Agree responsibilities for the actual premises
Record the areas controlled by the owner, landlord and occupiers, and the work delegated to providers. Shared areas often require coordination. GOV.UK fire guidance explains that more than one responsible person may be involved and that they need to work together.
Keep a responsibility matrix alongside the scope of each contract. Name the person who receives recommendations, the person who authorises remedial work and the person who verifies closure. Commissioning a contractor should not leave the underlying decision owner unclear.
- Premises boundaries and dutyholders
- Named coordination and approval contacts
- Provider task scope and exclusions
- Escalation where responsibilities overlap
Build an evidence index rather than one oversized folder
For each applicable topic, record the assessment or inspection, its scope, who completed it, the date and where the full document is held. Distinguish evidence of a visit from findings and completed remedial actions. Identify documents that are missing, superseded or awaiting review.
Use asset and location identifiers so a report can be linked to the equipment or area it concerns. Keep restricted personal information out of publicly shared documents. Give authorised people access to the current records and preserve a usable version history.
- Topic, asset or area and responsible owner
- Document scope, date and competent provider
- Current document location and access
- Review trigger and open recommendations
Check fire, asbestos and water records against their guidance
For fire safety, keep the assessment and the record of actions and arrangements relevant to your premises together. The official guidance sets out the responsible person's duties; this checklist is an organisational aid, not a substitute for that guidance.
HSE asbestos guidance describes a register, risk assessment and management plan where the duty to manage applies. People who could disturb affected materials need relevant information. For legionella, HSE describes the responsibilities of employers and people controlling premises. Use competent assessment to identify the water-system precautions and records needed for your situation.
- Relevant risk assessments and action logs
- Asbestos information available before intrusive work
- Water-system risk controls and appointed responsibilities
- Changes to premises reflected in the records
Make recommendations visible until they are resolved
Use an action log with risk priority, owner, target date, interim controls, approval status and evidence of closure. Record why an action was deferred and who made that decision. A newly uploaded certificate should not automatically close every recommendation in an older report.
At contract review, ask for unresolved high-priority issues, inaccessible assets, overdue work and repeated defects separately. Decide who checks that records are complete and who acts on the findings. The useful output is a clear set of decisions, not just a green dashboard.
- Recommendation and linked source document
- Owner, priority and next action
- Interim measures and approval record
- Completion evidence and independent check where appropriate
Keep the limits of this checklist clear
This guide is a procurement and record-management aid for UK facilities buyers. It does not provide a complete legal inspection schedule, certify a building or determine which statutory duties apply to your premises. Follow the current official guidance and obtain competent advice for the assets and risks involved.
When requesting FM support, share the documents you have, the missing records and the outstanding actions. Ask the provider to describe its scope and competence evidence before accepting a promise of compliance.
- Applicable requirements checked for the premises
- Competence matched to the task
- Gaps and backlog disclosed before appointment
- No blanket compliance promise used as evidence
Sources and editorial responsibility
This is company-published buyer guidance. Official sources support the context, not an endorsement, accreditation or a claim that we inspected your premises. Use competent advice for the specific building and work involved.
- GOV.UK: Fire safety responsibilities
- HSE: The duty to manage asbestos
- HSE: Legionella responsibilities
We have a commercial interest in FM enquiries. Read our editorial standards or send a correction.