The Office Building Owner’s Compliance Checklist (2025 Edition)

Introduction

Owning an office building in the UK isn’t just about keeping tenants happy and maintaining rental income. It’s also about staying compliant with a wide range of legal duties that protect occupants, visitors, contractors, and the public.

This 2025 edition checklist is designed to help office building owners, freeholders, and landlords keep on top of core compliance areas. It’s written as a practical “do this, keep that evidence” guide, so you can demonstrate good risk management to tenants, regulators, and insurers.

Important note: This is general guidance, not legal advice. Duties vary depending on building size, age, occupancy type, and whether you’re the employer, landlord, managing agent, or “responsible person” for fire safety.

1) Know your roles and responsibilities

Before you start ticking boxes, confirm who is responsible for what.

• Landlord/freeholder vs managing agent: Ensure contracts clearly allocate duties for inspections, maintenance, and record keeping.

• Tenant responsibilities: Many obligations sit with the employer/occupier (e.g., workplace risk assessments), but building-wide systems often remain the owner’s responsibility.

• Fire safety “Responsible Person”: Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, identify who holds this role for common parts and shared systems.

• Competent persons: Use qualified contractors for specialist tasks (fire alarm servicing, lift inspections, electrical testing).

Evidence to keep: Management agreements, tenant leases, responsibility matrix, contractor competency checks.

2) Fire safety compliance (common parts and shared systems)

Fire safety is one of the highest-risk areas for office building owners.

Checklist

• Complete and regularly review a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) for common parts.

• Implement and document actions from the FRA (don’t let it become a “shelf report”).

• Maintain fire detection and alarm systems (inspection and servicing to relevant standards).

• Maintain emergency lighting and keep test logs.

• Ensure fire doors are suitable, self-closing where required, and inspected.

• Keep escape routes clear, signed, and adequately lit.

• Provide and maintain firefighting equipment (extinguishers) where appropriate.

• Confirm evacuation strategy (simultaneous, phased, stay put where relevant) and communicate it.

Evidence to keep: FRA report and review dates, action tracker, service certificates, weekly/monthly test logs, fire door inspection records.

3) Health & safety management (building-level)

Even where tenants are responsible for workplace health & safety, building owners still have duties for common areas and contractor management.

Checklist

• Maintain a building-level risk assessment for common parts (slips/trips, lighting, security, access).

• Implement a contractor management process (permits to work, RAMS review, sign-in/out).

• Ensure safe access for maintenance (plant rooms, roof access, ladders, fall protection).

• Keep accident/incident reporting procedures for common parts.

Evidence to keep: Risk assessments, RAMS approvals, permits to work, contractor induction records.

4) Asbestos management (older buildings)

If your office building was built or refurbished before 2000, asbestos is a key compliance area.

Checklist

• Confirm whether you need an Asbestos Management Survey and/or Refurbishment/Demolition Survey.

• Maintain an Asbestos Register and keep it accessible to contractors.

• Implement an Asbestos Management Plan with inspection and re-assessment intervals.

• Ensure contractors acknowledge asbestos information before works.

Evidence to keep: Survey reports, asbestos register, management plan, contractor sign-offs.

5) Electrical safety (fixed wiring and landlord equipment)

Electrical faults are a common cause of fires and business interruption.

Checklist

• Arrange periodic Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) for landlord-controlled systems.

• Address C1/C2 findings promptly and document remedial works.

• Maintain portable appliance testing (PAT) where the landlord supplies equipment in common areas.

• Ensure plant rooms and risers are secure and labelled.

Evidence to keep: EICR reports, remedial certificates, PAT logs, contractor invoices.

6) Gas safety (where applicable)

Many office buildings are all-electric, but some have gas boilers or catering facilities.

Checklist

• If gas appliances are landlord-controlled, arrange annual Gas Safety checks by a Gas Safe engineer.

• Keep records and provide them where required.

Evidence to keep: Gas Safety certificates, service records.

7) Water hygiene and Legionella control

Legionella risk can exist in hot/cold water systems, cooling towers, and stored water.

Checklist

• Conduct a Legionella risk assessment by a competent person.

• Implement a water hygiene control scheme (temperature checks, flushing, cleaning).

• Maintain and service cooling towers/evaporative condensers where present.

• Keep records of monitoring and corrective actions.

Evidence to keep: Legionella assessment, written scheme, logbooks, contractor service reports.

8) Lifts, escalators, and pressure systems

If your building has lifts, you’ll need formal inspection regimes.

Checklist

• Arrange thorough examinations under LOLER for lifts (commonly every 6 months for passenger lifts, but confirm requirements).

• Keep maintenance schedules and defect logs.

• For pressure systems (air receivers, boilers), ensure compliance with relevant inspection schemes.

Evidence to keep: LOLER reports, maintenance contracts, defect rectification records.

