AN ELECTRICAL CASE STUDY: A CALLOUT TO A STUDENT LET IN MUSWELL HILL SHOWS THE NEED FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING (PAT).

One of our electricians recently responded to a callout by a private landlord to his student let house in Muswell Hill that apparently had no power. On entering the Edwardian house, our electrician was greeted by a group of excitable students and the smell of burning rubber.  The students had been using an old fan heater supplied with the house that had shorted, melting an internal part causing the smell, and tripped the switch on the main fuse board.

The law says that landlords need to maintain high standards of electrical safety in their properties.

This is not the first time that SOR Electrical has had this problem with faulty or worn electrical appliances in let properties, and in this instance it really illustrates the need for landlords to have periodic Portable Appliance Testing (PAT).  To ensure the safety of tenants, the law says that landlords should supply electrical appliances that meet essential safety requirements, are in good condition and comply with the latest British standards. It’s therefore advisable to have all electrical appliances checked on a regular basis by a qualified electrician, and obtain documentation to confirm that this has been done.

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