Guide for block managers · England
What to check in the common parts of a residential block, how often, and which checks the law actually requires. It covers fire doors, fire risk assessments, lifts, emergency lighting, asbestos, water and electrics.
Most communal-area duties depend on the height of the building. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (in force since 23 January 2023) set three tiers:
Height is measured to the top storey (reg. 3).
“Law” means a statutory duty. “Good practice” means a British Standard, official guidance or the RICS Code, which courts and tribunals can take into account but which isn’t itself a statute.
| Check | Law or good practice | Applies to | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire risk assessment of common parts (including structure, external walls, balconies and flat entrance doors) | Law: Fire Safety Order art. 9, scope widened by the Fire Safety Act 2021 | All blocks with common parts | No fixed interval: review regularly and after significant change. Must be recorded in full (BSA s.156) |
| Fire safety instructions to residents | Law: FS(E)R reg. 9 | All blocks with common parts | New residents as soon as reasonably practicable; everyone every 12 months; after any material change |
| Fire door information to residents | Law: FS(E)R reg. 10 | All blocks with common parts | New residents, then every 12 months |
| Fire doors in common parts, including self-closers | Law: FS(E)R reg. 10 | Over 11 m | At least every 3 months, with records |
| Flat entrance fire doors | Law (best endeavours): FS(E)R reg. 10 | Over 11 m | At least every 12 months; record attempts where access is refused |
| Secure information box | Law: FS(E)R reg. 4 | High-rise | Check at least once a year |
| Firefighting and evacuation lifts, essential firefighting equipment | Law: FS(E)R reg. 7 | High-rise | Monthly; a fault not fixed within 24 hours must be reported to the fire and rescue service |
| Wayfinding signs, floor plans, external wall record | Law: FS(E)R regs. 5, 6, 8, 11 | High-rise | Keep in place; update plans and records after changes |
| Higher-risk building registration, safety case, resident engagement strategy | Law: Building Safety Act 2022 | At least 18 m or 7 storeys, 2+ homes | Register before occupation; review the engagement strategy at least every 2 years |
| Passenger lift thorough examination | Law under LOLER where the lift is used at work (staff, contractors); good practice in every case | Blocks with lifts | Every 6 months for lifts carrying people |
| Legionella risk assessment of common water systems | Law: HSWA / COSHH, HSE ACoP L8 | Whoever controls the water systems | No fixed interval; review periodically and after changes |
| Asbestos: duty to manage in common parts | Law: Control of Asbestos Regs reg. 4 | Common parts: foyers, corridors, lifts, stairs, roof spaces, outbuildings | Review the plan regularly; HSE suggests every 12 months |
| Communal electrics (EICR) | Good practice: RICS Code, 4th ed.; general duty under the Electricity at Work Regs | All blocks with communal electrics | Every 5 years (RICS Code) |
| Emergency lighting | Good practice: BS 5266, under the Fire Safety Order’s maintenance duty | Where fitted | Monthly function test; annual full-duration test |
| Communal fire alarm | Good practice: BS 5839-1:2025 | Where fitted (many “stay put” blocks have none) | Weekly call-point test; service about every 6 months |
| Dry and wet risers | Good practice: BS 9990, per the purpose-built flats guide | Where fitted | Inspect every 6 months; pressure test every 12 months |
| Smoke vents (AOVs) and extinguishers | Good practice: purpose-built flats guide | Where fitted | AOVs monthly; extinguishers every 12 months |
| Communal gas boilers | Law in many cases, but it depends on lease length and whether the plant room is a workplace (Gas Safety Regs). Take advice | Blocks with communal gas plant | Annual safety check where reg. 36 applies |
| Managing agent site visits | Good practice: RICS Code, 4th ed., para 3.7 | All managed blocks | “Regularly”, set by how complex the building is |
Frequencies from British Standards come from official guidance and industry-body summaries, as the standards themselves are paywalled. Checked 7 October 2026.
On a routine visit, check these and photograph anything that needs action. This is good practice, not a legal list.
Good records do two jobs. They show you met your duties, and they let you show leaseholders what their service charge paid for.
The Property AI · Block Manager is being built to turn a photographed walk-round into findings, repairs and updates to the compliance register, without re-keying. Every item with an expiry date turns amber at 60 days and red on expiry.
No law sets one frequency for a general walk-round. The RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code (4th edition, in force from 7 April 2026) says managers should regularly visit and inspect, taking into account the type of occupation and how complex the facilities are. Specific items do have set intervals: for example, communal fire doors in buildings over 11 metres must be checked at least every three months under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
In buildings over 11 metres high, the responsible person must check fire doors in the common parts, including self-closers, at least every three months, and use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months, keeping records of both. In every block with two or more flats and common parts, residents must be given information about fire doors when they move in and at least every 12 months.
The law sets no fixed interval: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a review regularly, and whenever the assessment may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change. Government guidance for purpose-built blocks suggests a review every two years and a new assessment every four years for low-risk modern low-rise blocks, and an annual review with a new assessment every three years for higher-risk blocks or those over four storeys. Since 1 October 2023 the whole assessment must be recorded.
The electrical safety regulations for rented homes do not apply to communal areas, and no statute sets an inspection interval for them. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained so far as is reasonably practicable, and the RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code (4th edition) says common-parts installations must have an electrical installation condition report every five years.
Usually the freeholder, a resident management company or a right to manage company, often acting through a managing agent. For fire safety this is the responsible person under the Fire Safety Order. In higher-risk buildings (at least 18 metres or 7 storeys with two or more homes), the accountable person and principal accountable person also have duties under the Building Safety Act 2022.
Block Manager is in pilot with UK managing agents. Book a call to see how communal inspections, the compliance register and repairs connect.
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