Buyer protection

Do you actually need this?

The services small businesses are most often oversold, one at a time. What you were told, what the law says, what it should cost, and what to say next time.

Do you need a new fire risk assessment every year?Required by law

You need a fire risk assessment recorded in full. A small shop or office does not need to pay for a new one every year. Larger or higher risk premises should have an expert out more often.

Do you actually need annual PAT testing?Good practice

You need PAT testing because it is your proof. You do not need every item tested every year. Check before use. Look at everything once a year. Test ordinary items every two years and higher risk items every year.

Seven compliance services small businesses are commonly oversoldOptional, often oversold

The law names very few of the things you are sold. Each of these seven is either not required, not required at that frequency, or not required from a supplier.

C3: the EICR code where the money usually gets spentOptional, often oversold

C1 and C2 must be fixed. An FI must be looked into. C3 is a recommendation. A report with only C3s is satisfactory, whatever the covering letter says.

Does an office really need a fire alarm service contract?Good practice

You need the system serviced twice a year. You do not need a multi-year contract to achieve that, and you should not pay anyone to do the weekly test.

Legionella sampling or a legionella assessment: which one does the law require?Required by law

The law requires an assessment and a control scheme. HSE says sampling is only needed in some cases. Our advice is to sample anyway. It is the only way to see what is actually in your water.

Martyn’s Law: surprise, your premises probably needs assessingRequired if…

Far more pubs and hotels and churches and schools will need an assessment than their owners think. If you can expect 200 people at once even occasionally the law applies to you. The duties start in 2027 and they need not cost you much.

The notice clause: how a 90-day window becomes a three-year renewalInsurers, landlords or clients ask for it

Nothing in compliance law requires a term. Every term you sign is a commercial choice, and the notice clause is where the choice gets taken away from you.

Can you do your own weekly fire alarm test?Good practice

Yes. The weekly test is the user’s job under BS 5839-1. It needs a key, a log book and five minutes. It does not need a contractor.