Frequent Asked Questions
What is PAT? PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing. The new official name for this is now In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, but for the sake of ease we will still refer to it as PAT.
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Is it the law that I have to have a PAT test done? This is a bit of a tricky question, legally you do not need to, however under the new Fire Regulations for self catering accommodation(this also includes staff accommodation and rooms which you let even for one night) you are now required to have it done and have documented proof that it has been carried out. You may also find that your insurance is also invalid if you do not have this done, so it is best to check with them too.
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What appliances do you test? If an item has a three pin plug then it will be tested, however there are exceptions, if an item is over 18kg than it does not have to be done, also appliances like fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble driers etc. are not seen as portable so do not ned to be done. If for your peace of mind you would like these done than that's fine and they can be done, they will just need to be pulled out and accessible before I arrive.
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Do I have to test yearly? Simple answer is no, you don't have to. you should have it done regularly and again it is best to check with your insurance as they may require it to be done every year. The items which I test get entered onto a property log (you will get a copy) and every item will be put on here. If you replace any items it's worth remembering that these items would not have been tested. It is assumed that new items will be safe and fit for purpose but they can get damaged in transit.
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Do I have to have large pass or fail stickers applied? No, this is completely up to you. Some customers like the labels as it shows that you take safety seriously and like their guests to see this. Others prefer not to as it does not fit in with the style of accommodation, it's totally at your discretion, however any appliances failing a test will be labelled and brought to your attention and it will be recorded on the property log.
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How much do you charge? This is a bit of a hard question to answer as there are lots of variables, e.g. number of properties, number of items, and the biggest one is location. As I have to travel down and return to Bryher I have to add on my boating costs. I always try and fit as many customers into a day so that way I can split the costs equally but until I know how many customers I have booked I cannot give a fixed price.
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Are you VAT registered? Yes, all prices will be plus 20% vat, sorry.
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Are you insured? Yes, I have full liability insurance, a copy of my insurance can be provided should you want to see it.
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How do I know that your tester is accurate? I send my test equipment away to be calibrated to ensure that it is accurate, I also get a certificate to prove this which can be shown.
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If an item fails do I have to replace it? No, it can fail for multiple reasons, it may have a damaged cable and a simple repair can be done, the plug could be damaged and need repairing. If it can be repaired I will always discuss this with you and if required I may be able to repair it straight away. I will always discuss and show you any items of concern before carrying out any repairs.
I don't live on Scilly but rent out a property, how do I arrange this? That's absolutely fine, if you can give me access either by sending the keys or giving me a code for the key box I can always let myself in to do the test. I can assure you that my business is built on trust and living in a small community I would not get much work if this was not the case.
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How do I book a test? The first thing to do is drop me a message, as phone signal is not the best around the islands it is easiest to simply send me a message including your name, address of where you would like the testing done and a contact phone number and I will get back to you. My details are on the contact page.
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Would you do my property in Cornwall? Yes I can, however it is best to remember that I would have to add on my travel costs and as it's not always easy to just pop over and back there could also be accommodation costs as well. The best thing is to get in touch and we can have a chat.
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My tumble drier has stopped working, can you get it working today? Hmm, bit of a hard one to answer. First of all I need to have a look, it maybe an easy fix and then yes I can get it going, however if it happens to be a case of needing to order a part then I'm afraid it could be a week or even more before we can get it going again.
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Do you keep spares? No I don't. Keeping enough spares for every make and model of appliance would require a large warehouse so I only ever order parts when needed.
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How much will a repair cost? Again it's hard to know without looking at the problem. I will always tell you the cost before ordering any spares, sometimes it will work out more cost effective to replace the item. Do remember that there will be a call out fee when a visit is requested.