NICEIC approved portable appliance testing for offices, schools, landlords, industrial sites and construction compounds. Full certification, a complete asset register and a retest schedule — delivered from our base in Queensferry, Deeside.
PAT testing (portable appliance testing) is the inspection and electrical testing of plug-in equipment to confirm it is safe to use. MARA Electrical carry out PAT testing across Chester, Deeside, Wrexham and North Wales — combining visual inspection with earth continuity and insulation resistance tests to the IET Code of Practice, then labelling every item and issuing a full asset register for your health and safety file.
Understanding portable appliance testing and why businesses across Chester and Deeside are required to do it
Portable appliance testing (PAT) is the systematic examination of electrical appliances to confirm they are safe to use. It combines a trained visual inspection with electronic tests that reveal faults you simply cannot see — degraded insulation, a broken earth path or excessive leakage current inside a casing that looks perfectly fine.
PAT testing is how employers evidence compliance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which require electrical systems to be maintained so as to prevent danger. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 place similar duties on you.
Our NICEIC approved engineers check every appliance for:
Every item is then labelled pass or fail with its test date and next due date, and recorded in a full asset register. If your fixed wiring also needs periodic inspection, that is covered by an EICR rather than PAT — we carry out both.
A systematic approach to portable appliance testing that keeps your site working while we test
We agree your appliance count, site access and a testing window that suits you — then give a fixed price. No per-item creep on the day.
Around 90% of faults are found by eye. We check casings, cables, plugs, fuse ratings and cord grips before a single test lead is connected.
Calibrated PAT testers measure earth continuity, insulation resistance and leakage current to the IET Code of Practice, with the correct test for each equipment class.
Every item gets a pass or fail label showing the test date, next due date and engineer, plus a unique asset ID so it can be tracked year on year.
You receive a full asset register with every reading, a summary certificate for your health and safety file, and clear advice on any failed item.
We set your retest interval by risk assessment — not a blanket 12 months — and remind you before it falls due, so compliance never lapses.
NICEIC approved electrical contractors, based in Queensferry on Deeside since 2010
Your appliances are tested by NICEIC approved electricians, not a box-ticking operative. If we find a fault in your fixed wiring while on site, we can actually deal with it.
Documentation that satisfies the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and PUWER 1998, ready for an HSE inspection or an insurance audit.
Many commercial policies and PQQ submissions require current PAT records. Our certification and asset register give you exactly what they ask for.
A fixed quote agreed before we arrive, with minor repairs such as plug and fuse replacement handled on the spot wherever possible.
Evening and weekend testing available for offices, retail units and schools, so your working day is not interrupted.
Every appliance catalogued with location, asset ID, readings and retest date — a genuine management tool, not just a pile of labels.
From our Queensferry base on Deeside, minutes from the A494, A548 and the Flintshire Bridge
We carry out PAT testing for offices, shops, schools, nurseries, care homes, landlords, letting agents, gyms, village halls, industrial units on Deeside Industrial Park and Wrexham Industrial Estate, and construction site compounds. If you are not sure whether we cover you, call 01244 470222 and ask.
Straight answers on frequency, cost, the law and what you actually receive
There is no single legal interval — anyone quoting you a flat "every 12 months" is guessing. Frequency is set by risk assessment under the IET Code of Practice, based on the equipment type and its environment. Office IT is commonly retested every 2–4 years; power tools on a construction site, or equipment that moves between locations, may need testing every 3–12 months. We set the schedule for your site as part of the service.
PAT testing is not named in any statute, but the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment to be maintained so as to prevent danger, and PUWER 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 place similar duties on employers. PAT testing is the recognised way to evidence you have met that duty. Landlords, schools and anyone tendering for public sector work are usually asked for it directly.
Cost depends on how many appliances you have, where the site is and whether it can be done in one visit. Most providers price per item with a minimum call-out, and the per-item rate falls as the count rises. We quote a fixed price after a short conversation about your item count and location — so the figure you are given is the figure you pay.
Anything that plugs in or can be disconnected from the supply: computers, monitors, printers, kettles, microwaves, fridges, vacuum cleaners, power tools, extension leads and IEC leads. Fixed wiring — sockets, lighting circuits, distribution boards — is not PAT tested; it is covered by an EICR, which we also carry out.
It is labelled as unsafe, taken out of service and recorded in your report with the reason for failure. Where the fault is a damaged plug, wrong fuse or worn lead, our engineers can usually repair and retest on the spot. Anything beyond economic repair is flagged so you can plan a replacement rather than discover it the hard way.
Yes. We are based in Queensferry on Deeside (CH5) and carry out PAT testing across Chester, Deeside, Connah's Quay, Buckley, Mold, Holywell, Flint, Wrexham, Ellesmere Port and the wider Flintshire, North Wales and Cheshire area. Call 01244 470222 and we will confirm straight away.
No — new equipment is supplied to a recognised safety standard and does not need testing before first use. Best practice is to add it to the asset register on arrival, record a visual inspection, and schedule its first full test in line with your risk assessment.
Every item gets a pass or fail label showing test date, next due date and engineer. You receive a full asset register listing each appliance with its readings, a summary certificate for your health and safety file, and a reminder before the next test falls due.
NICEIC approved PAT testing across Chester, Deeside, Wrexham, Flintshire and North Wales. Fixed pricing, full certification and an asset register you can actually use. Tell us roughly how many appliances you have and we will quote the same day.
or email estimating@mara.uk.com · MARA Electrical, Queensferry, Deeside CH5
Tell us roughly how many appliances you have, the type of premises and your postcode. We will send a clear written price and agree a testing date that suits you.