PAT testing vs EICR: what a landlord is actually required to do

Is PAT testing a legal requirement for a landlord, or is that only for commercial premises?

In England PAT testing is not a standalone legal requirement for private landlords; it is primarily a commercial/workplace risk-management practice. GOV.UK and standard landlord guidance require landlords to make sure electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained and to arrange an inspection and test of the electrical installation (an EICR) at least every 5 years, but they do not say landlords must carry out PAT tests across the board. Local authority and landlord-advice pages explain the same distinction: the statutory, checkable duty is the installation inspection; PAT testing is mentioned as a portable-appliance control used more commonly in workplaces and some tenanted settings.

Is PAT testing a legal requirement for a rental property, or just good practice?

For a rental property in England PAT testing is generally good practice rather than a blanket statutory obligation — except where an insurer, tenancy contract, HMO licence condition or a documented risk assessment makes it necessary for particular items. If you supply portable appliances (fridge, microwave, vacuum, kettle), a PAT test is a common way to evidence those items were inspected, but the legal duty in public guidance is to keep electrical equipment safe and to have the fixed installation inspected every 5 years. If an insurer or mortgage/leaseholder contract requires PAT or if a safety check highlights recurring faults, you should follow that requirement — otherwise PAT is a reasonable risk-control, not an automatic legal duty. Most of the online scare about landlords being legally required to PAT-test every portable appliance is a myth; the law requires electrical safety, not blanket PAT tests.

What's the actual difference between PAT testing and an EICR?

PAT testing inspects and (if needed) electrically tests portable appliances you provide — kettles, fridges, toasters, fans and plug-in heaters — using visual checks and portable test equipment; an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) inspects the fixed electrical installation: wiring, consumer unit, fuses, circuit protection, sockets and bonding. For rented homes the GOV.UK guidance ties a formal inspection/testing cadence to the installation (EICR) at least every 5 years; PAT is an additional, item-level regime to manage portable-appliance risk. In practice, an EICR is done by a competent electrician and produces a report about the installation; PAT can be done by a competent, trained person for routine checks but does not replace an EICR.

Is landlord insurance actually a legal requirement, or just something I'm strongly advised to get?

Landlord insurance is not a universal legal requirement in England; it is strongly advised but is a commercial/contractual protection rather than a statutory duty. The core landlord statutes and GOV.UK guidance set safety duties (gas, electrical, EPCs, alarms, deposits, etc.) but do not require landlords to buy insurance. That said, mortgage lenders, freeholders or leaseholders often make buildings insurance a contractual requirement, and specific licences (for some HMOs) or tenancy agreements can impose insurance-related conditions. For councils and HMO operators the practical effect can be that insurance is effectively mandatory for compliance with other contractual or licensing obligations, so you should check any mortgage, lease or licence terms before concluding you can decline cover. See our landlord insurance explainer for what policies typically cover and when a specialist HMO policy is needed.

Last reviewed August 2026.