Landlord Liability Exposures in Office Buildings (UK)

Introduction

Owning an office building can look straightforward: collect rent, manage repairs, and keep tenants happy. In reality, office landlords sit on a wide set of liability exposures that can trigger expensive claims, disputes, and reputational damage.

Even where a lease pushes day-to-day responsibilities onto the tenant, landlords can still face claims from employees, visitors, contractors, neighbouring properties, and sometimes tenants themselves. The risk is higher in multi-let buildings with shared areas, older properties, frequent contractor activity, and complex building services.

This article breaks down the most common landlord liability exposures in office buildings, the legal and practical duties that sit behind them, and the controls that reduce the chance of incidents.

What “landlord liability” means in an office context

Landlord liability exposures typically fall into three buckets:

• Public liability: injury or property damage to third parties (visitors, delivery drivers, members of the public) linked to the premises.

• Property owners’ liability: a specific form of public liability focused on ownership and maintenance of the building (often used for landlords).

• Employers’ liability: only applies if the landlord employs staff (e.g., caretakers, cleaners, concierge, facilities team).

There are also related exposures that often sit alongside liability claims:

• Legal expenses and disputes (tenant disputes, contract disputes, health and safety prosecutions).

• Professional negligence (if the landlord provides advice/services beyond a typical landlord role).

• Environmental and pollution incidents (fuel leaks, chemical releases, contaminated water).

Key landlord liability exposures in office buildings

1) Slips, trips and falls in common areas

This is one of the most frequent causes of injury claims. Office buildings have high footfall and multiple “transition points” where accidents happen.

Common triggers include:

• Wet floors from rainwater at entrances

• Poorly maintained staircases or handrails

• Uneven paving, loose tiles, damaged carpets

• Poor lighting in corridors, stairwells, and car parks

• Temporary hazards during works (cables, tools, open access panels)

Risk controls:

• Documented inspection regime for common parts (daily/weekly depending on footfall)

• Clear cleaning procedures and wet floor signage

• Planned maintenance schedule for flooring, steps, and external paths

• Adequate lighting and emergency lighting testing

• Contractor management: segregation, signage, permits to work

2) Falling objects and building fabric failures

Office landlords can face claims if parts of the building fail or detach.

Examples:

• Ceiling tiles falling due to water ingress

• Loose signage or façade elements

• Window failures or falling glass

• Poorly secured fixtures in lobbies or shared toilets

These incidents can cause serious injury and large claims, particularly in public-facing buildings.

Risk controls:

• Periodic building condition surveys

• Prompt repairs for water ingress and structural defects

• Formal inspection of external elevations and roof areas

• Competent contractor selection and quality checks

3) Fire safety failures and evacuation issues

Fire is a major exposure in offices, and liability can arise from both injury and property damage. In multi-let buildings, confusion over responsibilities is common.

Potential liability drivers:

• Inadequate fire risk assessment or failure to act on findings

• Poor maintenance of fire doors, alarms, emergency lighting

• Blocked escape routes in common areas

• Defective compartmentation or unapproved alterations

• Poor management of hot works during refurbishments

Risk controls:

• Up-to-date fire risk assessment for common parts (and clarity on tenant responsibilities)

• Documented testing and maintenance of alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers

• Fire door inspections and remedial works

• Hot works permits and contractor controls

• Clear evacuation signage and tenant communication

4) Asbestos and hazardous materials (especially older offices)

Older office buildings may contain asbestos in ceiling voids, risers, plant rooms, or floor tiles. Liability can arise from exposure claims, enforcement action, and remediation disputes.

Risk controls:

• Asbestos management survey and register

• Clear labelling and communication to contractors

• Refurbishment/demolition surveys before intrusive works

• Controlled access to plant rooms and risers

• Competent licensed removal where required

5) Legionella and water system risks

Landlords can be exposed where they control water systems in common parts or provide services to tenants.

Typical risk points:

• Stored water tanks, dead legs, low-use outlets

• Showers in shared facilities or gyms

• Poor temperature control or lack of monitoring

Risk controls:

• Legionella risk assessment and written scheme

• Temperature monitoring and flushing regimes

• Regular inspections of tanks and calorifiers

• Clear allocation of responsibility where tenants control their own systems

6) Lifts, escalators, and mechanical systems

Lifts are high-severity exposures. A single failure can lead to serious injury and regulatory scrutiny.

Common issues:

• Poor maintenance or missed inspections

• Entrapment incidents and inadequate emergency response

• Misuse or overloading

Risk controls:

• Service contracts with competent lift engineers

• Statutory inspections (e.g., LOLER where applicable)

• Emergency communication and rescue procedures

• Clear signage and reporting process for faults

7) Security, access control, and third-party crime

Landlords may face claims connected to security failures, especially where they control access to the building.

Examples:

• Inadequate lighting and CCTV in car parks

• Poor key/fob management

• Uncontrolled access to reception areas

• Theft from vehicles or common storage areas

While crime claims are not always “liability” in the strict sense, allegations of negligence can arise.

