Statutory maintenance checklist (UK)
Every inspection UK law requires in a building, with the legislation, how often it falls due and who is allowed to do it, then the documents a compliance audit asks for and a plain monthly, quarterly and annual planned maintenance table.
What are statutory maintenance checks?
Statutory maintenance checks are the inspections and tests that UK law requires the owner, landlord or person in control of a building to carry out — for example the EICR on the electrics, the gas safety check, fire alarm and emergency lighting tests, lift examinations (LOLER), the legionella risk assessment and the asbestos register.
Each has a legal basis and an interval. The table below lists them all, and the free Excel and PDF turn it into a schedule you can keep for every building.
What are statutory maintenance checks?
They are the inspections UK law requires for a building — such as the EICR, gas safety, fire alarm and emergency lighting tests, lift examinations, legionella and asbestos — each with its own legal basis and interval.
For facilities managers, landlords, managing agents and maintenance contractors. General information, not legal advice.
What counts as statutory maintenance
Statutory maintenance checks are the inspections and tests that UK law requires in a building, as opposed to planned maintenance you choose to do. Most come from a handful of regimes: gas safety, the fixed electrical installation (EICR), fire safety under the Fire Safety Order, lifts and lifting equipment (LOLER), pressure systems, legionella, asbestos, and for rented homes smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Each has three fixed parts: an interval, a legally responsible person, and a record you must be able to produce on request.
Some intervals are written into the regulation itself (gas: 12 months; EICR in rented homes: 5 years; passenger lifts: 6 months). Others come from the British Standard the regulation points to (fire alarm and emergency lighting tests) or from HSE guidance (legionella temperatures, asbestos re-inspection). The table says which is which, because an inspector treats a missed standards-based test as evidence that the legal duty to maintain was not met.
When something goes wrong in a building, the first question is never "did you care about safety?". It is "show me the certificate, the date and who signed it". The record is the compliance.
Statutory maintenance checklist (UK)
Grouped by how often each check falls due. "Who may do it" is the minimum competence the regulation or standard expects. Items marked England only come from English regulations; HSE regimes apply across Great Britain. Intervals checked against gov.uk, HSE and British Standard summaries on 24 October 2026; where it says check the current regulation, do.
Weekly
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm — manual call point test (different call point each week, logged)Log in the fire logbook; test at the same day/time each week. | BS 5839-1 (recommendation); duty under Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 art. 17 | Weekly | Trained on-site person |
| Sprinkler system — alarm, valve and pressure checksFollow the manufacturer's and installer's schedule — check the current standard. | BS EN 12845 / LPC Rules; RRO 2005 art. 17 | Weekly | Trained on-site person |
| Legionella — flush infrequently used outletsRecord in the water hygiene log. | HSE ACoP L8 / HSG274 Part 2 | Weekly | Trained in-house person |
Monthly
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency lighting — short function (flick) test of every luminaireCheck luminaires are clean, undamaged and light up on supply failure. | BS 5266-1 / BS EN 50172; RRO 2005 art. 17 | Monthly | Trained on-site person |
| Legionella — hot and cold sentinel outlet temperatures; TMV checksCold below 20°C within 2 minutes; hot at least 50°C within 1 minute (55°C in healthcare). | HSE ACoP L8 / HSG274 Part 2 | Monthly | Trained in-house person |
| Fire extinguishers — visual check (in place, undamaged, pressure gauge, tamper seal)More often where premises are open to the public. | BS 5306-3 (recommendation) | Monthly | Trained on-site person |
| High-rise residential (18 m+ or 7+ storeys) — firefighting lifts and firefighting equipment checksReport defects not fixed within 24 hours to the fire and rescue service. England only. | Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 regs 7–8 | Monthly | Responsible person |
| Fire alarm — standby battery / generator checksVented batteries examined and topped up quarterly. | BS 5839-1 (recommendation) | Monthly | Trained on-site person |
Quarterly
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire doors in common parts — residential buildings over 11 mCheck self-closers, gaps, seals, glazing, damage. England only. | Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 reg 10 | Quarterly | Responsible person (or competent contractor) |
| Legionella — shower heads and hoses cleaned and descaled | HSE HSG274 Part 2 | Quarterly (or as risk assessment sets) | Trained in-house person |
Every six months
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm — periodic inspection and servicingCertificate of inspection and servicing at each visit. | BS 5839-1 (recommends at least two service visits a year); RRO 2005 art. 17 | Every 6 months | Competent fire alarm engineer |
| Passenger lifts and lifting equipment that carries people; all lifting accessories — thorough examinationReport of thorough examination kept until the next report, at least 2 years. | LOLER 1998 reg 9 | Every 6 months (or per written examination scheme) | Competent person (usually the insurer's engineer surveyor) |
| Legionella — cold water ball valve outlet temperatures | HSE HSG274 Part 2 | Every 6 months | Trained in-house person |
