Legionella risk assessment cost

A legionella risk assessment is a legal requirement for a landlord to carry out on a property in order to make sure it is safe for tenants, and it must assess the domestic hot and cold water systems, water heaters, tanks and water temperature.

But what is legionella and why is it so dangerous? Legionella bacteria live in water and if someone inhales water droplets that are contaminated with legionella, they could get legionnaire’s disease. The disease is a form of pneumonia and can be fatal in as many as 30% of cases. That is why landlords are obliged to get legionella risk assessments, just like they are a fire risk assessment.

So, what is the cost of legionella risk assessment for landlords?

Legionella risk assessment cost for landlords

A legionella risk assessment must be taken out in domestic properties. The cost will vary depending on the size of the house, but also if you are having an assessment on a single property or if it’s a group of properties through a letting agent.

The cost of a legionella risk assessment for an individual property will be around £90 – £200. For an assessment through a letting agent managing multiple properties, the price will be slightly lower, and you can expect a cost of around £50 – £100 per house.

Legionella risk assessment cost for commercial landlords

Every commercial establishment uses water and this water must be safe for the occupants within the building.

The cost of a legionella risk assessment on a commercial property will depend on the scale of the assessment needed. For example, the bigger the property, and the more water storage tanks and cylinders etc there are, the higher the cost will be.

For a small dental practice, office, or GP surgery, it can cost an average of £200 for a legionella risk assessment. Buildings such as gyms (especially with swimming pools), large offices and care homes will be looking to pay nearer to £500.

For large scale properties such as a hospital or hotel, a legionella risk assessment will cost £500 – £2,000+.

Legionella certificate cost

Certain legionella testing agencies might recommend that you buy a legionella test certificate. However, the HSE does not require nor recognise this.

As a landlord, you are obliged to conduct legionella risk assessments, but you don’t have to keep records of it. Of course, you could keep a record for your own benefit but you’re not required to by the HSE.

However, if someone contracts legionnaire’s disease while on your premises, you may be legally liable. In such a case, you may have to prove you’ve had regular assessments. Even then, you may simply need to show you had the assessment, with invoices or payments made to the assessment company, without requiring a certificate.

FAQs

How often should I pay for a legionella risk assessment?

There are no guidelines for how often you need to have a legionella risk assessment as a landlord. In general, you should get a risk assessment if you ever make a change to your water system.

Am I legally obliged to have regular legionella risk assessments?

If you’re a landlord of a large commercial setup that uses water, you must have regular legionella risk assessments. It’s not a requirement for small domestic landlords, but you should have them for your own protection.

However, you must have legionella testing if you own establishments with large water systems that are complex. For example, swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs, cooling towers, etc.

Can I do my own legionella risk assessment?

We recommend hiring a professional for anything health and safety related.

How do you carry out a legionella risk assessment?

When carrying out a legionella risk assessment, the first thing is to identify where the risk is and who it could affect. This is done by identifying the points where infection could arise and monitoring the water temperatures. The risk assessment is best left to a professional.