GW Inventories carry out Legionella Risk Assessments for landlords and letting agents throughout Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire either individually or in addition to a property inventory. This is a totally independent service and we do not carry out any necessary remedial work or have any associations with those who do. Our advice is objective and unbiased by any financial interest in the provision of additional works or services.
If you are an employer or are in control of premises with public access to their water – ie Landlord – then you have a legal duty of care to ensure that an adequate risk assessment is in place to monitor for legionella bacteria. In the event of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease you will be required to supply evidence of risk assessment, maintenance and monitoring. Failure to meet with the required compliance will be dealt with severely by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and may result in prosecution with fines of up to £20000 or 12 months in prison for a minor breach or an unlimited fine or 2 years in prison for a major breach. It doesn’t matter if anyone has been taken ill or not as tenants or anyone else being exposed to the risk of legionella could result in the landlord being prosecuted.
The assessment needs to be reviewed regularly and, whenever there is a reason to believe that the original assessment may no longer be valid. (Ref: ACoP L8, paragraph 32). If GW Inventories carry out your inventory and risk assessment then a review would be incorporated at no additional cost.
A GW Inventories Legionella Risk Assessment will include the following:
- Legionella risk assessment carried out in accordance with ACoP L8 (Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L8)
- Report on the condition of Hot and Cold Water system (includes cold water storage tanks, water systems, calorifiers and hot water cylinders).
- Schedule of water outlets and recorded temperatures.
- Water system schematic
- Comprehensive report detailing recommendations, technical advice and assistance.
- Tenant notes to aid on going compliance.
For total peace of mind then why not call GW Inventories to discuss how we can help you to keep your water systems safe.
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Do I Need a Legionella Risk Assessment?
Yes. There is a legal duty for landlords to assess and control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria. The law is clear that if you are a landlord and rent out your property (or even a room within your own home) then you have legal responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of your tenant by keeping the property safe and free from health hazards.
When Will I Need To Renew My Assessment?
The law does not prescribe that the risk assessment be reviewed on an annual or biennial basis. It is important to review the assessment periodically in case anything changes but where there are difficulties gaining access to occupied housing units, appropriate checks can be made by carrying out inspections of the water system, for example, when undertaking mandatory visits such as gas safety checks or routine maintenance visits.
Will I Need A Legionella Test Certificate?
No. Testing or sampling for Legionella (sometimes referred to as microbiological monitoring) is not usually required for domestic hot and cold water systems. Testing for Legionella should not be confused with temperature monitoring, which is a reliable method for confirming the water system is under control. Health and safety law does NOT require landlords to obtain, produce nor does HSE recognise a ‘Legionella test certificate’.
The above information is taken from the HSE website – More information HERE