| Automatic opening vents (AOV) / smoke control — serviceInterval set by the manufacturer and the fire risk assessment — check. | BS 7346 / BS EN 12101; RRO 2005 art. 17 | Typically every 6 months | Competent smoke-control engineer |
Annual
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas safety check — every gas appliance and flue in rented property (CP12 / Landlord Gas Safety Record)Copy to tenants within 28 days; keep records at least 2 years. | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 reg 36 | Every 12 months (may be done up to 2 months early and keep the anniversary) | Gas Safe registered engineer |
| Emergency lighting — full-duration (3-hour) testFix failed luminaires; certificate and logbook entry. | BS 5266-1 / BS EN 50172 | Every 12 months | Competent engineer |
| Fire extinguishers — basic serviceExtended service: 5 years water/foam/powder, 10 years CO2. | BS 5306-3 | Every 12 months (± 1 month) | Competent extinguisher service engineer |
| Fire risk assessment — reviewSince 1 Oct 2023 (Building Safety Act s.156) the full assessment and findings must be recorded, whatever the size of the premises. | Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 art. 9 (review 'regularly' — no fixed interval; annual review is common practice) | Review at least yearly, and after any significant change | Competent fire risk assessor |
| Flat entrance fire doors — residential buildings over 11 mEngland only. | Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 reg 10 | Every 12 months (best endeavours) | Responsible person |
| Asbestos — re-inspection of known asbestos-containing materials and register review (pre-2000 non-domestic and communal areas)Keep the asbestos register and management plan for the life of the building. | Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 reg 4 (duty to manage); HSE guidance: re-inspect at least every 12 months | Every 12 months (more often for higher-risk materials) | Duty holder; surveys by a competent (UKAS-accredited) surveyor |
| Lightning protection system — inspection and testNot a stand-alone statutory interval — check the current standard. | BS EN 62305-3 (recommendation); Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 | Every 12 months (industry practice uses an 11-month cycle) | Specialist lightning protection engineer |
| Legionella — cold water storage tank and calorifier internal inspection | HSE HSG274 Part 2 | Every 12 months | Competent water hygiene contractor |
| Goods lifts, hoists and other lifting equipment not carrying people — thorough examination | LOLER 1998 reg 9 | Every 12 months (or per written examination scheme) | Competent person |
| Sprinkler system — annual serviceCheck the current standard and the insurer's requirements. | BS EN 12845 / LPC Rules | Every 12 months | Competent sprinkler engineer |
| Hose reels — full inspection and test under pressure | BS EN 671-3 | Every 12 months (pressure test every 5 years) | Trained and competent person |
| Display Energy Certificate — public buildings over 250 m²Public authority buildings frequently visited by the public only. | Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 | Every 12 months (over 1,000 m²); every 10 years (250–1,000 m²) | Accredited energy assessor |
Every few years
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| EICR (fixed wiring) — privately rented homes in EnglandCopy to tenants within 28 days, to a new tenant before they move in, to the council within 7 days if asked; remedial work within 28 days. Extended to social housing in 2025. | Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 | At least every 5 years (or as the report states) | Qualified and competent person (e.g. C&G 2391 or equivalent) |
| EICR (fixed wiring) — commercial and industrial premisesThe report itself sets the next inspection date — the shorter interval wins. | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 reg 4(2); BS 7671 / IET Guidance Note 3 recommended maximum intervals | 5 years commercial; 3 years industrial; 1 year for some higher-risk premises | Qualified and competent electrician |
| Legionella risk assessment — full reviewKeep the written scheme of control up to date. | HSE ACoP L8 / HSG274 Part 2 | Review regularly and after any system change (2-yearly review is common practice; no fixed legal interval) | Competent legionella risk assessor |
| Air-conditioning inspection (TM44) — systems over 12 kW total cooling capacityKeep the report and hand it to a new owner or operator — check the current regulation. | Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (inspection of air-conditioning systems) | At least every 5 years | Accredited energy assessor |
| Pressure systems — boilers, compressed air receivers, steam — examination under a written schemeNo written scheme = the system may not lawfully be operated. | Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 regs 8–9 | Intervals set by the written scheme of examination (often 12–14 months for boilers; up to 26 months for some systems) | Competent person (usually the insurer's engineer) |
| Fire extinguishers — extended service / overhaul | BS 5306-3 | Every 5 years (water, foam, powder); every 10 years (CO2) | Competent extinguisher service engineer |
| Energy Performance CertificateMinimum rating E to let (MEES) — check the current regulation. | Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 | Valid 10 years; needed on sale or letting | Accredited energy assessor |
Event-driven and risk-based
