--- title: "PAT testing for commercial premises — MCI Electrical" description: "PAT testing for commercial premises in Eastleigh, Southampton and Whiteley by MCI Electrical. Clear asset registers and electrical testing for businesses." canonical: "https://mci-electrical.co.uk/services/pat-testing" last_updated: "2026-08-11T12:10:56.913Z" --- # PAT testing for commercial premises — MCI Electrical > PAT testing for commercial premises in Eastleigh, Southampton and Whiteley by MCI Electrical. Clear asset registers and electrical testing for businesses. Need portable appliances tested for your business or rented commercial space? MCI Electrical visually inspects each item, carries out the appropriate electrical tests and records the result for your equipment register. PAT testing covers offices, shops, warehouses and workplaces across Eastleigh, Whiteley, Hedge End and Southampton. ## How this is priced The price is per item tested, so tell me roughly how many items you have and I will give you a figure before I come. Quotes are free and there is no callout fee. - PAT testing (portable appliance testing): £95 for up to 20 appliances, then £1.20 per additional appliance. - Visual inspection and electrical safety testing for portable and plug in items are included. - Detachable lead sets such as IEC power cords count as separate test items. - Repairs to internal wiring, plug replacements, or hardwired appliance testing are not included. ## What is actually tested, and how often How often you test depends on the item and where it is used, so a drill on a building site comes round far sooner than a printer in an office. I will help you settle on an interval that suits your business. - **Offices and IT suites:** Desktops, monitors, kitchen kettles, and extension leads in Solent Business Park or city centre suites require routine visual and electrical checks. - **Trade counters and workshops:** Power tools, extension reels, and portable heaters on School Close or Millbrook Trading Estate face heavy physical wear and impact. - **Dockside and industrial premises:** Equipment exposed to salt air, moisture, and dust around the Southampton port estate benefits from regular inspection to catch lead damage early. ## What is and is not included It covers anything with a plug on it, including detachable leads, which count as items in their own right. Repairs and anything wired straight into the wall are quoted separately. ### Included - Visual inspection of the plug, cable, cord grip, and outer casing - Checking for correct fuse rating inside rewireable plugs - Earth continuity testing on Class I appliances - Insulation resistance testing on Class I and Class II equipment - Pass or fail labeling attached directly to each tested item ### Not included - Testing of fixed appliances connected directly to fused spur units - Repairs to faulty internal appliance electronics or components - Replacing damaged power leads or fitting new plugs ## Before I arrive It helps if items are gathered somewhere I can reach them, and if you flag anything running critical work, since each item is off the power for a moment while it is tested. 1. **Identify equipment locations:** Locate all movable appliances, extension leads, and kitchen items across your rooms, workshops, or offices. 2. **Allow access to sockets:** Ensure plugs and sockets under desks, behind appliances, or on high shelves are accessible without moving heavy furniture. 3. **Plan for brief power interruptions:** Laptops, IT equipment, and kitchen items will be unplugged briefly during the testing process. ## What you are left with Every item gets a label with its test date, and you get a full list of what passed and anything to set aside, with a plain English summary the same day the testing finishes. - **An asset register:** A written list of every appliance tested, including its location, item description, and test result. - **Failed items out of use:** Any item that fails safety testing is labeled clearly, unplugged, and reported directly to you. - **Patterns worth acting on:** Notes on recurring issues such as damaged extension leads or incorrect fuse sizes across your workplace. - **The next date:** A recommended retest timeline tailored to your specific workplace environment and equipment use. ## Questions I get asked The questions I get asked most about PAT testing. ### Is PAT testing a legal requirement for my business? I advise clients across Eastleigh that while PAT testing itself is not explicitly named in law, the Electricity at Work Regulations require all electrical systems and equipment to be maintained safely. Carrying out regular testing and keeping an asset register demonstrates that you are taking practical steps to fulfill that duty. David McInnes. ### Do I need to turn off my IT servers during testing? I schedule testing around sensitive equipment so critical IT infrastructure is not disrupted without prior agreement. I perform visual checks on active server units where removing power would disrupt operations, and test the supply leads when downtime is planned. David McInnes. ### How often should appliances be tested? Retest intervals depend on the equipment and how it is used. Power tools on trade counters face more wear than a desktop computer in an office and require more frequent checks. ### What happens if an appliance fails the test? The failed item is labeled clearly as unsafe, removed from service immediately, and listed on your report so you can arrange repair or replacement. ## Where the rules come from The official rules behind this work, straight from the source. - [HSE, portable appliance testing FAQ](https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm): Answers from the Health and Safety Executive regarding legal requirements and testing frequency for businesses. - [INDG236, maintaining portable electrical equipment](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg236.htm): HSE guidance on simple visual checks and maintenance regimes for portable electrical tools and appliances. - [Electricity at Work Regulations 1989](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/635/contents/made): Legislation outlining duties for maintaining safe electrical equipment in commercial and industrial workplaces. ## Business facts - Based: 1 The Drove, Horton Heath, Eastleigh, SO50 7NX - Service area: Eastleigh, Whiteley and Segensworth, Chandler's Ford, Hedge End and Botley, Southampton and the docks - Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 09:00–17:00 - Phone: +447366896562 - Email: team@mci-electrical.co.uk - Years of experience: 17 - Pricing rules: Fixed wire testing is priced on the number of boards and circuits, not by the hour.; Emergency lighting is priced per light, and the three hour test is priced separately.; Repairs are priced item by item off the report, so you choose what to do and when.; Work outside your trading hours costs a different rate, and I tell you what it is before I set off.; Quotes are free, rescheduling is free, and there is no callout fee. ## Request a quote - [Start a request](https://mci-electrical.co.uk/#chat): Send the job details and postcode to MCI Electrical. ## Related pages - [Fixed wire testing](https://mci-electrical.co.uk/services/fixed-wire-testing): Fixed wire testing and commercial EICR. - [Emergency lighting testing](https://mci-electrical.co.uk/services/emergency-lighting-testing): Emergency lighting testing and certificates. - [Commercial fault finding](https://mci-electrical.co.uk/services/commercial-fault-finding): Commercial fault finding and repair. - [Full sitemap](https://mci-electrical.co.uk/sitemap.md): Complete machine-readable page directory.