Commercial maintenance should start with the actual premises, asset register and responsibility matrix. The relevant duties vary with the building, equipment, occupancy and activities, so lease terms, risk assessments, manufacturer instructions and regulator requirements must be checked for the individual site.
Safety-critical boundary: this checklist is not an instruction to perform gas, electrical, lifting-equipment, asbestos, fire-system or other specialist work. Use the competent or registered route required for the task. TCM does not claim those registrations universally; the responsible provider must be confirmed for the project.
Monthly Checks
A monthly review can be a useful internal planning cadence for some premises, but it is not a statutory interval for every item. Only carry out observations or checks that the site procedure assigns to competent internal staff; specialist testing remains with the appropriate provider.
| System | Task | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Safety records | Review reported fire-safety, security and plant faults and confirm the responsible person has assigned any action | Site team / responsible person |
| Access & escape routes | Check that routes, doors and access areas are not obstructed or visibly damaged | Site team |
| Building fabric | Observe gutters, outlets, doors, windows and external finishes from a safe position for obvious change or active water ingress | Site team / competent contractor |
| Plant & services | Review visible leaks, alarms, unusual noise or condition reports without opening or working on specialist equipment | Site team / competent contractor |
| Water hygiene | Complete the controls and records specified by the site's water-hygiene risk assessment | Named responsible person / competent provider |
| Records | Update the maintenance log with defects, access issues, actions, due dates and evidence received | Facilities / property manager |
Quarterly Checks
A quarterly review can help facilities teams revisit seasonal and outstanding work, but the correct interval for each asset should come from risk, condition, manufacturer information, the lease and any specific statutory or competent-person requirement.
| System | Task | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Asset register | Review overdue maintenance, planned replacement dates and changes to equipment or occupancy | Facilities / property manager |
| HVAC | Review servicing, filter and maintenance requirements against manufacturer or specialist instructions | Competent contractor |
| Drainage | Review roof outlets, gullies and drainage condition before known seasonal risk periods | Site team / competent contractor |
| Building fabric | Review changes in roof, cladding, masonry, windows and doors and escalate defects that need specialist access | Site team / competent contractor |
| Utilities & services | Review consumption or fault trends where monitored and investigate material changes through the appropriate provider | Facilities / specialist |
| Business continuity | Confirm access, shutdown, tenant or occupier communication and contingency arrangements for planned maintenance | Property / facilities manager |
Statutory and Competent-Person Inspections
Different systems have different legal and technical regimes. The table below identifies the route to verify, not a universal inspection calendar or price list.
| Area | Duty / issue | Interval basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas systems | Gas safety and installation duties depend on the premises, equipment and role | Use the applicable Gas Safe registered route for gas work and current HSE guidance | Retain the records required for the actual duty/work |
| Electrical installations | Electricity at Work duties require systems to be maintained to prevent danger | Inspection/test interval should follow risk, installation condition and competent guidance rather than one website rule | Retain reports, defects and remedial evidence |
| Lifts / lifting equipment | LOLER can require thorough examination of lifting equipment used at work | Use the statutory interval or a competent-person examination scheme applicable to the equipment | Retain thorough-examination reports and defect actions |
| Fire safety systems | Fire precautions and maintenance should follow the premises fire-risk assessment and applicable system standards | Use competent fire-safety providers where required | Keep inspection, test, fault and remedial records |
| Water hygiene | Legionella risk should be assessed and controlled | Review when circumstances change and at the interval set by the risk assessment; do not assume a universal two-year rule | Keep the risk assessment and control records |
| Asbestos | Dutyholders for non-domestic premises must manage asbestos risk where applicable | Keep the asbestos register and management plan current, with condition checks and updates after relevant work or change | Provide current information to anyone liable to disturb asbestos |
Current HSE guidance confirms, for example, that lifting-equipment examination can follow statutory intervals or a competent-person scheme, Legionella review is not governed by a universal annual or biennial rule, and asbestos management information must be kept current. Use the regulator guidance relevant to the premises and equipment.
Building Fabric: What to Inspect and When
Roof coverings, walls, cladding, openings and drainage should be monitored according to condition, exposure, manufacturer/system guidance and safe access. A membrane type does not carry one guaranteed service life, and masonry does not have one universal repointing interval.
Record active leaks, blocked drainage, loose materials, new movement or deterioration and route them to the appropriate competent contractor. Do not climb onto roofs or access unsafe areas merely to complete a checklist.
Planned vs Reactive Maintenance: The Cost Difference
Planned maintenance can reduce avoidable deterioration and improve budget visibility, but this page does not publish a universal planned-versus-reactive cost ratio or a percentage saving. The business case should use the actual asset condition, failure consequences, service contracts, access costs and downtime exposure.
TCM can discuss commercial maintenance building work and can coordinate specialist contractors where this forms part of the agreed scope. The current register does not approve an all-trades single contract, dedicated account manager, response-time promise or standard PPM package for universal reuse.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a commercial building be professionally inspected?
There is no single professional-inspection interval for every commercial building. Set the maintenance plan from the asset register, building condition, risk assessment, manufacturer instructions, lease responsibilities, insurer requirements and any duty-specific legal inspection or examination regime. Record who is responsible, the due date and the evidence of completion for each asset or duty.
What is a planned preventive maintenance (PPM) schedule?
A PPM schedule is a documented plan for maintaining assets and building fabric before failure. The schedule should identify the asset, task, responsible person or provider, access or shutdown needs, frequency basis, completion evidence and outstanding actions. Monthly or quarterly labels can help organise work, but they are not universal statutory frequencies.
Who is responsible for building maintenance in a commercial lease?
Responsibility depends on the lease, demise, service-charge arrangements and other contracts. Terms such as full repairing and insuring can allocate broad repairing obligations, but the exact duty cannot be determined from the label alone. Use the lease and appropriate property or legal advice to establish landlord and tenant responsibilities before commissioning work.
What statutory maintenance is legally required for commercial buildings?
The applicable duties depend on the premises, equipment and activities. Gas, electrical systems, lifting equipment, fire safety, water hygiene and asbestos can each have different legal or competent-person requirements. Use the current regulator guidance and the building's risk assessments or examination schemes rather than treating one generic checklist as proof of compliance.
How much does commercial building maintenance cost per year?
There is no approved TCM percentage-of-value benchmark for annual commercial maintenance. Budget from the actual asset register, building condition, service contracts, statutory or competent-person inspections, planned replacements, access constraints, specialist work and contingency for reactive defects. Compare quotations on the same scope and VAT basis.
Related Pages
Commercial Maintenance Contact Route Status
Use the contact-status page to check which TCM enquiry route is currently verified. Coverage, specialist responsibilities, response arrangements and quotation terms remain specific to the individual premises.
View Contact Route Status