9) Building fabric, structural safety, and maintenance

Compliance isn’t only about certificates; it’s also about preventing foreseeable harm.

Checklist

• Maintain planned preventative maintenance (PPM) for roofs, gutters, cladding, glazing, and external areas.

• Conduct regular inspections for water ingress, loose fixtures, and trip hazards.

• Manage winter risks (ice, snow, gritting).

• Keep external signage, lighting, and security systems maintained.

Evidence to keep: PPM schedules, inspection checklists, photos, work orders.

10) Accessibility and equality considerations

Office buildings must consider accessibility for tenants, staff, and visitors.

Checklist

• Review access routes, ramps, handrails, door widths, and signage.

• Ensure reasonable adjustments can be made where required.

• Maintain lifts and accessible WC facilities where provided.

Evidence to keep: Access audits, improvement plans, maintenance logs.

11) Security, safeguarding, and visitor management

Security failures can lead to injury claims, theft, and business interruption.

Checklist

• Maintain controlled access systems (fobs, reception processes).

• Keep CCTV compliant with privacy requirements.

• Ensure adequate lighting in car parks and entrances.

• Implement visitor sign-in procedures and contractor controls.

Evidence to keep: Security risk assessment, CCTV policy, maintenance logs.

12) Waste management and environmental duties

Even standard office buildings have environmental responsibilities.

Checklist

• Arrange compliant waste collection and keep waste transfer notes.

• Manage hazardous waste (e.g., fluorescent tubes, batteries) correctly.

• Maintain spill kits where needed (plant rooms).

Evidence to keep: Waste transfer notes, hazardous waste consignment notes, contractor agreements.

13) Data protection (where you collect personal data)

Building owners often collect personal data through CCTV, access control, or visitor logs.

Checklist

• Identify what personal data you collect and why.

• Provide clear privacy notices (especially for CCTV).

• Securely store and limit access to records.

• Set retention periods and deletion processes.

Evidence to keep: Privacy notices, data processing register, retention policy.

14) Insurance-ready compliance and documentation

Compliance isn’t just about avoiding enforcement action. It also supports better insurance outcomes.

Checklist

• Keep a central compliance folder (digital is fine) with certificates and inspection dates.

• Track actions from risk assessments (fire, legionella, asbestos).

• Document tenant communications about building safety.

• Review sums insured and reinstatement values.

Insurance tip: Insurers often look for strong risk management controls, clear maintenance records, and evidence that defects are fixed promptly.

15) Office building insurance: what to review in 2025

A compliance checklist is strongest when paired with the right insurance.

Common covers to consider

• Property owners insurance (buildings cover)

• Property owners liability (injury/damage claims from third parties)

• Employers’ liability (if you employ staff such as caretakers)

• Terrorism insurance (where relevant)

• Engineering inspection (lifts/plant)

• Loss of rent / property owners business interruption

• Legal expenses

16) Quick compliance checklist (printable)

Use this as a monthly/quarterly prompt.

• Fire Risk Assessment in place and reviewed

• Fire alarm/emergency lighting tests logged

• Fire doors inspected and defects repaired

• Escape routes clear and signage maintained

• Contractor management process in place

• Asbestos register up to date (if applicable)

• EICR current and remedials completed

• Gas safety certificate current (if applicable)

• Legionella assessment current and logbook maintained

• Lift LOLER examinations up to date (if applicable)

• PPM schedule active and inspections recorded

• Accessibility review completed and actions tracked

• Security/CCTV reviewed and privacy notices in place

• Waste transfer notes filed

• Compliance folder updated and renewal dates diarised

Conclusion

A compliant office building is easier to let, easier to manage, and far less likely to suffer disruptive incidents. The key is consistency: regular inspections, competent contractors, clear documentation, and prompt remedial action.

If you’d like, I can also turn this checklist into a downloadable one-page PDF-style web page layout, or tailor it to a specific office type (multi-let, serviced offices, mixed-use, or older listed buildings).

FAQs

Who is responsible for fire safety in a multi-let office building?

Often the owner or managing agent is the “Responsible Person” for common parts, while tenants are responsible for their demised areas. Responsibilities should be clearly defined in leases and management agreements.

How often should an office building Fire Risk Assessment be reviewed?

Review frequency depends on risk and change. Many buildings review annually, and also whenever there are significant changes (layout, occupancy, fire systems, or after an incident).

Do I need an asbestos survey for an office building?

If the building was built or refurbished before 2000, you typically need asbestos management arrangements. A competent surveyor can confirm the right survey type.

What documents do insurers usually ask for?

Common requests include the Fire Risk Assessment, evidence of fire alarm and emergency lighting servicing, EICR reports, lift inspection reports, and records showing remedial actions were completed.

What insurance is most important for office building owners?

Property owners insurance (buildings cover) and property owners liability are core. Depending on the building, engineering inspection, loss of rent, and legal expenses can be important too.