Know what's required.
A practical guide to FM compliance, statutory obligations, inspections, testing, records and evidence — with authoritative sources clearly identified.
What do I need to check?
Generates an indicative baseline of statutory regimes, testing cadences, and mandatory documents tailored to your estate profile.
10 Core Compliance Regimes
Statutory Compliance Checker
Execute an indicative compliance screening across 10 UK statutory regimes. Identify potential documentation gaps, determine responsible persons, and download an action plan.
What evidence should I hold?
Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)
A comprehensive written evaluation of fire hazards, means of escape, compartmentation, and occupant vulnerability. Must record significant findings.
Fire Alarm & Detection Logbook
Physical or digital log recording weekly call point activations, false alarm causes, quarterly engineering visits, and sensor cleaning.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
Form BS 7671 condition report detailing circuit schedules, test instrument calibrations, and classification of any defects (C1, C2, C3, FI).
Water Hygiene Logbook & Sentinel Records
Monthly hot and cold temperature records, remedial water action closeouts, showerhead descaling sheets, and microbial test lab certificates.
LOLER Thorough Examination Certificate
Official inspection certificate from independent competent examiner detailing SWL, safe operation declaration, and category A/B defects.
F-Gas Leak Check Records & System Log
Log documenting refrigerant type, baseline charge (kg and t CO2e), recovered quantities, leak check dates, and technician certification details.
Asbestos Register & Management Plan (AMP)
Plan recording exact location, extent, and condition of all known or presumed ACMs, with priority scoring and re-inspection audit logs.
Written Scheme of Examination (WSE)
Certified scheme drafted by a competent person defining inspection intervals and test methods for pressure vessels operating above 0.5 bar.
Inspection & Testing Frequencies
| System | Requirement / Activity | Frequency | Authoritative Source | Duty Holder & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Detection & Alarm System | Manual call-point testing & sounder verification | Weekly | BS 5839-1:2017 Clause 44.2 | Responsible Person / Building Operator: Rotate through different call points weekly so all zones are tested over a 13-week cycle. |
| Fire Detection & Alarm System | Competent engineer maintenance inspection & battery discharge check | 6-Monthly | BS 5839-1:2017 Clause 45.3 | Responsible Person (via competent specialist contractor): Includes sensor head sensitivity checks, sound pressure dB measurements, and standby battery load tests. |
| Emergency Escape Lighting | Short duration functional test ("flick test") | Monthly | BS 5266-1:2016 Clause 12.4.2 | Responsible Person / Nominated Competent Person: Switch on test switch briefly to verify every lamp illuminates; log in the emergency lighting register. |
| Emergency Escape Lighting | Full-duration discharge test (typically 3 hours) | Annual | BS 5266-1:2016 Clause 12.4.3 | Responsible Person (via competent electrical contractor): Ensure sufficient charging time before building re-occupancy so escape lighting is not left depleted during occupancy. |
| Fixed Electrical Installation | Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | Max 5 Years (Commercial) / Max 3 Years (Industrial) | BS 7671:2018+A3:2024 / IET GN3 | Duty Holder under EAWR 1989: Frequency may be shortened based on environmental harshness, damp, dust, or competent inspector judgment. |
| Water Hygiene / Legionella | Sentinel tap temperature monitoring (hot >50°C, cold <20°C) | Monthly | HSE ACOP L8 & HSG274 Part 2 Table 2.1 | Nominated Responsible Person (Water Hygiene): Cold outlet measured after 2 minutes; hot outlet measured after 1 minute; log temperatures in water register. |
| Water Hygiene / Legionella | Cold water storage tank visual inspection and temperature check | Annual | HSE HSG274 Part 2 Table 2.1 | Competent Water Hygiene Specialist: Inspect for thermal stratification, sediment accumulation, rodent mesh integrity, and tight-fitting lid. |
| Passenger Carrying Lifts | Statutory Thorough Examination under LOLER | Every 6 Months | LOLER 1998 Regulation 9(3)(a)(i) | Lift Owner / Premises Duty Holder: Must be performed by an independent competent person (e.g. engineering insurance surveyor). |
| Goods Only Hoists & Lifting Equipment | Statutory Thorough Examination under LOLER | Every 12 Months | LOLER 1998 Regulation 9(3)(a)(ii) | Premises Duty Holder: Applies to equipment not intended for passenger conveyance, pallet hoists, and lifting accessories. |
| Commercial Gas Appliances & Pipework | Gas safety inspection, flue analysis & soundness testing | Annual | Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regs 1998 Reg 35 | Landlord / Building Operator: Must be executed by a Gas Safe registered commercial engineer with relevant non-domestic modules. |
| Pressure Systems & Air Receivers | Examination in accordance with a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) | Specified in WSE (typically 12–24 months) | Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) Reg 8 | Pressure System User / Owner: A certified competent person must draft and sign the Written Scheme before operation. |
| Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs) | Condition re-inspection survey of identified or presumed ACMs | Annual | Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Regulation 4 | Statutory Dutyholder: Update the Asbestos Register with surface condition, sealing integrity, and risk score adjustments. |
| Air Conditioning Systems (>12kW) | Energy efficiency inspection and TM44 lodgement | Every 5 Years | Energy Performance of Buildings (England & Wales) Regs Reg 18 | Building Controller / System Operator: Must be lodged on the central landmark register by an accredited Air Conditioning Energy Assessor. |
| Fall Arrest & Mansafe Roof Systems | Structural anchor proof testing and cable re-certification | Annual | BS EN 795 / BS 7883 / Work at Height Regs 2005 | Premises Duty Holder: Inspect swages, shock absorbers, tension, and chemical anchors before permitting roof access. |
Compliance Gap Review
Documented, valid & evidenced
Approaching statutory re-inspection
No record on file
Superseded or lapsed interval
Duty boundary unestablished
Statutory compliance cannot be reduced to a subjective percentage such as "84% compliant" because a single missing fire door inspection or overdue Legionella risk assessment creates criminal liability regardless of other documented regimes. We evaluate estates on absolute documentary evidence.
