Legionella Risk Assessments for properties in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Legionella Risk Assessments for properties in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Landlord & Commercial Property Services Aberdeenshire
Provision of services covering Legionella Risk Assessment, Portable Appliance Testing and Energy Performance Certificates for Landlords, Owners, Occupiers, Developers and Commercial Landlords within Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Legionella Risk Assessment
Legionella Risk Assessment (LRA) for domestic type water systems, be they within a residential or commercial building. This involves a survey visit to the property to assess the hot and cold water systems; water storage condition; water temperature measurements; identification of dead legs and little used outlets in which bacteria growth may occur.
We specialise in domestic residential properties and commercial properties having domestic type water systems.
Although often requested to provide a Legionella Test, water sampling and testing is not a requirement for domestic type systems (as covered in BS 8580-1:2019 and confirmed by HSE in their Guide to Landlords).
Your Professionally Prepared Report
We provide a professionally prepared report. This will detail the results from the survey along with observations. It will include risk ranked recommendations. We suggest a recommended control programme and provide advice for the owners and occupants. Photographs of key features and a system sketch are also included.
There is no prescription under law that the risk assessment be reviewed on an annual or biennial basis. However the assessment should be reviewed periodically in case anything has changed. For more details refer to our Legislation page.
Portable Appliance Testing
Certification
We prepare a certificate with a register of items tested. This describes the item, location, risk level, Class, inspection & test frequency as per IET Risk Assessment. Results for each of the visual inspections and electrical check as noted.
There is no prescribed frequency for testing, being risk based. We apply this concept and apply a retest period up to 5 years, offering significant cost savings against annual testing.
We specialise in domestic residential properties and also able to cover commercial properties
Energy Performance Certificate
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides information on the energy efficiency, projected carbon emissions and estimated fuel costs of the property (based on a standardised approach). It also lists recommendations for increasing the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon emissions. The energy performance of the building is given a rating on a scale of A-G, with A being the most efficient and G the least efficient.
An EPC is required prior to advertising for lease or sale and as a precursor to planning to apply for Government energy incentives including feed-in tariffs and energy grants.
The Domestic Energy Assessor
The EPC may only be carried out by a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) who as a certified individual is competent to undertake energy calculations on existing dwellings using the Reduced data Standard Assessment Procedure (RdSAP) software.
The survey involves room measurement and inspection of the features of the property, central and water heating, glazing, lighting, insulation, meters. Where the property has a pitched roof, access will be required into the attic space. For audit purposes various photos are taken, although none will be published.
Scottish EPC Register
The EPC and accompanying recommendations report will then be registered with the Scottish EPC Register against a unique property reference number (UPRN).
An EPC is valid for 10 years. or until the property has had a structural or energy efficient modification e.g. additional insulation, change of boiler, extension, replacement windows or doors etc.
We specialise in existing domestic residential properties.
Lead in Water
Quality of drinking water includes a maximum permitted level of lead, which is currently set at 10 µg/L (10 ppb, 0.01 ppm, 0.01 mg/L) and would if present typically be attributed to sections of lead pipework. The use of lead pipework was made illegal in the UK 1969 and many properties refurbished since with more modern materials. However the potential exists for sections of pipework to be hidden from view between the boundary stop cock in the street and stop cock within a building, particularly with tenement flats. Lead solder is another source and practically impossible to determine if used on pre-1970 upgrades. More information on lead in drinking water can be found on the websites of the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland and Scottish Water.
The Repairing Standard revised in 2024 requires landlords to check that lead pipework, fittings and any lead lined storage tanks are not present. For properties built after 1970 these should not exist and in many properties compliance may be checked with a visual examination. However, where the supply pipework between the street and property is not visible the only definitive check is an analysis of water, taken to mean testing by an accredited laboratory.
Certification
Where the landlord seeks third-party assurance, we will undertake checks on material of construction for the pipework, both upstream and downstream of the internal stop cock, and any cold water storage tank. A water sample will then be analysed by an UKAS laboratory to measure for the presence of lead with a report and certificate provided.
This check may be carried out whilst undertaking a Legionella Risk Assessment or as a separate visit. Alternatively Scottish Water may be contacted to undertake this water testing Factsheet 7 : Lead Explained (scottishwater.co.uk)
Gas, Electrical & Fire Safety
For landlords requiring Landlord Gas Safety Record (LGSR), Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and provision of Fire and CO Alarms we recommend Jireh Property Services
All services are covered by Public Liability and Public Indemnity Insurance
Legionella Aberdeen supports local Letting Agents and individual Landlords based within Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. So whether you have a portfolio or a single property please contact us on [email protected], or via mobile on: