PAT testing intervals: suggested maintenance schedule
There is no single legal interval
UK law requires electrical equipment to be maintained safely — not tested on a fixed calendar named in statute. The intervals below come from HSE guidance (notably HSG107) and the IET Code of Practice. Your duty holder should confirm intervals through risk assessment; a competent tester helps set them per appliance category.
If your last test was years ago, treat this table as a starting point for discussion — not a substitute for looking at your actual environment, usage, and history. Our guide on how often PAT testing needs to be done goes deeper on the risk-based approach.
Suggested initial intervals by environment
Use the shortest interval in a group when items are tested together. Review results over time — if failures cluster, test more often; if everything stays clean in a low-risk office, formal visuals may stretch within the ranges shown.
| Environment / equipment | User checks | Formal visual | Combined test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office IT (desktops, monitors, rarely moved) | No | Every 2–4 years | Often not required if double insulated |
| Office 230 V equipment in regular use | Daily or each shift | Weekly | Monthly after first use on site |
| Hand-held Class II (e.g. some kitchen kit) | Yes | Every 6–12 months | Not usually required |
| Class I earthed (kettles, toasters, metal-cased tools) | Yes | Every 6–12 months | Every 1–2 years |
| Extension leads & multi-way adaptors | Yes | Every 6 months – 4 years* | Every 1–5 years* |
| Furnished rental / holiday let (supplied appliances) | Between guest changeovers† | Annually | Annually (typical industry practice) |
| Workshop / light industrial | Daily | Weekly | Every 6–12 months |
| 110 V construction site equipment | Weekly | Monthly | Every 3 months after first use |
How to read the footnotes
*Extension lead intervals depend on what they feed and how harshly they are used — a lead in a holiday-let kitchen sees more abuse than one under a desk. Leads are often the highest failure-rate items on any register.
†Visual checks at changeover complement formal testing; they do not replace it. Look for crushed flex, scorch marks, and damaged plugs before each new guest or tenant.
Rentals and HMOs: many landlords test annually or at each change of tenancy — whichever comes first. That aligns with insurer and licensing expectations even where HSE ranges would allow longer gaps for low-risk items.
When to test sooner
After repair, after obvious damage, when an item is moved to a harsher environment, or when your register shows a rising failure rate. New-to-you equipment should be visually checked and added to the register even if a full test is not immediately required.
Test Harbour’s dashboard tracks due dates per item so you are not relying on memory or sticker dates — especially useful across portfolios in Exeter, Plymouth, and scattered holiday properties.
Quick answers
Is this table the law?
No — it summarises widely used HSE/IET guidance. Your risk assessment may justify shorter or longer intervals with documented reasoning.
Why do rentals often test annually when office IT can wait years?
Turnover, unfamiliar users, and insurer/licensing expectations push rentals toward annual cycles. Office IT that never moves in a low-risk room sits at the other end of the scale.
Can you set intervals for me after a visit?
Yes. We classify appliances by risk and record recommended retest dates in your register — the same data that drives dashboard reminders.
Relevant services & areas
Booking or compliance questions for your premises? These pages go deeper on what we test locally.
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