27/10/2026
Have you been told PAT is not a legal requirement? Correct it’s not.
Have you been asked by your insurance company to have your Portable Appliance Testing done? You ask why because it’s not a legal requirement is it?.
The regulatory reform (fire safety) Order 2005. This is the law that you are following.
The law places legal duties on the "Responsible Person". This is usually the employer, owner, landlord, or occupier. Your fire risk assessment is part of this and will state clearly that you should have your PAT testing carried out.
There are common myths around PAT.
1. Insurance companies never say you have to have your PAT testing done.
2. They won’t void your insurance
Both these are carefully worded and if anything was to occur, ie an electrical fire or an injury to a person through electrical defect then you’ll be wishing you’d had your annual certificate
I’ll explain.
While insurance companies will never or seldom ask for you to have PAT testing carried out they will, in the event of an electrical mishap look to your PAT certification to void your claim, I SAID CAREFULLY WORDED remember, They won’t void your insurance they will void your claim - two different things. Your insurance will still be valid but they won’t pay out and the claim you weren’t able to make will certainly put your premium up next year.
Stay safe, Stay compliant.
Northern PAT-Guard ‘safety without compromise’
