The H&S risk assessment covers everything fire risk does not. Communal lighting, trip hazards, lifts, Legionella in communal hot water, external lighting, car park safety. One half-day visit produces an action plan that protects directors and residents.
The H&S risk assessment is a sister to the fire risk assessment. The FRA looks at fire only. The H&S RA looks at every other hazard a resident or visitor might encounter in the common parts: a wet floor, a faulty lift, Legionella in the communal hot water, a missing handrail, an unsafe path. Often the same site visit, often by a different specialist.
For a residential block. Buildings with lifts, communal hot water systems, and external common parts (car parks, gardens) cost more because the scope is wider.
Walkthrough of all common areas, lift inspection (if present), water system inspection (if communal hot water), photos, hazard log. No flats entered.
Re-read the assessment annually. Full re-inspection every 1 to 3 years, or sooner if there has been an incident or significant change to the building.
What it usually covers. Slips, trips, and falls (lighting, floor surfaces, stairs, handrails). Lifts (under LOLER, separately certified by an insurance engineer surveyor). Communal water systems (Legionella under HSG 274 Part 2 if you have communal hot water or cold water tanks). External hazards (paths, car parks, gates, gardens). Asbestos cross-reference (the H&S assessor reads the asbestos register and confirms the management actions are in place). Electrical safety cross-reference (reads the EICR). Welfare facilities for any cleaners or contractors regularly on site.
Pick the one that matches you.
Common gap, particularly in self-managed blocks where directors think the FRA is enough. It is not. The HSE expects a documented H&S risk assessment for any non-domestic premises, which the common parts of a block of flats are.
What to do. Commission one using the calculator below. Use the supplier checklist to pick a competent assessor. Use the draft email to obtain three quotes. Output is a written report with a hazard log and prioritised action plan.
The H&S RA must be reviewed annually. An assessment more than a year old is technically out of date, although a desktop review may be enough if nothing has changed.
Open actions are evidence the duty holder knows about a hazard and has not fixed it. From an HSE or insurance perspective, this is worse than not having the assessment at all.
Cost scales with scope. A simple block (no lift, no communal hot water) is at the low end. Buildings with lifts and communal water systems run higher.
All figures are indicative ranges based on published rates checked April–May 2026. Always compare three written quotes for your specific building. Last reviewed for accuracy on the page legal-check date shown above.
"Competent" is a defined term in the Management of H&S at Work Regs 1999. The qualifications and the property experience are both essential.
Specifies the right scope, the right qualifications, and the right outputs. If a quote does not match, you have your answer.
The calculator above updates the unit count, scope, lift line, and communal hot water line automatically.
An H&S risk assessment is a small annual cost in the context of the service charge. Recovery is straightforward.
Include the assessment in your annual service charge budget. Recover via your usual quarterly or half-yearly demands. Attach the invoice to the year-end accounts. The Section 21B summary of rights must accompany every demand.
If the reserve fund is empty and the assessment is overdue, issue a one-off demand. The demand must include the Section 21B summary or it is not legally enforceable. Safety-led demands are normally well received.
The assessment itself rarely triggers consultation. What can trigger it is the remedial work arising from the assessment: replacing handrails, redoing the entrance lighting, Legionella remediation, lift modernisation. Major remediation can run thousands or tens of thousands and almost always requires Section 20 consultation. See the Section 20 process.
Keep the assessment, action plan, and proof of completed actions on file permanently. Annual review note should also be on file. Notify the buildings insurer of any major remediation.
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