Are tenants' own appliances the landlord's responsibility?

No. The landlord is responsible for the installation and for appliances they supply. Tenants look after their own.

Does a new appliance need testing straight away?

A new item comes with a declaration of conformity, so a visual check and a record of purchase is normally enough until the next cycle.

Landlord property care

Appliance testing in a let

Keeping supplied white goods and small appliances safe

The short answer

Appliances the landlord provides — washing machine, fridge, microwave, lamps, extension leads — must be safe for the tenant to use. Portable appliance testing is the usual way to evidence that, typically alongside the EICR or annually in an HMO. Tenants' own appliances are their responsibility, though the socket and circuit serving them are not.

What the work involves

A visual inspection of plug, cable and casing on every supplied item, electrical testing where appropriate, a label with the test date, and a register listing each appliance.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

Landlord duties require supplied appliances to be safe and in proper working order; the frequency is risk-based rather than fixed in law, but HMO licence conditions often set annual testing.

What commonly goes wrong

Leaving an inherited appliance in the property with no history, and daisy-chained extension leads left behind after a previous tenancy.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

Cost is per appliance, so an unfurnished let with three white goods is inexpensive to cover.
Testing at the same visit as the EICR saves a separate call-out.
Replacing a failed twelve-year-old appliance is often cheaper than repeat repairs.

What to do, in order

1List every appliance you supply, room by room.
2Remove anything you no longer want to be responsible for.
3Book testing alongside the EICR or the pre-let inspection.
4Keep the register and dated labels with the compliance pack.
5Note the make, model and age so replacement can be planned.

Local detail for the Lothians

Edinburgh's furnished student market carries far more supplied appliances than the family let market, so the register is longer.
HMO licence conditions in the city commonly expect annual testing rather than risk-based intervals.
Older tenement kitchens often have too few sockets, which drives the extension lead problem.

When you need a professional

A competent tester — often the same electrician doing the EICR — should carry out and record the checks.

Common questions

Are tenants' own appliances the landlord's responsibility?: No. The landlord is responsible for the installation and for appliances they supply. Tenants look after their own.
Does a new appliance need testing straight away?: A new item comes with a declaration of conformity, so a visual check and a record of purchase is normally enough until the next cycle.

Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.

EICR and electrical safety
The five-yearly electrical installation condition report and portable appliance checks in a let.
Furniture and furnishings in a let
Fire labels, wear and tear, and deciding what to supply in the first place.
End of tenancy repairs and deposits
Separating damage from fair wear and tear, and evidencing a deposit deduction properly.

Last reviewed 4 September 2026.