Ensuring Landlords meet responsibilities towards commercial tenants

If you are a landlord of a commercial premises you are most probably aware of your responsibilities when it comes to matters such as fire safety, gas safety, presence of asbestos etc., but have you considered how those responsibilities extend to ductwork and ventilation within your buildings?

These systems are easy to overlook, especially since ductwork isn’t always visible and is, by design, integrated wherever possible. However, it can be a risk if not regularly inspected and cleaned as per the legal requirements in place to make sure that safe standards are met and maintained.

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018

This came into effect in March 2019 requiring landlords to ensure that the premises they rent out are fit for purpose and fit for habitation – meaning they are structurally sound and served with clean water and clean air as a minimum.

When initially introduced, the act only covered new tenancies however, as of 20th March 2020; it extends to all pre-existing agreements. Two factors which are specifically mentioned within the Government’s list of expectations are freedom from damp and good ventilation (both obviously directly related to the condition and operation of the ductwork and extraction systems).

The presence of ventilation itself is not enough. In fact, poor-performing systems can lead to a build-up of condensation, damp and mould. Air-borne Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as mould can cause serious health issues when inhaled and this is just one risk faced by tenants when ductwork is left unchecked or in an unhygienic state.

Maintaining good hygiene in a pandemic situation

Arguably, there has never been a time when air-related health and safety within places of work, leisure or study has been of higher importance. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the importance of controlling air quality and hygiene. So, even aside from mould, there are other potential dangers to be eliminated.

At System Hygienics we don’t take any chances when it comes to ventilation and ductwork. Clean air is our business and we specialise in providing the highest possible standard of service. We operate to Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) TR19® a regulation which ensures best practice is maintained throughout the inspection, cleaning and post-cleaning process.

Fire prevention

Our total solution doesn’t end there. Fire dampers too need to be regularly tested to stop the spread of fire – an area which can also pose a high risk within commercial premises or accommodation blocks for example. We incorporate fire damper testing within our service to ensure end-to-end safety within the entire ductwork system.

If you are a commercial landlord responsible for business premises, offices, university halls of residence, council buildings or restaurants and you are concerned about any aspect of the ventilation under your responsibility then get in touch with System Hygienics via our website at www.systemhygienics.co.uk

Even if you would just like a professional opinion to ensure total peace of mind for you and your tenant then our team will be happy to help.