Best overall for London landlords: Energy Guard. Best for multi-site portfolios: Hawkesworth. Best for wider commercial electrical compliance: phs Compliance. This 2026 guide compares PAT testing companies by the property work you need, the evidence you receive and the responsibilities that remain after testing.
- For best pat testing companies london searches, Energy Guard is the landlord-focused choice alongside EPC and EICR services.
- Hawkesworth suits buyers comparing national electrical testing providers for multi-site portfolios.
- phs Compliance suits commercial buyers seeking PAT testing alongside wider electrical compliance services.
- Choose by testing scope, asset records and failed-item handling, not appliance stickers alone.
Why this matters
PAT testing is a safety check, not a substitute for managing electrical equipment. A label on an appliance does not tell you whether somebody has damaged its cable since the inspection. You still need arrangements for reporting faults, removing unsafe equipment and keeping records.
For London landlords choosing a provider in 2026, the first distinction is between portable appliances and the property's fixed electrical installation. PAT concerns electrical equipment. An EICR assesses the fixed installation; one does not replace the other.
In England, rented homes within the electrical safety regulations generally need their fixed installation inspected at least every 5 years, or sooner when the previous report requires it. That interval is not a PAT testing schedule. HSE guidance also makes clear that the law does not require every appliance to undergo PAT every 12 months.
Your buying decision therefore starts with the equipment, its use and the records you need. A furnished flat, an estate agency office and a portfolio spread across several locations need different booking arrangements, even when each enquiry uses the same phrase: PAT testing.
What makes the best PAT testing company?
Use these criteria before comparing providers. They separate a useful inspection service from a booking that leaves you chasing paperwork afterwards.
- Property fit: Choose a provider that serves your type of premises. Landlord compliance work and a large commercial testing programme are different purchasing tasks.
- Defined scope: Agree which appliances, locations and landlord-supplied items are included. Identify inaccessible equipment and anything needing a separate inspection.
- Tester competence: Ask how the person doing the work demonstrates competence for the equipment involved. A company name alone does not establish this.
- Useful records: Request identifiable appliance records, results and a clear account of failed or untested items. Establish the report format before booking.
- Failure handling: Agree who receives urgent findings and who authorises repairs, replacement or removal from use. Testing does not automatically include remedial work.
- Access planning: Confirm how occupied properties, communal areas, locked rooms and equipment in use will be handled. Give the tester a named contact.
The best provider is the one whose scope matches your property and whose records let you act on the findings. Use this shortlist to decide which type of company belongs on your enquiry list, then confirm the actual service terms.
London PAT testing companies at a glance
| Company | Best for | Standout service fit | Key limitation to resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Guard | Landlord services | PAT testing alongside EPC, gas safety, EICR and floor plan services in London and Greater London | Confirm whether separate services require separate appointments and reports |
| Hawkesworth | Multi-site portfolios | National electrical testing provider offering PAT testing | Agree site-level reporting, access and escalation arrangements |
| phs Compliance | Commercial compliance | PAT testing within a wider electrical compliance offering | Specify the portable-appliance scope separately from other electrical work |
The table ranks service fit, not laboratory performance or customer review scores. For your 2026 enquiry, use the landlord, portfolio or commercial route that matches the work rather than treating every provider as interchangeable.
1. Energy Guard: best PAT testing company for London landlords
Energy Guard provides PAT testing, EPC certificates, gas safety checks, electrical EICR certificates and floor plans to landlords and estate agents across London and Greater London. That makes the company a relevant first enquiry when portable appliance testing forms part of a property's wider compliance work.
Energy Guard is the best fit on this shortlist for London landlords seeking PAT testing alongside other property compliance services. The useful distinction is its stated audience: landlords and estate agents, rather than a generic business testing brief.
You should still separate each instruction. A request for PAT testing does not automatically include an EICR, a gas safety check or an EPC, even when one company provides all those services. Ask for the scope and deliverable for each piece of work.
Energy Guard pros:
- Serves landlords and estate agents across London and Greater London.
