Why standards are important

Service charges enable an owner to recover the costs of servicing and operating a property from the occupiers, as well as any others who benefit from and use the services and facilities provided. The service charge arrangement is set down in the lease(s) and the aim is to entitle the owner to recover his or her charges and any associated administrative costs incurred in the operational management of the property. This will include reasonable costs of maintenance, repair and replacement (usually where beyond economic repair) of the fabric, plant, equipment and materials necessary for the property’s operation, plus any other works and services the parties agree are to be provided by the owner, but subject to reimbursement by the occupier.

Cost Classifications

MANAGEMENT

1 Management fees 2 Accounting fees 3 Site management resources 4 Health, safety and environmental management 

UTILITIES

5 Electricity 6 Gas 7 Fuel oil 8 Water

SOFT SERVICES

9 Security 10 Cleaning and environmental 11 Marketing and promotions

HARD SERVICES

12 Mechanical and electrical services (M&E) 13 Lifts and escalators 14 Suspended access equipment 15 Fabric repairs and maintenance

INCOME 

16 Interest 17 Income from commercialisation 

INSURANCE

18 Engineering Insurance 19 All risks insurance cover 20 Terrorism insurance

EXCEPTIONAL EXPENDITURE

21 Major works 22 Forward funding

SFG20 is the standard maintenance specification for building engineering services. It is recognised as the industry standard and is an essential tool for planned maintenance.

Launched in 1990 by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) formerly known as the HVCA it is the benchmark for working standards; providing building owners, managers, contractors, consultants and end users with the tools to keep buildings properly maintained and compliant. 

Definitive and detailed maintenance schedules are given for heating and pipework systems, ventilating and air-conditioning, controls including BMS and BEMS, ancillaries, plumbing and sewerage systems, and electrical services including power supplies and associated electrical equipment.

NICEIC Certification is a leading Certification body accredited by UKAS.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

Formerly called a Periodic Inspection Report (or PIR). A report to establish the overall condition of all the electrics in a building, stating whether it is satisfactory for continued use and detailing any work that might need to be done.

Part P

The specific section of the Building Regulations that provides minimum safety standards for domestic electrical installations. The Building Regulations are a devolved power so the actual requirements may vary across the UK dependent on which country the work is being done in.

Periodic Inspection Report (PIR)

An electrical survey to reveal if electrical circuits are overloaded, find potential hazards in the installation, highlight any lack of earthing or bonding and carry out tests on the fixed wiring of the installation. The report is known as an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and will establish the overall condition of all the electrics, state whether it is satisfactory for continued use and detail any work that might need to be done.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Inspection and testing of electrical equipment including portable appliances, moveable equipment, hand held appliances, stationary equipment, fixed equipment/appliances, IT equipment and extension leads.

Portable equipment

Electrical equipment which is less than 18 kg in mass and is intended to be moved while in operation or which can easily be moved from one place to another, such as a toaster, food mixer, vacuum cleaner, fan heater.

Gas Safe Register is the official list of businesses that are legally permitted to carry out gas work. 

Building Regulations Compliance Certificate 

You should receive one of these if a Gas Safe registered engineer installs a heat producing gas appliance in your property. It’s effectively a way of informing the Local Authority of the new appliance, and you should receive it in the post within 28 days of a new appliance being installed. Find out more information on Building Regulations certificates.

Gas Safety Record 

The documentation an engineer leaves after having fitted, serviced or safety checked an appliance is dependent upon the purpose and type of work carried out. The only documentation required by law is a Landlord Gas Safety Record. It will detail exactly what checks the engineer has carried out and if the appliances checked meet the appropriate safety standards. 

Landlord Gas Safety Record: the low down

As a landlord letting a property, you have a legal duty to ensure it’s safe for your tenants. This means you’re required by law to get a Gas Safe registered engineer to do an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances - and it’s the results of these checks that are recorded in your Landlord Gas Safety Record. You’ll receive a copy, and you’ll need to provide a record of this check to your tenants.

