Legionella Risk Assessments

Legionella Risk Assessments

We provide legionella risk assessments for landlords, managing agents and commercial buildings. Our assessors inspect the hot and cold water system, take temperature readings and write up a report with the actions needed to keep the risk low. Where the assessment shows it is needed, we also arrange water sampling. Report within 5 working days of the visit.

Who needs one

• Landlords. HSE says anyone who rents out a property, or even a room, has a duty to assess and control the risk from legionella to their tenants. That covers private landlords, housing associations, hostels and HMOs.
• Employers and anyone in control of a building. Offices, shops, warehouses, schools, care homes and blocks of flats with communal water tanks. Employers with 5 or more employees must record the findings in writing.
• Managing agents. We assess single properties or a whole portfolio, written up the same way each time.

The honest position for small lets

For a typical flat or house with a combi boiler and mains cold water, HSE says the assessment does not need to be in-depth, and most landlords can do it themselves. The law does not ask for a "legionella test certificate".

Where it pays to have it done properly: HMOs, blocks with cold water tanks or hot water cylinders, properties left empty, care homes and commercial buildings, and landlords or agents with a portfolio who want every property assessed and written up the same way.

What we check

• The whole system: cold water tanks, hot water cylinders and calorifiers, pipework, showers, unused outlets and dead legs.
• Temperatures. Legionella grows between 20°C and 45°C, so hot water should be stored at 60°C and reach outlets at 50°C, and cold water should stay cold.
• Stagnation, debris and scale, tank lids and redundant pipework.
• Who uses the building, and whether anyone is at higher risk because of age or illness.
• What is already in place: settings, flushing, cleaning and records.

What you get

• A written report: a description of the system (with a simple schematic for larger buildings), the risks found and the actions, in order of priority.
• The control measures and checks to keep the risk low, and who should carry them out.
• Guidance for tenants: clean showerheads regularly, don't change the cylinder temperature, report hot water problems.
• A recommended review date.

Water sampling

HSE says testing for legionella is not usually needed for domestic hot and cold water systems. It is needed in specific cases, for example where temperatures are not being reached consistently or there is doubt that the controls are working. When the assessment shows that, we arrange sampling to BS 7592, tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.

How often to review it

The law does not set a fixed period. Review the assessment when something changes: a new boiler or cylinder, a tank added or removed, a change of use, a property left empty, or a reason to think the controls are not working. Our report gives a review date for your building.

What we need from you

• The address and type of building, and the number of flats, rooms or occupants.
• What you know about the water system: combi boiler, hot water cylinder, cold water tank.
• Access on the day, including to tanks, cylinders and plant rooms.

Price and turnaround

We price each building, so send us the details for a free quote. The report comes within 5 working days of the visit. Let us know if you want a fire risk assessment or asbestos survey priced for the same building too.

Questions we get asked

Is a legionella risk assessment a legal requirement for landlords?
The duty to assess and control the risk is. It does not have to be done by a professional, and there is no legal certificate. For HMOs, buildings with stored water and commercial premises, it is worth having an assessor do it.

Do I need my water tested?
Usually not for homes. Temperature checks show whether the system is under control. Sampling is for specific cases, and we tell you if your building is one of them.

Do you cover commercial buildings?
Yes. Offices, shops, warehouses, schools and care homes, as well as flats, houses and HMOs.

Official guidance: HSE, legionella and landlords' responsibilities and HSE, the control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8).

Related: fire risk assessments and asbestos surveys, TM44 air conditioning inspections, DECs, commercial EPCs.

Email the details to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 07928 053322 for a free quote.