- Provides PAT testing alongside other named property compliance services.
- Gives buyers with several property-service needs one company to approach about those services.
Energy Guard cons:
- Its broader service range adds little to a procurement brief that only requires standalone appliance testing.
- Separate compliance services still need separate instructions; do not assume a combined visit or combined report.
Best for: Landlords and estate agents arranging appliance testing as part of managing a London rental property.
In your enquiry, identify which appliances you supply, whether the property is occupied and who can authorise action on failed equipment. Include communal areas if they belong within your instruction. Those details matter more than simply asking for a PAT certificate.
Verdict — Buy: Choose Energy Guard for landlord-focused PAT testing once the appliance scope, access arrangements and required records are agreed.
2. Hawkesworth: best PAT testing company for multi-site portfolios
Hawkesworth is a national electrical testing provider offering PAT testing and fixed wire testing. Its national service remit makes it a relevant comparison for buyers managing premises in London alongside locations elsewhere in the UK.
For a portfolio buyer, the central problem is consistency. You need to know which sites have been completed, which appliances failed and which locations remain outstanding. Write those reporting requirements into the enquiry rather than assuming a national provider's standard paperwork matches your internal records.
Hawkesworth pros:
- Offers PAT testing as part of an electrical testing service range.
- Has a national service remit relevant to geographically spread portfolios.
- Belongs on a shortlist when you are comparing portable appliance and fixed wire testing suppliers.
Hawkesworth cons:
- National coverage is not a deciding advantage when you only need one London property tested.
- A portfolio instruction requires more detailed site coordination than a single-address booking.
Best for: Buyers comparing national electrical testing companies for several premises.
Ask for a reporting example and check whether your team can identify each appliance without relying on its room location alone. Equipment moves. A description such as kettle in kitchen becomes less useful when several similar appliances change rooms or buildings.
For a 2026 portfolio programme, name a contact at each premises and define how inaccessible equipment will be recorded. An unresolved access problem should remain visible in your completion records, not disappear into a general statement that a site was visited.
Verdict — Buy: Shortlist Hawkesworth when multi-site coordination is a genuine requirement; skip the national-coverage argument when your brief is a single flat.
3. phs Compliance: best PAT testing company for commercial compliance
phs Compliance provides PAT testing within a wider electrical compliance service offering, including fixed wire testing. It is a relevant option for commercial buyers who need to distinguish several electrical inspection tasks within one procurement brief.
The advantage of considering a wider compliance provider is the breadth of services you can enquire about. The limitation is that a broad brief can become unclear. Portable appliances, fixed wiring and remedial work need defined boundaries, even when you approach the same supplier about all three.
phs Compliance pros:
- Provides PAT testing alongside wider electrical compliance services.
- Is relevant to commercial enquiries involving more than portable appliances.
- Lets buyers compare appliance testing and fixed wire testing within the same supplier enquiry.
phs Compliance cons:
- A wider commercial service range is not a reason by itself to choose a provider for a small rental property.
- Combining workstreams in an enquiry does not remove the need for separate scopes and deliverables.
Best for: Commercial property teams procuring PAT testing alongside other electrical compliance work.
Ask who receives the inspection results and who handles urgent findings. If your managing agent, facilities team and property owner have different responsibilities, write those responsibilities down before the visit. A report sent to the wrong recipient does not resolve an unsafe appliance.
Keep the completion criteria explicit: equipment tested, equipment not tested, failures identified and actions still outstanding. Those categories are more useful than a general assurance that electrical compliance has been covered.
Verdict — Buy: Shortlist phs Compliance for a defined commercial electrical brief; hold the booking until appliance testing and other work have clear boundaries.
How the shortlist is ranked
This 2026 shortlist uses the criteria above: property fit, scope, competence, records, failure handling and access planning. The order gives priority to the London landlord audience, followed by distinct portfolio and commercial buying needs.
The ranking is a service-fit recommendation, not a claim that one company detects more faults or produces better results than another. Before appointing any provider, compare the written scope and ask the same practical questions. A named service offering establishes relevance; it does not settle your property's testing requirements.
