Landlord electrical obligations in Scotland get muddled constantly, usually because two separate requirements are treated as one. They are not the same thing, and only one of them is about appliances.
Two separate duties
The fixed installation. Private residential landlords in Scotland must have an electrical safety inspection carried out at least every five years, covering the fixed wiring, consumer unit, sockets and switches. This produces an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
The appliances you supply. Separately, any appliance you provide as part of the let must be safe. In-service inspection and testing is how that is evidenced, and its record is usually issued alongside the EICR at the same five-yearly point — though appliances in heavily used or furnished lets often warrant more frequent attention.
An EICR does not cover your kettle. A PAT record does not cover your consumer unit. You need both, and they are separate documents.
What counts as an appliance you supply
If it came with the property, it is yours to evidence:
- Fridges, freezers and washing machines
- Cookers and ovens connected by a plug
- Microwaves, kettles and toasters in a furnished let
- Vacuum cleaners left for tenant use
- Lamps, electric heaters and extension leads
Appliances the tenant brings in are the tenant’s own responsibility. You are not required to test them, and you should not imply in the tenancy agreement that you have.
HMOs are stricter
If you operate a House in Multiple Occupation, your local authority will generally expect appliance test records as part of licensing, and will ask to see them at renewal. Councils vary in exactly what they request, so check your own authority’s schedule rather than assuming.
Why per-property certification matters
Landlords with several properties are often handed one portfolio-wide report, which is close to useless at the point you need it. When a tenancy changes or a council officer asks about one flat, you want a single certificate for that address — not to unpick a spreadsheet covering eleven others.
We issue a separate certificate and asset register per property, so the paperwork drops straight into the tenancy file.
Practical advice
- Test between tenancies where you can — the property is empty and access is simple.
- Keep the certificate with the EICR, gas safety record and EPC in one per-property pack.
- Record appliance serial numbers, so you can prove which appliance was tested if one is later swapped.
- If an appliance fails and you choose not to replace it, remove it from the property rather than leaving it unplugged in a cupboard.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice — check your own local authority’s licensing requirements, which vary across Scotland. See our landlord PAT testing service or request a quote.