Maintain your business premises

Regular maintenance keeps your premises safe and helps you meet legal requirements. Some maintenance tasks are legally required at specific intervals.

Fire safety

All non-domestic premises must have a fire risk assessment and comply with fire safety regulations.

Gas safety

If your premises have gas appliances, you must arrange annual safety checks.

Gas safety requirements for business premises

Annual gas safety check requirements and landlord obligations.

Safety check frequency: Every 12 months
Who must arrange: Landlord or property owner with gas appliances
Engineer qualification: Must be Gas Safe registered
Record retention: 2 years
Tenant notification: Within 28 days of check, or before new tenancy starts

Annual safety check must cover:

All gas pipework, appliances, and flues
Boilers, fires, cookers, water heaters
Any gas appliance provided by landlord

A Gas Safe registered engineer must carry out checks. Keep copies of gas safety records for 2 years.

Gas safety checks

Electrical safety

Keep your electrical installation and portable appliances safe.

Electrical safety requirements

EICR and PAT testing requirements for business premises.

EICR frequency (commercial): Every 3-5 years (risk-dependent)
PAT testing: No fixed legal interval - based on risk assessment
Records: Must keep records of all inspections
Competent person: Qualified electrician for EICR

EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report):

Tests fixed electrical installation (wiring, sockets, consumer unit)
Commercial premises typically need testing every 3-5 years
Must be done by qualified electrician

PAT Testing:

Portable Appliance Testing for moveable equipment
Not legally required at specific intervals
Frequency depends on risk assessment and equipment type
Office equipment: visual check annually, formal test every 2-4 years

PAT testing FAQ

Water safety (legionella)

You must assess and control legionella risk in your water systems.

Legionella risk assessment requirements

Requirements for assessing and controlling legionella risk in water systems.

Risk assessment: Required for all workplace water systems
Review frequency: At least every 2 years, or when changes occur
Hot water temperature: 60C minimum at calorifier (storage)
Cold water temperature: Below 20C (ideally below 15C)
Outlet flushing: Weekly flush for unused outlets

Legionella bacteria can grow in water systems between 20-45C. As an employer or landlord, you must:

Identify and assess sources of legionella risk
Prepare a written scheme to prevent or control risk
Implement, manage and monitor precautions
Keep records of precautions
Appoint someone responsible for compliance

High-risk systems include cooling towers, hot and cold water systems, spa pools, and other systems that create aerosols.

Legionella and landlords

Maintenance schedule

Create a schedule to track required maintenance:

Check	Frequency
Fire risk assessment review	Annually (or when changes)
Fire alarm test	Weekly
Emergency lighting test	Monthly
Gas safety check	Every 12 months
EICR	Every 3-5 years
Legionella review	Every 2 years
PAT testing	Based on risk assessment

Workplace fire safety

Business Context Testing

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Guvnor

Maintain your business premises

Fire safety

Gas safety

Electrical safety

Water safety (legionella)

Maintenance schedule

Compliance Assistant

🧪 Business Context Testing

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Fire safety

Gas safety

Electrical safety

Water safety (legionella)

Maintenance schedule

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Business Context Testing

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