Risk controls:

• Access control policies and audit trails

• Visitor sign-in procedures and reception protocols

• CCTV coverage and maintenance logs

• Adequate external lighting and landscaping controls

8) Contractor and refurbishment risks

Office buildings frequently undergo fit-outs, refurbishments, and maintenance works. Contractors create a major liability exposure.

Key risk drivers:

• Hot works (welding, cutting, roofing)

• Working at height (roof access, façade works)

• Poor segregation from tenants and the public

• Inadequate competence checks and insurance verification

Risk controls:

• Contractor pre-qualification (RAMS, competence, references)

• Permit-to-work system (hot works, roof access, confined spaces)

• Proof of insurance and contract terms (including indemnities)

• Site supervision and tenant communication

9) Car parks, loading bays, and traffic management

Vehicle movements create a predictable injury risk.

Typical incidents:

• Pedestrian struck in a car park

• Reversing accidents in loading bays

• Poor signage, blind spots, and inadequate lighting

• Uneven surfaces causing falls

Risk controls:

• Marked pedestrian routes and barriers

• Speed limits, signage, and mirrors at blind corners

• Lighting and surface maintenance

• Delivery management rules and time windows

10) Weather-related hazards and external areas

UK weather can turn routine areas into hazards.

Common exposures:

• Ice and snow on steps and paths

• Storm damage causing falling debris

• Blocked gutters leading to leaks and internal damage

Risk controls:

• Winter maintenance plan and gritting logs

• Tree inspections where relevant

• Regular gutter and roof checks

• Emergency response plan for storms and flooding

11) Tenant disputes and “repairing obligations” confusion

Many liability problems start as paperwork problems. When a lease is unclear (or not followed), incidents can become disputes.

Examples:

• Who maintains the HVAC system?

• Who is responsible for internal fire doors?

• Who controls water hygiene in tenant areas?

• What happens when a tenant makes alterations?

Risk controls:

• Clear lease wording and schedules of condition

• Documented handover packs for tenants

• Regular landlord inspections (as permitted) and compliance reminders

• Alterations process requiring approval, drawings, and sign-off

12) Neighbouring property damage and nuisance claims

Landlords can face third-party property damage claims from neighbours.

Examples:

• Escape of water from roof or common pipework

• Falling debris damaging vehicles or nearby buildings

• Noise and vibration from plant rooms

Risk controls:

• Preventive maintenance for roofs, gutters, and pipework

• Plant maintenance and acoustic assessments where needed

• Incident response plan and rapid mitigation

Legal duties and standards landlords should be aware of (UK)

Office landlords should take advice for their specific circumstances, but common duty areas include:

• Occupiers’ liability: duties to lawful visitors and, in some circumstances, trespassers.

• Health and safety law: duties to manage risks in areas under landlord control.

• Fire safety legislation: responsibilities for common parts and building-wide systems.

• Asbestos management duties: where asbestos may be present.

The practical takeaway: if you control the area, you likely control the risk—and may carry the liability.

Practical risk management checklist for office landlords

A simple, repeatable framework helps reduce claims:

• Define responsibilities: landlord vs tenant vs managing agent, in writing.

• Inspect and record: routine inspections with dated logs and photo evidence.

• Maintain critical systems: fire, lifts, electrics, water hygiene, emergency lighting.

• Control contractors: competence checks, permits, segregation, and supervision.

• Communicate with tenants: planned works, incident reporting, and building rules.

• Have an incident plan: first aid, emergency contacts, documentation, and insurer notification.

Insurance considerations (what landlords typically look for)

Insurance won’t stop incidents, but it can protect cashflow and balance sheet when something goes wrong.

Office landlords commonly consider:

• Property owners’ liability (limit appropriate to footfall and risk profile)

• Employers’ liability (if staff are employed)

• Legal expenses (tenant disputes, contract disputes, prosecutions)

• Property insurance (buildings, loss of rent, terrorism where relevant)

• Engineering inspection (for lifts and pressure systems)

Policy suitability depends on building size, occupancy, claims history, and how responsibilities are split.

Conclusion

Landlord liability exposures in office buildings are rarely about one dramatic event. More often, they come from small maintenance issues, unclear responsibilities, and weak contractor control.

A disciplined approach—documented inspections, planned maintenance, clear tenant communication, and strong compliance around fire, water, and asbestos—reduces both incidents and disputes. And when something does happen, good records can be the difference between a quick resolution and a long, expensive claim.

FAQs

Who is liable if someone slips in an office building?

It depends on who controls the area where the accident happened. If it occurs in a common area managed by the landlord or managing agent, the landlord may face a claim.

Does a full repairing and insuring (FRI) lease remove landlord liability?

Not always. Even with an FRI lease, landlords can still have duties for common parts and building-wide systems, and may face claims from third parties.

Are landlords responsible for fire safety in multi-let office buildings?

Landlords are commonly responsible for fire safety in common areas and for building-wide systems, but responsibilities should be clearly documented and managed.

What records help defend a landlord liability claim?

Inspection logs, maintenance records, contractor permits, photographs, incident reports, and evidence that risks were identified and controlled.

What are the biggest liability risks for older office buildings?

Asbestos, outdated fire compartmentation, aging electrics, water system hygiene issues, and deteriorating building fabric are common high-risk areas.