Case Study 1
A friend informed a small Bed & Breakfast, with 4 letting rooms, that he should have all the electrical equipment Pat Tested.
The owner had heard of this and duly sought a quotation.
A price was obtained which came to £72.50 + VAT.
The owner thought that this was rather expensive and therefore decided not to have it carried out.
About a year and a half later, a guest received a ‘shock’ from a bedside lamp. (This was probably a static discharge.)
The guest complained to the owner and also decided to see if he could get any compensation by also going to see a solicitor.
An inspector duly arrived at the B&B and the lamp was inspected.
The lamp had a metal body and a metal lamp holder. It was found that the owner had extended the length of the mains cable by rewiring the lamp with 2-core cable, although the metal lamp holder had provision for an earth and therefore should have been earthed.
The owner settled out of court and the guest received £1,000.00.
Which was cheaper?
The Pat test fee of £72.50 + VAT or the £1,000.00 he had to pay.
This story could have been much worse.
If a fault had developed in the lamp and the lamp holder and the lamp became ‘live’, the guest could have received a very serious electric shock.
Case Study 2
We all take electricity for granted. We cannot see it, so it gets ignored.
I am always amazed at how many ‘tape’ joints I come across.
I have also found a microwave with the glass in the door broken, with a large piece of the glass missing, to be ‘repaired’ by fitting cling film over the door.