Recent Regulatory Changes
Mandatory Occurrence Reporting in force for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). 10-day notice window to BSR.
Accelerated quota reductions for HFCs with GWP >2500. New mandatory servicing log criteria.
Quarterly communal fire door checks & annual flat entrance door checks in residential blocks >11m.
Legislation & Official Guidance
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
The primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. Imposes general duties on employers, building owners, and landlords to ensure the safety of employees and visitors.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)
Designates the "Responsible Person" with legal obligations to conduct fire risk assessments, maintain passive/active fire precautions, and formulate emergency evacuation strategies.
Building Safety Act 2022
Reforms building safety regulations for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs ≥18m or ≥7 storeys). Establishes the Building Safety Regulator, Accountable Persons, Golden Thread of information, and mandatory occurrence reporting.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Requires electrical systems to be constructed, maintained, and operated in a manner that prevents electrical danger so far as is reasonably practicable.
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (Regulation 4)
Regulation 4 places a legal Duty to Manage asbestos in non-domestic premises, requiring dutyholders to identify ACMs, assess condition, maintain an asbestos register, and review the management plan.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
Mandates that lifting equipment for lifting persons undergoes statutory thorough examination by an independent competent person at intervals not exceeding 6 months.
Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR)
Prevents serious injury from the hazard of stored energy in pressure systems (boilers, air receivers, steam systems). Requires a certified Written Scheme of Examination.
Compliance Topic Library
Fire Doors & Compartmentation
Fire doors are engineered passive safety assemblies designed to resist the passage of smoke, toxic gases, and flames for a specified period (typically FD30 or FD60), safeguarding protected escape corridors and stairwells.
EntireFM recommends fitting all high-traffic communal fire doors with mechanical push-plates and certified magnetic hold-open devices linked directly to the fire alarm system, eliminating wedging and closer arm damage.
Legionella Control & Water Hygiene
Legionella bacteria colonise domestic and industrial water systems at temperatures between 20°C and 45°C. Inhalation of contaminated water aerosol droplets causes Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal pneumonia.
EntireFM recommends installing wireless LoRaWAN pipe temperature sensors on sentinel incoming mains and return loops. Continuous 15-minute telemetry eliminates manual logging labour and flags hot/cold crossover heating immediately.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
An in-depth inspection and testing of the fixed electrical wiring, switchgear, distribution boards, earthing, bonding, and circuit protection devices within a building to verify safety against electrical shock and fire.
EntireFM recommends conducting infrared thermal imaging surveys of main switchboards annually under normal operational electrical load. Thermography detects loose connections and phase imbalances before they escalate to catastrophic arcing.
Emergency Lighting Inspection & Discharge Testing
Emergency escape lighting automatically illuminates building exit routes and designated safety equipment in the event of a primary mains power failure.
EntireFM recommends transitioning to DALI-compatible self-testing emergency luminaires during refurbishment. Automated addressable self-test systems record monthly and annual discharge results directly to a digital log, preventing human error.
Lifting Equipment & Passenger Lifts (LOLER)
Statutory independent engineering examination of passenger lifts, goods lifts, hoists, window cleaning cradles, and lifting accessories to verify mechanical integrity and prevent collapse or entrapment.
EntireFM emphasizes that a lift maintenance contract does NOT constitute a statutory Thorough Examination. Always ensure independent insurer engineering surveyors conduct the LOLER examination separately from your servicing contractor.
F-Gas Refrigerant Containment & Leak Testing
Statutory containment rules regulating fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFCs, HFOs) used in commercial chillers, VRF/VRV air conditioning systems, and heat pumps to curb atmospheric global warming emissions.
EntireFM notes that under the latest refrigerant phase-down schedules, legacy high-GWP refrigerants (R404A, R410A) face supply constraints and sharp price escalation. Factor R32 or ultra-low GWP R290/R1234ze retrofit planning into your 5-year capital replacement plan.
EntireFM provides practical compliance information, inspection schedules, and documentary tools intended to assist facilities managers and property professionals in organizing statutory duties. Requirements vary depending on building classification, occupancy, equipment specification, contractual lease obligations, and site-specific risk assessments. The content on this platform does not constitute formal legal counsel or statutory sign-off. Statutory examinations (e.g. LOLER, PSSR, EICR, Gas Safety) must always be executed by formally qualified competent persons and certified accredited bodies.