Portable Appliance (PAT) Testing For Short Term Lets (STLs)

The Market

The short term let market has grown significantly over the last 6 years, from ~£3.5b to ~£5.7b in 2023 (GVA, CAGR 10.2%).

This reflects the desire of many to holiday in the UK in the face of the rising cost of holidays abroad. This has been easy money for a lot of entrepreneurial Brits who have been able to cash in on their free space and good location, but is the safety of these guests at the forefront?

The Risk

Electrical products cause almost 12,000 fires a year across the UK.

A large proportion of guests staying in STLs have experienced some form of electrical safety issue (54%)²

The Law

There is currently no legislation mandating portable appliance testing for short term lets, though there is other legislation which partially covers this.  The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005 was put in place to ensure the ‘responsible person’ undertakes a risk assessment to identify risks and mitigate these risks accordingly.

Enforcement of the above Order falls to the local Fire and Rescue Service which has the power to do the following:

·       Inspect properties

·       Make recommendations

·       Seek legal enforcement of recommendations

The Challenge

Given the significant growth of STLs, particularly in attractive areas, it is quite unlikely the local Fire and Rescue services have the resource to identify and get around all of the STLs in their areas. This means a large chunk of the STLs potentially have no coverage for electrical testing other than the diligence and duty of care of their ‘responsible person’, which history has shown us rarely goes well.

In addition to this, more and more insurances companies are now requiring portable appliance tests (PAT tests) as part of their requirements for insurance cover for private landlords and other settings where there is a significant risk of electrical faults through high usage of electrical appliances.

Cost is a key issue here also. PAT testing and / or other electrical reports on appliances can become quite costly and difficult to manage in terms of time and availability of electrical engineers, especially when they may need to be frequently tested.

A Suggested Solution?

The argument put forth by the charity organisation ‘Electrical Safety First’ suggests the current legislation for STLs is no longer sufficient for this fast growing sub-sector, and suggests that all STL landlords should be subject to the same regulations as the private rented sector (PRS), which is covered by the Electrical Safety Standards In The Private Rented Sector (2020) which mandates electrical safety checks at least every 5 years, and also when starting a new tenancy.

Further, in Scotland it is mandatory for the responsible persons for STLs (including Airbnb properties) to conduct PAT tests on appliances at least every 5 years, along with a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in order to maintain licensing, which could give better protection to STL customers.

An Easier and Cheaper Way?

There are options available to test electrical appliances without requiring a qualified electrician.  With minimal training, people can learn to use more simple PAT testers which supply a ‘pass / fail’ reading only, making it really easy to test their appliances without the need for costly call out charges. This can be done at their leisure and recorded in their own systems.  First Stop Safety have been providing these devices, with full training and recalibration services for 17 years, made in the UK.

Order now for savings, control and peace of mind, with a lifetime warranty (based on recalibration every year).