How much does an EICR cost in London?

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) costs £140 inc VAT for a 1-bed flat, £170 for a 2-bed, £200 for a 3-bed, and £250+ for 4-bed properties or licensed HMOs in London. F & A Electrical is NICEIC-approved and issues certificates the same day. Commercial EICRs are quoted per visit and typically £280–£600 inc VAT depending on circuit count.

How much does it cost to replace a fuse board in London?

A fuse board (consumer unit) replacement costs £550–£750 inc VAT for a straightforward swap to a modern 10-way dual-RCD board, £700–£900 inc VAT for an RCBO board with one breaker per circuit, and £800–£1,000 inc VAT for above-shop flats with shared supply or where supply tails need replacing. Every install includes the Electrical Installation Certificate, Part P notification and 6 years' NICEIC warranty.

How long does a house rewire take in London?

A 3-bed Victorian terrace rewire typically takes 2–3 weeks and costs £5,800–£7,500 inc VAT fixed quote. Larger 4-bed+ houses or heritage Georgian properties take 3–6 weeks and cost £10,000–£18,000+. F & A Electrical can stage rewires room-by-room so you don't have to move out, includes all new 18th-edition circuits, modern RCBO board, sockets, switches, bonding, hardwired smoke alarms, EIC, Part P notification and 6 years' NICEIC warranty.

How much does an EV charger installation cost in London?

A standard 7.4kW tethered EV charger install (Hypervolt, Ohme, EO, Wallbox, Tesla Gen 3) costs £950–£1,150 inc VAT fully fitted on off-street properties. Underground car park or sub-metered installs in flats run £1,400–£2,200 inc VAT depending on cable run. The OZEV/EVHS landlord grant of £350 is claimed where eligible. F & A Electrical installs all major brands across London.

Do I legally need an EICR for my rental property in London?

Yes. Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, every private rented home in England requires a satisfactory EICR every 5 years (annually for HMOs), with a copy given to the tenant within 28 days of inspection. Hackney runs borough-wide selective licensing requiring this for every let. Tower Hamlets, Islington and Southwark have additional and mandatory HMO licensing zones.

Are F & A Electrical NICEIC approved?

Yes — F & A Electrical is an NICEIC Approved Contractor, the UK's top electrical accreditation. Every job is certified, registered and notified to Building Control under Part P. We carry £5m public liability insurance, work to BS 7671 18th edition standards, and offer a 6-year NICEIC warranty on installation work. We have a 9.45/10 rating across 241 Checkatrade reviews and are members of Checkatrade since December 2018.

Do you offer a 24-hour emergency electrician service in London?

Yes — F & A Electrical operates a 24-hour emergency electrician service across all our London service areas. Emergency rate is £60+VAT per half-hour outside 8am–8pm Monday to Friday and £45+VAT per half-hour during normal hours. No call-out fee if we resolve your issue on the phone. We aim to be on site within one hour for urgent work. Call 07407 627542 or 07500 721453.

What areas of London does F & A Electrical cover?

F & A Electrical is based in Tottenham N15 and covers all of inner London including Hackney (Stoke Newington, Dalston, Hackney Central, Clapton, Hackney Wick), Islington (Highbury, Holloway, Angel, Canonbury), Camden, Tower Hamlets (Whitechapel, Brick Lane), Southwark (Bermondsey), Haringey and surrounding boroughs.

Why does my fuse board keep tripping?

Common causes of fuse board tripping include: an overloaded ring final circuit (too many appliances on one socket ring), a faulty appliance with damaged insulation causing earth leakage, water ingress into a bathroom or outdoor circuit, a failing RCD or RCBO, or a damaged kitchen circuit cable. F & A Electrical diagnoses and fixes tripping faults on a 24-hour callout basis. If an RCD trips repeatedly across multiple circuits, the consumer unit itself may need upgrading.

What does C1, C2 or C3 mean on an EICR?

On an EICR, C1 means 'Danger present' — immediate risk of injury, work must be done before the report is satisfactory. C2 means 'Potentially dangerous' — urgent remedial work required, still fails the EICR. C3 means 'Improvement recommended' — does not cause an unsatisfactory result on its own. FI means 'Further investigation required' — also fails the EICR. F & A Electrical can attend the same day to remedy C1 or C2 items and reissue a satisfactory cert for property sales or letting compliance.

PAT Testing London: What Every Business Needs to Know in 2026

If you run a business, manage a rental property, or look after shared office space in London, PAT testing is something you cannot afford to ignore. Portable appliance testing is one of those compliance tasks that feels straightforward — until you start digging into who actually needs it, how often, and what happens if you skip it.

This guide covers everything London businesses and landlords need to know about PAT testing in 2026, written by NICEIC-approved electricians who carry out portable appliance testing across Camden, Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, and Southwark every week.

What Is PAT Testing?

PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing. It is the inspection and testing of electrical appliances that can be moved — think kettles, computers, desk fans, microwaves, phone chargers, extension leads, and power tools.

