget and removes the incentive to inflate item counts. Test Harbour uses this model: £89 fixed for up to 30 appliances, £169 fixed for 30–100, from £249 for 100–250, and custom quotes for larger or multi-site jobs — with no call-out fee or travel surcharge anywhere in Devon and Cornwall.
What should be included
A complete quote covers: testing and labelling every appliance, a certificate, and an itemised register of results. Ask specifically about failed items (documenting them should be free), microwave leakage or specialist tests if you need them, and how you receive results — a PDF buried in an email thread is worth less than a live register you can pull up at renewal time.
Watch for extras that appear after the visit: charges for "re-issuing" certificates, per-page report fees, or paying again to access your own historical results. Your test data should be yours.
Worked examples
A holiday cottage with 22 appliances: £89 fixed with us. On a per-item model at £2/item with a £60 minimum and £30 call-out, the same job lands around £74–£104 — similar money, but you don't know the number until the tester counts.
A 15-desk office with roughly 70 appliances (computers, monitors, chargers, kitchen kit, extension leads): £169 fixed. Per-item at £1.50 plus call-out typically lands £120–£160 — comparable, but again variable, and cheaper quotes often exclude the register and reminders.
A school or large site with 200+ appliances: banded pricing from £249 confirmed before the visit, versus per-item totals that can drift by hundreds of pounds depending on the final count.
How to keep the cost down
Group properties or sites into one visit — travel is the biggest cost driver for testers, and sharing a route directly lowers your price. Have appliances accessible (not locked in cupboards or behind furniture) so testing time stays short. And keep a register between visits: knowing your appliance count gets you an accurate quote instantly rather than an estimate padded for uncertainty.
Quick answers
Why do some testers quote 99p per item?
Very low per-item rates are usually anchored by minimum charges, call-out fees, or volume thresholds, and may not include certificates or a proper register. Compare the total for your actual job, not the headline rate.
Is VAT included in quoted prices?
Practice varies — always ask. Business-to-business quotes are often shown excluding VAT.
Do failed appliances cost extra?
Documenting failures should never cost extra. A failed item is recorded, labelled, and listed in your report with the reason, so you can repair or replace it and get it retested.
Relevant services & areas
Booking or compliance questions for your premises? These pages go deeper on what we test locally.
Need it done rather than read about?
Fixed prices from £89 across Devon & Cornwall, certificates in your dashboard within 24 hours.