Be specific about what the contractor is doing. A service, safety check and formal examination are different jobs; describing all three as annual maintenance makes the record unclear. List the task and what you should receive when it is finished.
The need for equipment inspection and its interval follow the risks and equipment involved, as HSE's inspection advice explains. Some equipment does not need formal inspection. Other types of duty need their own applicable source, rather than being inferred from this guidance.
Give every requirement a usable record
Identify the item and its location, the work required, where that requirement comes from, how timing was set, the next due date and who is responsible. Add necessary competence, access details, previous records and any problems still awaiting attention.
If a competent person's scheme or assessment sets the timing, retain that document and its version. Keep any prescribed deadline on the schedule. A contractor offering a later appointment does not change the requirement itself.
Coordinate delivery without losing detail
You can arrange compatible jobs during one visit to limit disruption. Ask for each task to remain individually recorded, showing what was completed, who did it and the result or paperwork received. One attendance entry is not enough to explain several different activities.
Sort out access, permits and necessary shutdowns before the appointment. If work is missed, record why and refer the outstanding requirement through the appropriate route. Changing the booking date does not complete the job or settle the implications of delay.
Track the findings after the visit
An inspection may be finished while repairs it identified remain outstanding. Link each finding to the work, priority, person approving it and evidence of resolution. Keep the original report so you can see why the later repair was needed.
Tell the people using equipment about any restrictions and keep those restrictions recorded. Do not let an administrative completion label hide an item that remains out of use.
Keep the schedule current
Update the schedule whenever equipment is added, removed or altered, use changes or findings change the required maintenance. Update the item record at the same time, so new equipment is included and removed items do not stay on the job list.
FAQs
Is every maintenance task statutory?
No. Your maintenance arrangements may include legal duties, manufacturer requirements, work arising from risk assessment and your own priorities. Record the reason for including each task.
Does a service certificate prove every duty is complete?
It evidences the work named on it. Check that the certificate covers the specific equipment and job you needed, rather than assuming it covers every requirement.
Who owns the schedule?
Name the person keeping the schedule current and progressing outstanding matters. Booking a contractor does not automatically transfer the client's statutory responsibilities.
Related help
Find help with statutory tasks, read how often maintenance is needed and when follow-on repairs arise, or enquire about your property's maintenance.