| Inspection or check | Legislation / standard | How often | Who may do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke alarms (every storey with living accommodation) and CO alarms (any room with a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers) — rented homesSocial landlords included from 1 Oct 2022. Penalty up to £5,000 — check the current regulation. | Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, amended 2022 | Checked working at the start of each tenancy; repair or replace as soon as told they are faulty | Landlord or agent |
| Portable appliance testing (PAT) and user checksHSE: no legal requirement to PAT test every year — frequency follows risk. | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 reg 4 (not a fixed statutory test interval) | Risk-based: user checks before use; formal visual inspection and test as the risk assessment sets (often yearly in offices, more often on sites) | Competent person |
| Asbestos — refurbishment and demolition survey before any intrusive work | Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 regs 4–5 | Before every refurbishment or demolition | Competent (UKAS-accredited) surveyor |
| Building Safety Act — safety case report, golden thread information, resident engagement strategy (higher-risk buildings: 18 m+ or 7+ storeys with 2+ residential units)England only — check the current regulation. | Building Safety Act 2022 ss. 65, 83–91; Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 | Keep up to date continuously; register the building with the Building Safety Regulator; Building Assessment Certificate when called | Principal accountable person |
| Employers' liability insurance certificateHSE recommends keeping old certificates for 40 years. | Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 | Renew yearly; certificate displayed or available electronically | Employer |
Your fire risk assessment, your insurer or the latest inspection report can all require a shorter interval than the one shown; the shorter one always wins. Scotland and Wales: see the FAQ.
Who actually carries the duty
The law names a duty holder for each regime: the landlord for gas and rented-home electrics and alarms, the "responsible person" (owner, employer or managing agent, whoever has control) for fire, the duty holder for asbestos, the user or owner for pressure systems and lifting equipment, and for higher-risk residential buildings the accountable person under the Building Safety Act. Hiring a facilities management contractor delegates the work, not the duty.
A well-drafted FM or maintenance contract therefore lists every line of the table above and states who books it, who pays for it and, most importantly, where the certificate lands afterwards. If your current contract does not, that is the first thing to fix at renewal.
Building compliance checklist: the documents to hold
What an insurer, managing agent, fire officer or Building Safety Regulator audit asks to see. Keep one register per building and attach each document to its visit.
Certificates and reports
- EICR, plus Electrical Installation Certificates and Minor Works certificates for any work since
- Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12) and boiler service records
- Fire risk assessment with its action plan and the dates actions were closed
- Fire alarm commissioning certificate and 6-monthly service certificates
- Emergency lighting completion certificate and annual full-duration test certificate
- Extinguisher service labels and the annual service record
- LOLER reports of thorough examination for every lift, hoist and accessory
- PSSR written scheme of examination and the examination reports
- Legionella risk assessment, written scheme of control and monitoring log
- Asbestos management survey, refurbishment surveys and re-inspection reports
- TM44 air-conditioning inspection report; EPC; DEC where required
- Lightning protection test certificate; sprinkler and AOV service reports
- Fire door inspection records (quarterly and annual in buildings over 11 m)
Registers, logs and plans
- Fire logbook: weekly alarm tests, monthly lighting tests, drills, false alarms
- Asbestos register and management plan, kept for the life of the building
- Water hygiene log: temperatures, flushing, descaling, tank inspections
- Accident book and RIDDOR reports (kept 3 years)
- Evacuation strategy, PEEPs and the fire safety information given to residents
- O&M manuals, as-built drawings and the CDM 2015 health and safety file
- Permits to work, hot works permits and contractor sign-in records
- Planned maintenance schedule showing last done and next due for every line
Insurance, policies and competence
- Employers' liability certificate (statutory, displayed or available electronically)
- Public liability and buildings insurance; engineering inspection contract for lifts and pressure systems
- Written health and safety policy (required with 5 or more employees) and fire safety policy
- Contractor RAMS for every planned visit; method statements for high-risk work
- Competence evidence: Gas Safe registration numbers, electrical scheme membership (NICEIC, NAPIT and the like), UKAS accreditation for asbestos surveyors, accredited energy assessor numbers
- Training records: fire wardens, legionella responsible person, first aiders
If the building is at least 18 m or 7 storeys and contains at least 2 residential units it is a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022. The principal accountable person must register it with the Building Safety Regulator, keep a safety case report, run a resident engagement strategy and hold the "golden thread" of building information, kept up to date and in a form that can be handed to the regulator, residents and the fire and rescue service (Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2024). The compliance documents above are the core of that thread. Check the current regulation: this regime is still being phased in.
