Legionella and landlords

Landlords have a duty to assess the risk from Legionella. What that duty does not include is a test certificate, and for most domestic systems it does not include testing at all.

There is no such thing as a legionella test certificate

If you let residential property you have probably been offered one. HSE is unambiguous about it: health and safety law does not require landlords to obtain or produce a legionella test certificate. There is no statutory certificate, no register and no renewal date.

What the law does require is that you assess the risk, and that you act on it if the assessment finds one. HSE is equally clear that this does not require an in-depth, detailed assessment, and that most landlords are capable of carrying it out themselves.

Why most domestic systems are low risk

HSE’s position is that the risks from hot and cold water systems in most residential settings are generally considered to be low. The reason is turnover: water in an occupied home does not sit still long enough for Legionella to establish.

Mains-fed cold water – No stored cold water tank, so no reservoir sitting at room temperature.

Low-volume hot water – A combi boiler or small heater holds little water, and holds it briefly.

Few outlets – Where the only outlets are basins and toilets, the aerosol risk is small.

Regular use – An occupied property turns its water over daily, which is the single best control.

No spray outlets – Showers and spray taps create the breathable droplets that carry the bacteria.

Short pipe runs – Less standing water between the heater and the tap, and less of it at room temperature.

The controls that actually matter

HSE calls temperature control the most reliable method: keep hot water hot, keep cold water cold, and keep the water moving. The rest is housekeeping, and none of it is expensive.

Store hot water at 60°C – The cylinder thermostat is the single most important setting in a domestic system.

Flush before letting – Run every outlet before a new tenant moves in, particularly after a void period.

Keep debris out – Any cold water tank needs a tight-fitting lid and intact screens.

Remove redundant pipework – Dead legs hold standing water at room temperature. Cut them out rather than cap them.

Use outlets weekly in voids – For a vacant property, run the outlets at least weekly, or flush or drain for longer vacancies.

Tell your tenants – Ask them not to adjust the cylinder thermostat, to clean showerheads, and to report hot water faults.

When a domestic property needs more than this

The low-risk presumption describes typical systems, not all of them. It stops applying where water is stored, where it sits, or where it is turned into a spray.

Communal hot water in a block, a stored cold water cistern, a property that has stood empty for months, showers or spa baths, or occupants who are elderly or immunosuppressed all move the assessment somewhere else. Houses in multiple occupation and purpose-built student accommodation are rarely low risk. If any of that describes your property, the simple self-assessment is not the right tool.

Not sure where your property sits?

We carry out Legionella risk assessments for residential landlords and managing agents.

For any enquiries or questions please call: 01707 527 069