In your record, you should find:

• A description and location of each appliance or flue that was checked
• The name, registration number and signature of the engineer who made the checks
• The date the checks were carried out
• The address of the property where the appliances or flues are installed
• Your name and address (or an agent’s where applicable)
• Information on any safety defects and actions needed or taken to fix them
• The results of all operational safety checks carried out on the appliances

Health & Safety

One of the prime motivations for the formation of IRATA in 1987 was the recognition by leading practitioners that the existing legislation did not cover rope access techniques. In the intervening years IRATA has worked closely with the HSE to formulate working philosophies for regulated rope access. IRATA has developed and implemented three broad schemes to regulate and control safety issues

International Code of Practice (ICoP)

All technicians working within the industry are required to be trained and assessed in accordance with the IRATA International Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme (TACS). This document has been developed by IRATA International to provide training and assessment criteria to develop and test competence, and to assure training is delivered to the required standard.

Training & Certification

All technicians working within the industry are required to be trained and assessed in accordance with the IRATA “Training, Assessment and Certification Scheme” (TACS). After training, the technicians undertake an independent assessment and, if successful, are registered with IRATA and issued a log book and identification card.

Practitioner Level

1. Level 1 technician is fully competent in all industrial rope access techniques currently used, including simple rescue techniques. 
2. Level 2 technician is capable of rigging working ropes, undertaking rescues and performing rope access tasks, under the supervision of an approved IRATA level 3. 
3. Level 3 supervisor must be capable of complete responsibility for work projects, undertaking advanced rescues and have a comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation.

British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is the UK's leading trade association for pest management.

Anticoagulant rodenticides and biocides legislation

Rodents can carry diseases that can harm people, cause damage to buildings and spoil foodstuffs; rodenticides are one of the methods of controlling rodents. However, there can also be potential risks to people and the environment from the use of anticoagulant rodenticide products. HSE is seeking to establish a transparent and consistent approach for applying risk mitigation measures when First and Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (FGARs and SGARs) are authorised in the UK. This should take into account the need to control rat and mouse infestations, and protect buildings and infrastructure while protecting humans and non-target wildlife from exposure to FGARs and SGARs.

By law, everyone who uses pesticides professionally must have received adequate training in using pesticides safely and be skilled in the job they are carrying out. This applies to:

• users, operators and technicians (including contractors);
• managers;
• employers;
• self-employed people; and
• people who give instruction to others on how to use pesticides.

By law there are certain situations where you will need to have a qualification called a ‘certificate of competence’. In general, you will need a certificate of competence if you supply, store or use ‘agricultural pesticides’.  

The Security Industry Authority is the organisation responsible for regulating the private security industry reporting to the Home Secretary, under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. 

There are two types of SIA licence:

1. A front line licence is required if undertaking licensable activity, other than key holding activities (this also covers undertaking non-front line activity). A front line licence is in the form of a credit card-sized plastic card that must be worn, subject to the licence conditions. 
2. A non-front line licence is required for those who manage, supervise and/or employ individuals who engage in licensable activity, as long as front line activity is not carried out - this includes directors* or partners. A non-front line licence is issued in the form of a letter that also covers key holding activities.

Training

• Required Qualifications for Cash & Valuables in Transit
• Required Qualifications for Close Protection
• Required Qualifications for Door Supervisors
• Required Qualifications for Public Space Surveillance (CCTV)
• Required Qualifications for Security Guards
• Required Qualification for Vehicle Immobilisers
• Key Holding: There are no training and qualifications required for a key holding licence.

 Approved Contractor Scheme introduced a set of operational and performance standards for suppliers of private security services. Those organisations that meet these standards are awarded Approved Contractor status. This accreditation provides purchasers of private security services with independent proof of a contractor's commitment to quality.  

Find out if you need an SIA licence - GOV.UK 

Job activities that need a licence (licensable activities)

The following job activities are all licensable:

• manned guarding
• key holding
• vehicle immobilisation (Northern Ireland only)

 Manned guarding

Manned guarding licences are all front line licences.

There are 5 types of manned guarding licence:

• cash and valuables in transit licence – for guarding property against damage or theft and transporting it in a vehicle designed for secure transportation
• close protection licence – for guarding people against physical assault or injury
• door supervision licence – for guarding licensed premises against damage, theft, unauthorised access or disorderly behaviour
• public space surveillance licence – for guarding premises, property or people by using CCTV equipment to:
  • watch members of the public or identify particular people
  • guard against disorder or protect people from assault (this includes using CCTV to stop these things from happening or provide information about them if they do happen)
• security guard licence – for guarding premises or property against damage, theft, unauthorised access or disorderly behaviour