Hamilton King Management

Responsible property managers must take certain measures to ensure that the tenants under their care do not end up unnecessarily exposed to risk or certain hazards. One example of this is the need to conduct regular fire risk assessments. A fire risk assessment is required by law for those who operate a business in premises where there are five or more people. In that instance, a written fire risk assessment is a requirement, and it must be updated periodically to demonstrate compliance with the law. Numerous property safety articles from Hamilton King Management explain how to properly carry out a written fire risk assessment and what the requirements are for maintaining and updating it.

The contents of a fire risk assessment are fairly straightforward, but also highly important. When performing this assessment, the individual must first disclose which hazards present a potential safety issue involving fire. The assessment must also show which individuals on the premises are most exposed to this risk. Finally, the risks must be thoroughly evaluated and removed, or at least reduced to an acceptable level. Once these findings are all properly recorded, the assessment must contain a detailed emergency plan, and staff members and residents must be properly trained in the emergency plan. Hamilton King Management recommends a regular review of the assessment so that it can be updated for any changes that take place in the premises.

Another area of regulatory compliance for building owners is the need for an asbestos survey. This type of survey is a requirement for many buildings that were built prior to 2000; for example non-domestic properties - including industrial premises, offices and shops - must have an asbestos survey that is current at all times. Properties that have been revealed to contain asbestos following prior inspections must also have surveys carried out regularly - usually annually - to ensure that the asbestos was properly remediated. Another subset of this requirement is that a refurbishment/demolition survey must be conducted whenever demolition or refurbishment is planned at a property that was built prior to 2000. These requirements can all be coordinated and handled by a skilled property management company on behalf of an owner.