What to agree before booking PAT testing
Appliance list
List the equipment you want included and who owns it. In a furnished rental, distinguish landlord-supplied appliances from items brought in by the tenant. For offices and shared areas, include equipment that is easy to overlook when rooms have different occupiers.
Do not use size as your only rule. A 230 V mains-powered appliance needs consideration of its electrical construction and use, whether it is a small desk item or a larger piece of equipment. Let a competent tester determine the appropriate inspection and testing procedure.
Access plan
Tell the provider whether the premises will be occupied and who can open each room. Identify equipment that cannot simply be disconnected during normal use. Agree any access restrictions before the appointment rather than leaving the tester to discover them onsite.
Report requirements
Ask what the records will contain and how individual appliances will be identified. Require a distinction between passed, failed and untested equipment. An appliance that could not be reached is not the same as an appliance that passed.
Failed-item response
Decide who can remove an unsafe item from use and authorise replacement or repair. Ask how urgent findings will be communicated. Do not assume testing includes repairs, retesting or disposal unless those tasks are expressly included.
Review schedule
Set the next review around equipment type, use, environment and previous findings. HSE guidance uses a risk-based approach rather than a blanket annual PAT rule. Your 2026 inspection record should support that decision, not substitute for it.
A PAT label is useful for identifying inspection status, but the label alone is not your equipment-management system. Keep the underlying records accessible to whoever manages the property.
Which PAT testing company should you choose?
Choose Energy Guard for a London landlord or estate agency brief involving PAT testing and other property compliance services. Choose Hawkesworth for a shortlist centred on multi-site electrical testing. Choose phs Compliance for a commercial enquiry combining appliance testing with wider electrical compliance work.
Do not select a supplier solely because its service list is longer. Select the company that can fulfil your written instruction and leave you with records you can use. If your scope is still unclear, resolve that before authorising the visit.
Arrange your property testing enquiry
Set out your London property, appliance scope and any other compliance services you need.
FAQ
What's the best PAT testing company in London for landlords?
Energy Guard is the landlord-focused choice on this shortlist. It provides PAT testing alongside EPC, gas safety, EICR and floor plan services across London and Greater London; confirm the scope of each service before booking.
Is PAT testing legally required every year for rental properties?
There is no blanket legal requirement to PAT test every rental appliance annually. Landlords must meet applicable electrical safety duties, and inspection and testing arrangements should reflect the equipment, its use and the risks involved.
Does PAT testing replace an EICR?
No. PAT testing concerns electrical equipment, while an EICR assesses the fixed electrical installation. Booking one does not satisfy the purpose of the other.
Which PAT testing company should I compare for several sites?
Hawkesworth is a relevant national provider to shortlist for multi-site electrical testing. Agree site-level records, access arrangements and the process for outstanding or failed equipment before appointing a supplier.
Is phs Compliance better for a commercial property than a rental flat?
phs Compliance is the commercial-focused option in this shortlist because PAT testing sits within its wider electrical compliance offering. For a rental flat, prioritise the actual appliance scope and landlord service fit rather than the breadth of a company's service list.
What should a PAT testing report tell me?
Useful PAT testing records identify the equipment inspected or tested, the findings and any failed or untested items. Agree the record format beforehand so you can connect each result to the correct appliance and act on outstanding issues.
What should I do if an appliance fails PAT testing?
Do not continue using equipment identified as unsafe. Follow the competent tester's findings and arrange appropriate repair, replacement or further assessment before returning it to use.
Do PAT stickers prove that a property is electrically safe?
No. PAT stickers do not establish the condition of the fixed wiring or guarantee an appliance remains safe after inspection. Keep the records, report damage and manage the property's other electrical safety responsibilities separately.
One last thing
An untested appliance is an outstanding task, not a passed appliance. Before filing your 2026 report, look specifically for inaccessible equipment, missing items and limitations. Assign somebody to resolve each outstanding entry; a completed visit is not the same as a completed appliance list.
