Rank: Forum user 
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Hi We have a guest house/B&B on our site.
Our fire risk assessor has stated that we should be PAT testing all guest's electrical items (or refusing to let them bring items when they stay). I think that this is a) ridiculous, and b) impossible to enforce. Does anyone have experience within the hotel/accommodation industry as to what procedures or controls are put in place? Ta.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: DHeptinstall  Hi We have a guest house/B&B on our site.
Our fire risk assessor has stated that we should be PAT testing all guest's electrical items (or refusing to let them bring items when they stay). I think that this is a) ridiculous, and b) impossible to enforce. Does anyone have experience within the hotel/accommodation industry as to what procedures or controls are put in place? Ta.
What has been been sugguested is utter tosh in my opinion. PAT is not compulsory.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I agree with George. The fire risk assessor is completely OTT. So my electric shaving brush needs PA testing? Next thing they will be asking for my wris[expletive deleted]ch - and what if I am fitted with a pacemaker? Absolute rubbish on his part.
Chris
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Rank: Super forum user 
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For clarification. B&Bs are sometimes used by local authorities as short terrm accomodation, is this the case with some of your guests? I only ask as it may be the case that your Fire Assessor is referring specifically to these residents who, for example, may be cooking in their rooms.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Methinks it is time for a new and competent fire risk assessor Whilst the properties equipment - TV, hair dryer, kettle, fridge etc. should be inspected by or on behalf of the operator this is to ensure the safety of guests who are likley to use them. Never been asked at any accomodation during check-in if I have any electrical items and could I refrain from using them until they were PAT tested. It would be wholly unreasonable to expect to have a qualified electrician sat around waiting for guests to check in but it would not be impossible to enforce - you could just blank plate every power outlet and then watch the business fail as people leave negative reviews about the lack of power
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 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Methinks it is time for a new and competent fire risk assessor Whilst the properties equipment - TV, hair dryer, kettle, fridge etc. should be inspected by or on behalf of the operator this is to ensure the safety of guests who are likley to use them. Never been asked at any accomodation during check-in if I have any electrical items and could I refrain from using them until they were PAT tested. It would be wholly unreasonable to expect to have a qualified electrician sat around waiting for guests to check in but it would not be impossible to enforce - you could just blank plate every power outlet and then watch the business fail as people leave negative reviews about the lack of power
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4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Thanks for the replies. I agree that it is nonsense and someone getting a bit too excited. It's not an LA B&B, it's a 5-star accommodation with no council tenants etc. Following on, would be interesting if anyone on here worked for a hotel or similar and mitigated the risk of guest's faulty electrical items. We have provided USB sockets and encourage guests to use these to charge phones/tablets etc. but there is always the issue of hair straighteners, laptop chargers etc. Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I am not in the industry or a qualified electrician, however, it is my understanding that a sufficient consumer unit with RCD protection would be sufficient - and indeed better protection for the property than PAT.
There is also a precednet here, namely the thousands of hotels and B&Bs the length and breadth of the country that DON'T do this.
H&S is about finding pragmatic soloutions, not stopping enterprise.
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1 user thanked WatsonD for this useful post.
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This sounds familiar, My brother ran a small B&B for a while, the previous owner had not done a lot about fire safety and generally ignored the FS(RR)SO.
Shortly after my Brother took it on he wa approache by a company offering all sort of Risk Assessments at a price. The emphasis was very much towards the scary side of legislation- prosections, court cases etc. One of the things that was raised was the dangers of guest equipment.
We found this document very helpful. https://assets.publishin...e/11085/payingguests.pdf
get yourself a New Fire risk assessor , or treat yourself to NEBOSH Fire Certificate course- i really enjoyed doing mine, which was an unexpected bonus.
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2 users thanked nic168 for this useful post.
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