Is a legionella risk assessment a legal requirement for landlords? Yes. If you let a house, flat, HMO or even a room, HSE says you must assess and control the risk from legionella under section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the COSHH Regulations 2002, with Approved Code of Practice L8 explaining how. What the law does not require is routine laboratory testing or a “legionella certificate”: a proportionate risk assessment and simple controls (usually temperature checks and flushing) are what count. Typical assessment fees through our matching network: domestic £90–£180, HMO or complex £150–£350.
Landlords: book a proportionate legionella risk assessment — get a quote
Do I need a legionella risk assessment?
| Your situation | Do you need one? |
|---|---|
| Private landlord, single house or flat | Yes — usually a short, proportionate assessment. |
| Letting a room to a lodger | Yes — HSE’s landlord duty covers renting out a room in your own home. |
| HMO, student let or property with a loft tank or cylinder | Yes — a fuller assessment of tanks, cylinder, showers and little-used outlets. |
| Employer or person in control of a workplace | Yes — COSHH applies directly; with five or more employees the significant findings must be recorded. |
| Owner-occupier living in your own home, not letting | No legal duty under these rules. |
Legionella risk assessment requirements: what it must cover
ACoP L8 expects the assessment to be suitable and sufficient for the system. For a rented home that means:
- The system: where water comes in, whether it is stored (cold tank, hot water cylinder) and which outlets exist;
- Risk features: water held at 20–45°C, stagnation in little-used outlets or dead legs, debris in tanks, and showers that create spray;
- Who could be exposed: especially older tenants, smokers or people with weakened immunity;
- Controls: hot water stored at 60°C, flushing before a tenancy and after a void, covered tanks, clean showerheads;
- Tenant information: not turning the cylinder temperature down, and reporting hot water problems;
- Review: when the system, the occupants or the use of the building changes.
Want it done properly once? Request a landlord legionella risk assessment quote — domestic lets typically £90–£180.
Is legionella testing a legal requirement?
| What people ask for | What HSE actually expects |
|---|---|
| “Is legionella testing a legal requirement?” | No mandatory routine lab test for ordinary rented homes. |
| What is required? | Identify and assess the risk, then control it (ACoP L8). |
| Usual domestic controls | Temperature monitoring, regular use/flushing, clean showerheads — not sampling. |
| When sampling may be needed | Higher-risk systems or where people are particularly susceptible — guided by the assessment / HSG274. |
The legal duty in plain English
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which law applies? | Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (section 3(2)) and COSHH 2002, with ACoP L8 and HSG274 Part 2 as the practical guidance. |
| Who counts as a landlord? | HSE: anyone who rents out a property they own under a lease or licence shorter than 7 years — private landlords, councils, housing associations, co-operatives and hostels. |
| Is a certificate required? | No. HSE says the law does not require a “legionella test certificate”. |
| Is water testing required? | Not usually for domestic hot and cold water systems. Temperature checks are the main control. |
| How often to review? | No fixed interval in law. Review periodically and when something changes. |
| Typical cost via our network | £90–£180 domestic; £150–£350 HMO or complex; from £250 commercial, care or dental. |
What HSE actually says landlords must do
HSE’s page on legionella and landlords’ responsibilities explains that landlords are treated as self-employed under section 53 of the 1974 Act, so they must conduct their undertaking in a way that does not expose tenants to health and safety risks. COSHH provides the framework for biological agents such as legionella: identify and assess the risk, then put proportionate controls in place.
HSE also says the duty “does not require an in-depth, detailed assessment” for most domestic rentals. Residential hot and cold water systems are generally low risk because water is used and turned over every day. A typical low-risk example is a small home where:
- daily use turns over the whole system;
- cold water comes straight from the mains, with no stored tank;
- hot water comes from instantaneous or low-volume heaters supplying outlets at 50°C;
- the only outlets are toilets and wash-hand basins.
Combi boilers and electric showers reduce the risk further because there is no stored hot water. Even then, you still need to have assessed the system and kept simple controls going.
Not sure your property is “low risk”? Get a legionella risk assessment quote — or see what a legionella risk assessment includes.
Simple controls HSE expects
For most domestic systems, temperature is the most reliable control: keep hot water hot, cold water cold, and keep it moving. HSE lists simple measures such as:
- flushing the system through before a new tenancy starts;
- keeping debris out — for example a tight-fitting lid on any cold water tank;
- setting the hot water cylinder (calorifier) so water is stored at 60°C;
- removing redundant pipework and dead legs;
- telling tenants not to turn the cylinder temperature down, to clean showerheads regularly and to report hot water problems.
When a landlord should use a competent assessor
HSE says most landlords can assess the risk themselves and do not need to be professionally trained or accredited. If you do not feel competent, or inclined, you can arrange for someone to do it for you. A professional legionella risk assessment is usually worth it where you have:
- a loft cold water tank or a large hot water cylinder;
- an HMO, student let, hostel or other shared house with several showers;
- little-used bathrooms, en-suites or outside taps;
- periods when the property stands empty, such as summer voids in student stock;
- older or vulnerable tenants;
- a portfolio where you want one consistent format for every property.
Not sure which applies? Read can a landlord do their own legionella risk assessment, or try our Legionella Risk Calculator for a first indication.
Reviewing the assessment
The law does not set an annual or two-year renewal date. HSE says to review the assessment periodically in case anything changes, and ACoP L8 lists triggers for review, including:
- changes to the water system or how it is used;
- changes to how the building is used — for example converting to an HMO;
- checks showing the controls are no longer working (such as hot water not reaching temperature);
- a case of Legionnaires’ disease linked to the system.
Where access to occupied homes is difficult, HSE suggests making checks during other routine visits such as the annual gas safety check. See also how often a legionella risk assessment should be reviewed.
Records worth keeping
Landlords are not necessarily required to write the assessment down — HSE says that is a statutory duty only for employers with five or more employees — but it is sensible to keep a record of the assessment, the controls you put in place and any checks. ACoP L8 recommends keeping records of monitoring, inspections and checks for at least five years. Those records are what you would rely on if a tenant became ill.
What can go wrong if you ignore it
- Prosecution. HSE says that if a tenant contracted Legionnaires’ disease from the water system, the landlord may be prosecuted under the 1974 Act and would have to demonstrate to a court that the duty was met.
- Civil claims. A tenant who becomes ill may bring a personal injury claim.
- Licensing and lettings friction. Councils, letting agents and insurers often ask for evidence that water hygiene has been assessed, especially for HMOs. See which certificates you need for HMO licensing.
Bundle with your fire risk assessment
If you let an HMO or a building with common parts, you will usually also need a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — typically £180–£350 for small premises and £350–£750 for medium or sleeping-risk buildings. Ask for both on one quote and we will coordinate a single visit where possible. Our HMO fire risk assessment guide explains the fire side.
Official sources
Checked 2 October 2026:
- HSE — Legionella and landlords’ responsibilities
- HSE — ACoP L8 (fourth edition, 2013)
- HSE — HSG274 Legionnaires’ disease: technical guidance
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Ready to book your legionella risk assessment?
Next step: Get a quote for a legionella risk assessment through Safety Certificates UK’s matching network. We introduce vetted independent assessors — we do not assess in-house and we do not sell remedial work.
Guidance only — not legal advice. Requirements depend on the premises and enforcing authority. Arrange a formal on-site assessment where needed.