What it actually means when an appliance is left At Risk

An appliance left At Risk explained in plain terms

The engineer records the specific fault, obtains informed consent to leave the appliance running, and should explain in plain terms what the risk actually is and roughly how urgently it needs addressing. It is not a classification to file away and forget about; the underlying fault does not resolve itself, and leaving it unaddressed for an extended period increases the chance the situation deteriorates into something more serious.

Key points on an appliance left At Risk

• The specific fault and the consent given should both be recorded in writing
• The engineer should explain the nature of the risk in plain terms
• The appliance remains connected only on the basis of informed consent
• The underlying fault needs a genuine repair, not just monitoring
• Leaving an At Risk fault unaddressed can allow it to worsen

Where we deal with this

• Paulton (BS39) · 3 mi
• Calne (SN11) · 15 mi
• Oldfield Park (BA2) · 8 mi

Questions we get asked

Is it safe to keep using an At Risk appliance at all?

It is being used on the basis of informed consent about a known fault, which is why arranging the repair promptly matters.

Who decides how urgent an At Risk repair is?

The engineer's assessment of the specific fault guides this, and it is worth asking directly for their view during the visit.