Recording a PIP assessment?

Has anyone recorded their PIP medical assessment? My local PIP centre has NO recording equipment, and although they have agreed that I can record it myself, they cannot suggest any equipment to use, nor where to rent/purchase it from. They have told me that I may not make a digital recording and give them a copy, but must make to cassette or CD recordings using the same machine (so not even 2 cassette recorders!!).
If you have recorded it yourself, where did you get the equipment from?
I get a distinct impression that they are not keen on our recording the assessments, for some inexplicable reason!!

You can purchase these at Argos.

Hi Elaine,

I recorded mine in August, and so glad I did. I am now having to ask for a MR and am using a professional transcript of the interview to challenge the decision as most of what the DM has said is based on the HP's 'Informal Observations' which are inaccurate and I can use the transcript in parts to show that.

Yes, they seem not keen for you to record the f2f. At mine the HP wouldn't let me use an extension lead quoting that it needed a 'PAT test' - thankfully I had taken batteries as backup so bare that in mind when you do yours, it might just be one of the obstacles they throw in the way to prevent you doing your recording.

The sound quality on mine was not great but the typist managed to get a lot of useful information typed up.

I bought two new Bush cassette recorders from Argos and got three new and shrink wrapped cassettes off ebay (one was for just in case one of the others was faulty). I got 120 tapes as oppose to the 90 minute ones and it's good that I did as my interview went over 90 minutes in total, so that's worth considering if you have many or complex conditions that means your f2f takes ages to get through - it also seems to take longer if you do a recording, my unrecorded f2fs are usually over in an hour.

All the best with it.

Hi Elaine,

I recorded my assessment back in June. I used two cassette players /recorders bought from Argos for around £25 each and bought a pack
of C90 cassette tapes off ebay for around £10.

Yes you have to use new tapes; so give them to the assessor so they can check.

One word of warning: I had to fight my corner as the assessor put in a totally inaccurate report and I went to the MR stage which I won.

I do think the recording helped me as I was able to refer to it throughout my mandatory reconsideration process.

I felt it made my case sound more concrete. And it gave me the confidence to argue my case forcibly.

The very best of luck.

How in the blazes does an assessor think they get away with misreporting on a f2f when it's being recorded???????????????????????????????? Beggars belief.