Jungle Property Blog

  • How often should you test electrical appliances in rental property?

    *** A more up-to-date version of this article is available here ***

    Letting agents commonly advocate frequent portable appliance testing (PAT) as another way of creaming off a secret profit from landlords (in whose best interests they are acting!). Annual PAT testing and PAT testing at change of tenancy are all opportunities for the agents to invoice clients for upwards of £75.

    How often should electrical appliances be tested?

    The short answer is, as often as is necessary to ensure the safety of the tenants but there are clear guidelines and codes of practice.

    The recommended frequency of inspection and testing of electrical equipment in rental accommodation is covered in the Electrical Safety Council Landlords Guide to Electrical Safety (latest version available from here)

    Appendix D of the guide covers the recommended frequency which is dependent on the type of equipment and the class but here are some common examples that are typically provided in rental property:

    Washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, fridge, freezer ~ Stationary Appliance ~ Formal visual inspection every 24 months, combined inspection and testing every 48 months though this could be extended to 60 months to coincide with the fixed wiring inspection and test.

    Toaster, kettle, food  mixer, table lamp, vacuum cleaner, fan ~ Portable Appliance ~ Formal visual inspection every 12 months, combined inspection and testing every 24 months.

    Iron, hedge trimmer ~ Hand-held Appliance ~ Formal visual inspection every 6 months, combined inspection and testing every 12 months.

    Extension leads ~ Formal visual inspection and combined inspection and testing to coincide with the inspection and testing of equipment to which they are attached.

    If your agent presents you with a bill for PAT testing every 6 or 12 months – question it as they may be taking you for a ride!

  • How often should landlords or agents inspect their rental property?

    A tenant contacted me to say their managing agent had contacted them to tell them about the ‘new law’ that means they must inspect her property every 2 months? Is this correct?


    There are no laws that govern the periodicity of property inspections. In the case of this tenant, it was probably the agent’s cunning way of saying ‘we don’t trust you so we will be keeping a closer eye on you in the future’

    Before I try to answer the original question, it is perhaps prudent to remind ourselves why we might inspect the property in the first place.


    Q. What is the purpose of the periodic inspection?


    A. The purpose of the periodic inspection is to:


    • Check the tenant is happy with the property and tenancy
    • Ensure the tenant is complying with the terms of the tenancy agreement
    • Identify any repairs or maintenance required to the property, fixtures, fittings or contents (if any)
    • Ensure compliance with relevant legislation


    So the answer to the title question is that is depends on the perceived level of risk of non-compliance with the terms of the tenancy agreement and the perceived risk of the property needing repair. A property full of students may need to be inspected more often that one where a retired couple live and an older property may need to be inspected more often that a new-build (albeit new-builds do have snags). So it depends but here are some tips:


    • Inspect the property every 3 months initially.
    • After the first 2 or 3 inspections make a judgement call  on what frequency you should inspect the property. If there are persistent breaches of the tenancy agreement or lots of repairs are identified then continue with 3 monthly inspections. Or make them every 6 months if there are no issues.
    • The tenant has a right to ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property so do not be tempted to inspect the property too often as may be the case with the rogue agent above.
    • Don’t leave it too long between inspections as you cannot always rely on a tenant to report any repairs or maintenance issue at the property – the sooner you find out about that leaking roof the better. As a landlord you have repairing obligations and inspections are your eyes and ears.
    • Always give the tenant at least 24 hours written notice of any inspection.
    • Do not be too picky when inspecting the property. Last night’s Chinese take-away trays on the worktop are harmless (as long as they are not still there when the tenant leaves!)
    • Always document the inspection in a report copied to the landlord.
    • The landlord has statutory obligations (e.g. Defective Premises Act 1972) to address defects if he ought in all the circumstances to have known of the relevant defect and the only way to be sure this duty is complied with is through regular inspections – relying on the tenant alone to report defects is not a good defence.


    Do you have any tips for periodic inspections?

  • What is fair wear and tear?

    A landlord asked me the question recently so here is my answer…
    The House of Lords defines fair wear and tear as “Reasonable use of the premises by the Tenant and the ordinary operation of natural forces”

    When is deterioration classified as damage? If something is broken then it is almost certainly damage and needs to be repaired or replaced. If the property is damaged or worn through natural use then it is fair wear and tear. If the property is damaged or worn through negligence then the tenant is liable.

    Two points to remember here:

    1. The tenant is paying rent for fair wear and tear. Don’t penalise a tenant for walking on the carpets!

    2. If something needs to be replaced the landlord cannot demand betterment i.e. be in a better position than he/she was before. Asking for a deluxe model as a replacement for an aged standard model is not acceptable