Occupying a commercial property brings with it certain legal obligations with which you will need to comply.

Legislation will apply to you wherever you locate your business, but the implications of complying can vary from property to property. All businesses will need to comply with certain regulation in respect of issues such as health and safety, fire, asbestos in the workplace and electrical installations for example, but you can minimise the costs of compliance by choosing your premises carefully.

Asbestos.

Asbestos was not entirely prohibited until 1999, even so if your premises were constructed after this date you still have a duty to ensure asbestos products are not brought into it. The risks of asbestos cement sheeting are often misunderstood and even overstated, but it’s presence still creates a duty to control any risks associated with it and the requirement to keep an asbestos register. More hazardous forms of asbestos were prohibited in 1985 but generally phased out over the preceding two decades.

Electric, Gas and Heating.

Electrical certificates need to be obtained for your premises, how often depends on your use, but in most cases will be upon occupation and every three years. Work needed to the properties electrical system should be assessed for each property you consider.

Not all properties are connected to a gas supply, if you don’t require gas you may find it better to find a property without it and avoid the cost and responsibility of maintaining any installations that go with it. You will be required to check installations and pipework annually.

You may have heating obligations to your work force. Excepting the majority of offices, heating requirements will vary from business to business, so you may need to consider property that doesn’t initially meet your heating requirements. Efficient approved appliances can be capital intensive if you have to put them in your premises. All heating appliances within the property will need to meet insurers approval, which generally excludes portable heaters, naked flames and those that have their fuel source within the building.