A PAT test combines a visual inspection with electrical tests using a dedicated PAT testing instrument. The process checks for earth continuity, insulation resistance, lead polarity and condition, and visual defects such as cracked casings, damaged cables, incorrect fuses, and signs of overheating.

Each appliance either passes or fails. Items that pass receive a dated label. Items that fail are removed from service until repaired or replaced. The whole process is quick — a competent electrician can test most standard office appliances in 2–5 minutes each.

Who Needs PAT Testing?

The short answer: almost every business and most landlords.

Businesses and offices

If you employ people or members of the public use your premises, you have a legal duty to ensure electrical equipment is safe. This applies to offices, retail shops, restaurants and cafes, construction sites, salons and gyms.

Landlords

If you’re a landlord providing electrical appliances with a rental property — a washing machine, oven, fridge, or microwave — those appliances fall under your responsibility. PAT testing for landlords is separate from the EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report), which covers the fixed wiring. You may need both.

Already have an EICR? That covers your fixed wiring — sockets, consumer unit, circuits. PAT testing covers the portable items plugged into those sockets. They complement each other. If you need an EICR, see our honest London EICR pricing guide.

Shared and co-working spaces

If you manage a shared workspace or serviced office, every appliance provided to tenants needs testing. This includes communal kitchen equipment, shared printers, and any extension leads or adapters you supply.

The Legal Position — Is PAT Testing a Legal Requirement?

There is no single law that says “you must PAT test.” However, several regulations effectively make it mandatory for most businesses:

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 — employers must ensure the health and safety of employees and anyone affected by their work.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 — Regulation 4(2) specifically requires that electrical equipment is maintained to prevent danger. PAT testing is the recognised method for demonstrating compliance.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) — requires that work equipment is maintained in a safe condition.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — requires risk assessments, which should include electrical equipment.

In practice, if an employee or customer is injured by a faulty appliance and you cannot show evidence of regular testing, you will struggle to defend yourself. Insurance claims can also be rejected if there is no proof of maintenance.

For landlords specifically: The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords to keep electrical installations in proper working order. Combined with the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, landlords face real enforcement risk if appliances they supply are not maintained.

How Often Should PAT Testing Be Done?

There is no fixed legal interval. The IET Code of Practice recommends a risk-based approach. The frequency depends on the type of equipment, the environment, and how heavily it is used.

Environment	Suggested frequency
Office / low-risk IT equipment	Every 2–4 years
Retail / public-facing premises	Every 1–2 years
Schools, hotels, hospitality	Annually
Construction sites / industrial	Every 3–6 months
Landlord-supplied appliances	Annually or at change of tenancy

At F&A Electrical, we assess your specific setup and recommend a sensible schedule rather than testing everything at the same arbitrary interval.

What Happens During a PAT Test?

Asset register — we compile or update a list of every portable appliance on the premises
Visual inspection — checking each item for obvious damage, correct fusing, cable condition
Electrical tests — using a calibrated PAT tester to measure earth continuity, insulation resistance, and touch current
Pass/fail labelling — every tested item receives a label showing the test date, next test due, and pass/fail status
Documentation — you receive a full report listing every appliance tested, its description, test results, and any failures

How Much Does PAT Testing Cost?

PAT testing in London is typically charged per item, with discounts for larger volumes:

Number of items	Typical cost per item
1–20 items	£2.50 – £4.00 each
21–100 items	£1.50 – £2.50 each
100+ items	£1.00 – £1.80 each

Most small offices with 30–50 appliances can expect to pay somewhere between £75 and £150 for a full PAT testing visit. There is usually a minimum call-out charge of around £60–£80.

PAT Testing vs EICR — What Is the Difference?

	PAT testing	EICR
What it covers	Portable appliances (plugged-in items)	Fixed wiring installation
Equipment tested	Kettles, computers, tools, extension leads	Consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches
Legal driver	Electricity at Work Regulations 1989	Electrical Safety Standards (PRS) 2020
Typical frequency	Risk-based, often annually	Every 5 years (rental) or 10 years (owner-occupied)
Who does it	Competent person / qualified electrician	Qualified electrician (18th Edition)

Landlords need both — an EICR for the fixed wiring and PAT testing for any appliances supplied with the property. If you need an EICR across our service areas, we cover Hackney, Islington, and all surrounding boroughs.

Why Use a Qualified Electrician for PAT Testing?

Using an NICEIC-approved electrician gives you proper instrument-based testing, accurate fault diagnosis, certificates that stand up to HSE inspection and insurance scrutiny, and combined visits if you also need an EICR or remedial work.

F&A Electrical is NICEIC accredited, Part P registered, and fully insured. We carry out PAT testing for offices, shops, landlords, and commercial premises across North and East London.

Book Your PAT Testing

Need PAT testing for your London business or rental property? We cover Camden, Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, and Southwark — and can usually fit you in within a few days.

Get in touch for a quick quote or call us on 07407 627542. We will give you an honest price based on the number and type of appliances, with no hidden charges.