Planned maintenance: monthly, quarterly, annual
The non-statutory work that keeps the statutory items passing and the building out of the fault log. Intervals are typical for UK commercial and communal residential buildings; adjust to the manufacturer's manual and your own fault history.
| Interval | Building fabric and services | Plant and systems | External |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Fire alarm call point test; walk the escape routes (doors close, nothing stored); flush little-used tapsStatutory items from the table, in the same round | Boiler and plant room visual (leaks, pressure, alarms); sprinkler and pump checks where fitted | Bins, access gates, external lighting on timer; after storms check roof debris and gullies |
| Monthly | Emergency lighting flick test; extinguisher visual; fire door self-closers and seals (every door in high-rise common parts); water temperatures and TMVs | HVAC filters checked; pump and fan belts; BMS alarms reviewed; generator run test; lift alarm line test | Car park lighting and barriers; signage; gritting stock in winter |
| Quarterly | Communal fire doors (11 m+ residential); shower heads descaled; lighting lamp replacement round; decoration and damage walk-round with the client | Air-handling unit coils and condensate drains; water softener and dosing; AOV and smoke vents service where 6-monthly is not specified | Gutters and downpipes after autumn and spring; drain gullies rodded; planting and tree checks |
| Every 6 months | Fire alarm service; LOLER passenger lifts; AOV service; cold-water ball valve temperatures | Boiler and burner service (or annual, per manufacturer); chiller service before and after summer; UPS battery check | Flat roof inspection (spring and autumn); fall-arrest and roof access equipment inspection |
| Annual | Gas safety check; emergency lighting 3-hour test; extinguisher service; fire risk assessment review; flat entrance doors (11 m+); asbestos re-inspection; lightning protection test; tank and calorifier inspection | Full boiler and plant service; heating system flush and inhibitor check; water storage tank clean; thermographic survey of distribution boards (common in insurer requirements) | Pitched roof, flashings and chimneys; external decoration survey; drainage CCTV where there is a history; car park line marking |
| Every 3 to 5 years | EICR (5 years commercial, 3 industrial, 5 rented homes); TM44 air-conditioning (5 years); extinguisher extended service (5 years); legionella risk assessment review (typically 2 years) | Lift modernisation review; BMS software and sensor calibration; pressure systems per written scheme | Redecoration cycle; roof covering condition survey; render and cladding inspection |
The record-keeping that passes audits
Auditors ask by building. If gas certificates live with the gas contractor, lift reports with the insurer and the fire log in the plant room, producing a year of compliance takes days. Keep a single dated register per building with each certificate attached to its visit.
Every certificate states or implies its next due date. The failure mode is never "we didn't know gas checks are annual"; it is "nobody diarised this building's date". A planned maintenance schedule that generates the next task automatically removes the human step that fails.
Weekly fire alarm tests and monthly emergency-light flicks rarely have certificates; they have log entries. A dated photo of the panel or the lit luminaire, attached to the log line, turns "we say we did it" into evidence.
If you are the contractor: a monthly statement per building listing visits made, faults cleared, certificates renewed and what is due next month is the cheapest client-retention tool there is. Buildings change contractors over silence, not over price.
Track all of this per building, with reminders
Graftum's maintenance module keeps a planned maintenance schedule for every building you look after. Set each line once with its interval and next due date, and the task creates itself 7 days before it falls due, assigned to the engineer you named.
- Presets for fire alarm, emergency lighting, gas safety, legionella and EICR; add any line from the table above with its own interval (monthly to 10-yearly)
- EICR reminders: when a test sheet is entered and the client has agreed, they are reminded 60 days before the next inspection is due with a link to book you back in
- Fault reports from residents and tenants by QR code per building, live on one map
Part of Graftum: quotes, invoices, timesheets, CIS and the maintenance desk in one account. Free for 3 months, no card needed.
- 1Fire alarm test · monthlynext 1 Nov 2026 · task created 7 days before
- 2Emergency lighting test · monthlynext 1 Nov 2026 · assigned to Dan
- 3Gas safety check · annualnext 14 Jan 2027 · certificate attached last visit
- 4Legionella risk review · 2-yearlynext 3 Mar 2027
- 5EICR (fixed wiring) · 5-yearlynext 22 Sep 2029 · client reminder 60 days before
Statutory maintenance: common questions
What is the difference between statutory and planned maintenance?
