PAT Testing Costs: Per-Item Prices, Minimum Charges and Quote Factors

PAT testing commonly costs a few pounds per item, but a minimum visit charge usually determines the bill for smaller jobs. Equipment quantity, access, required records and VAT all affect the comparison. The figures below describe indicative London market pricing; sources differ on inclusions and tax treatment. EICR Certificates London quotes each job individually.

Last checked: 1 November 2026.

PAT Testing Prices at a Glance

Published London market prices commonly amount to a few pounds per item, with a minimum visit charge and rented-home totals often around £100–£150.

Charging basis and market indication	Quantity assumptions	Inclusions to check	VAT status
Per item: commonly a few pounds	Agree how appliances and associated leads are counted.	Visual inspection, appropriate tests, identification and results.	Check whether VAT is included, added or not charged.
Larger quantities: unit cost can fall	Depends on the inventory and provider’s pricing basis.	Access assumptions, records and labels.	Confirm the tax treatment of the volume quotation.
Minimum attendance: a minimum charge is usual	Especially relevant to small equipment lists; request the amount.	Any included allowance and additional-item charges.	Ask whether the stated minimum includes VAT.
Typical rented home: often around £100–£150	The market research specifies no standard appliance count.	Supplied equipment covered, appliance register and exclusions.	Mixed VAT treatment across sources; this is not a verified net range.

These indications are neither a national average nor a company tariff. Published prices cover differing scopes, so a property may cost more. Our quotations use “plus VAT”; obtain the complete payable figure before booking.

Agree What Counts as an Item Before Comparing Prices

A useful per-item quotation starts with an agreed list of equipment and an explanation of how each chargeable item is counted.

An inventory identifies equipment; the inspection scope establishes which checks are appropriate and any limitations. PAT Testing Explained covers that distinction in more detail. The IET Code of Practice addresses equipment inspection and testing, but does not establish a universal billing convention.

• List appliances with enough detail to identify each one.
• Record their locations, including separate rooms or buildings.
• Include detachable mains leads, such as IEC leads, and extension leads; ask how associated components are counted.
• Identify landlord-supplied appliances separately where relevant.
• Flag inaccessible equipment and ask how later additions affect the quotation.

Send the same list to each provider. A matching headline rate is useful only when it applies to the same chargeable count.

How Minimum Charges Affect Small PAT Testing Jobs

For a small PAT testing job, the provider’s minimum visit charge can exceed the total suggested by the per-item rate.

Check which of these alternative structures applies. They are not charges to add together automatically, and the term “minimum” alone does not explain the calculation.

Structure	How it works	What to establish
Minimum invoice floor	The testing subtotal cannot fall below the stated minimum.	Which work counts towards that floor?
Attendance fee plus testing	A visit fee is added to the equipment charges.	Are both elements shown in the total?
Package with an initial allowance	The package covers an agreed quantity or scope.	What is included, and how are extra items priced?

Ask: “Is this an invoice minimum, an added attendance fee or an inclusive package, and what will I pay for the equipment listed?” Request clarification before relying on a per-item calculation.

What Should a PAT Testing Quote Include?

A usable PAT quotation should identify the equipment, inspection and testing scope, records, labels, exclusions and charging basis.

• Agreed inventory: the equipment list and counting method used to price it.
• Inspection scope: formal visual inspection and appropriate instrument tests where required.
• Equipment identification: how each appliance or lead will be matched to its entry.
• Individual findings: equipment-specific inspection and test results, including defects identified.
• Register or report: the format supplied and whether documentation costs are included.
• Labels: what labelling is proposed and whether it is covered by the price.
• Inaccessible equipment: how omissions, restrictions and possible return attendance are handled.
• Separately priced work: exclusions and the process for agreeing additional charges.

An inventory lists assets; an inspection and test record documents findings. A list or sticker alone does not explain what was checked. HSE’s PAT FAQs discuss inspection, testing, records and labels, while the IET Code of Practice supplies the technical framework. These are purchasing checks, rather than universal statutory documentation requirements; separate social-housing duties also apply.

Repairs, Replacement Parts and Retests

Repairs, replacement parts and any return testing can change the total unless the quotation explicitly includes them.

• Are replacement plugs or fuses included, separately quoted or excluded?
• How is repair labour charged, and who must approve it?
• Is replacement equipment outside the testing scope?
• Does follow-up checking attract a retest or revisit charge?

Agree approval arrangements before extra work starts, including who can authorise expenditure for a landlord or business. Ask how corrective action will be recorded against the affected item. Unsafe equipment should be taken out of use pending competent assessment and appropriate action.

Compare PAT Quotes Using the Complete Visit Cost

Compare PAT quotations using the same equipment list, included work and final payable total.

Use this blank worksheet to record each provider’s written terms. Leave an unanswered point open for clarification rather than assuming that an omitted charge or service is included.

Comparison point	Quote A	Quote B
Chargeable equipment count
Per-item basis and inspection scope
Minimum, attendance fee or package allowance
Additional items
Access arrangements and limitations
Records and labels
Repairs and follow-up checks
VAT treatment
Total payable for agreed work

For a minimum-floor quotation only: the testing subtotal is the greater of the stated minimum and the applicable equipment count multiplied by its rate. Add only agreed extras and applicable VAT. Attendance-fee arrangements and packages follow their own stated terms instead.

Resolve differences in coverage before choosing on price. A lower total may reflect fewer chargeable assets or excluded documentation rather than a lower charge for equivalent work.

Check VAT Before Comparing the Totals

Two PAT quotations are comparable only when their VAT treatment and included charges are clear.

The London market evidence combines sources using different VAT bases, so its rented-home indication cannot be treated as a uniform price before tax. EICR Certificates London presents quoted prices as “plus VAT”.

• Does this figure include VAT, have VAT added or involve no VAT charge?
• Are all agreed attendance, equipment and documentation charges included?
• What is the final amount payable for this scope?

Record those answers alongside each offer.

Which Factors Change the Per-Item Price?

Equipment quantity, access, testing needs, appointment timing and required records can change the effective cost per item.

Factor	What to clarify
Larger inventories	Whether the unit rate reduces for your quantity; a discount is not assured.
Dispersed or difficult access	Equipment locations, restricted rooms and arrangements for making assets accessible.
Equipment types and tests	How the scope accommodates Class I and Class II equipment, visual inspection and appropriate testing.
Evening or weekend attendance	Whether the preferred appointment window changes the quoted amount.
Records and labels	Required identification, register format and results documentation.
Separately priced repairs	What follow-up work is excluded and how approval is obtained.

For PAT testing in London, provide your location, approximate count, equipment list, access restrictions and preferred appointment window. For commercial premises, identify equipment spread across departments or separate areas so the quotation reflects the access arrangements.

Get a PAT Testing Quote for Your Equipment

EICR Certificates London quotes PAT testing for your equipment list and access requirements. Request a free, no-obligation quotation; testing and attendance are chargeable, with our quoted prices shown plus VAT. Evening and weekend appointments available.

Prepare your enquiry: send the postcode, premises type, approximate equipment count, existing register if available, access arrangements and preferred appointment. Include any documentation requirements so these can be addressed in the quotation. Call 020 3677 6372 to get a PAT testing quote based on the work you need.

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PAT Testing Cost Questions