Statutory maintenance is required by law or by a regulation that names an interval or a duty: the annual gas safety check, the 5-yearly EICR in rented homes, LOLER lift examinations, the fire risk assessment. Skip it and you are in breach, whatever the condition of the building. Planned preventive maintenance (PPM) is work you choose to schedule so plant keeps running and the building stays in good order: boiler servicing, gutter clearing, filter changes, redecoration. A good PPM schedule holds both, but only the statutory items carry legal duties and must be evidenced on request.
Who is responsible for statutory compliance in a leased commercial building?
The lease decides most of it. Typically the landlord keeps the structure, common parts and landlord's plant (lifts, communal fire alarm, water services, roof), recovering the cost through the service charge, and the tenant takes the demised area: its own electrical installation, gas appliances, extinguishers and fire precautions inside the unit. Fire safety law names the 'responsible person' as whoever has control of the premises, so in a multi-let building both landlord and tenants usually hold duties and must co-operate and share their fire risk assessments. Read the repairing covenants and the service charge schedule, then write down who books, pays for and files each line of the checklist.
How long must maintenance and compliance records be kept?
It varies by regime. Gas safety records: at least 2 years (regulation 36(3)(c)). LOLER reports of thorough examination: until the next report, and at least 2 years. EICR: keep until the next inspection and give a copy to the next inspector. Legionella: HSE guidance is to keep the risk assessment while it is current plus 2 years, and monitoring records for at least 5 years. Asbestos register and management plan: for the life of the building. RIDDOR accident records: 3 years. Employers' liability insurance certificates: HSE recommends 40 years. Fire logbooks have no fixed period in law, but inspectors expect to see several years of entries, so keep them indefinitely. Check the current regulation for anything you intend to destroy.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement?
No. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment to be maintained so it does not cause danger, but they do not say how. HSE guidance is that the frequency of inspection and testing should follow the risk: a kettle in an office needs far less than a transformer on a construction site. Many businesses settle on yearly testing for convenience, which is fine, but a documented risk-based regime is equally compliant.
How often is an EICR required?
In privately rented homes in England, at least every 5 years and the report must be given to tenants within 28 days (extended to social housing in 2025). Scotland and Wales have equivalent 5-year duties under their own housing law. For commercial premises there is no fixed statutory interval: the Electricity at Work Regulations require the installation to be maintained safely, and BS 7671 / IET Guidance Note 3 give recommended maximums of 5 years for commercial and 3 years for industrial premises. The inspection report itself states the next due date, and the shorter of the two always wins.
What happens if a statutory inspection is missed?
First, commercially: insurers and managing agents ask for the records, and a gap in the record reads the same as a missed inspection, even if the work happened. Then, legally: for a missed EICR in a rented home the council can fine up to £30,000; for missed gas checks, HSE prosecution; for fire safety failures, unlimited fines and, after serious incidents, prosecution of individuals under the Fire Safety Order or the Health and Safety at Work Act. A missing LOLER report or PSSR written scheme can stop the equipment being used at all.
Are digital maintenance records acceptable?
Yes. UK regulations require that records are kept and can be produced, not that they are on paper. Gas safety records can be given to tenants electronically if the tenant agrees (a paper copy on request). Dated digital records with the engineer's details and the certificate attached are what auditors, insurers and fire authorities now prefer to receive, and are far quicker to produce than a folder in a plant room.
Does this checklist apply in Scotland and Wales?
Partly. The HSE regimes (gas, LOLER, pressure systems, asbestos, legionella, electricity at work) apply across Great Britain. Fire safety and housing law differ: the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Building Safety Act's higher-risk building regime are England-only; Scotland has the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and its own interlinked smoke alarm rules; Wales has the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 for EICR and alarms in rented homes. Use the table as the baseline and check the national regulation for the fire and housing lines.
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Sources checked 24 October 2026: gov.uk (Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector guidance; Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 guidance via London Fire Brigade; Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015 and 2022), HSE (gas safety check records, LOLER thorough examinations, legionella HSG274 Part 2, asbestos CAR 2012 duty to manage, PAT guidance), legislation.gov.uk (Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 reg 8; Building Safety Act 2022 s.65; Higher-Risk Buildings (Keeping and Provision of Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2024), fire and rescue service logbook guidance summarising BS 5839-1, BS 5266-1, BS 5306-3 and BS EN 671-3, and the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 for TM44, EPC and DEC. General information, not legal advice; always confirm against your risk assessment and the current regulation. Guide by Graftum.