Office Property Compliance Checklist For Landlords in 2025

Office property compliance checklist for landlords in 2025

Offices can be attractive properties to own and let for UK investors. Well-located and high-quality offices can generate excellent levels of rental income and attract long-term tenants. Following the pandemic, demand for offices fell. However, although working from home some of the time is the norm for many organisations, most still require some form of office space. That has led to strong prime office rental growth  over the last few years.

But there’s more to being an office landlord than just collecting the rent. As with any commercial property, if you own and rent out an office or plan to invest in the sector, there are ever-changing regulations and health and safety requirements that you must meet. 

That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive office building compliance checklist. It will help you avoid penalties and meet your commercial landlord legal obligations in 2025.

Commercial landlord legal obligations

Commercial lease agreement

Legally, an office landlord doesn’t have to put a commercial lease agreement in writing, but it is very risky not to. This type of agreement can be complex, which is why it’s essential to have a compliant lease agreement that protects the rights of the tenant and landlord and reduces the likelihood of disputes.

It should set out:

• The parties involved
• The premises (plans, boundaries, rights of access)
• The lease term and any break clauses
• The rent due, payment terms and rent reviews
• Service charge and insurance contributions
• Repairs and maintenance obligations
• Permitted use of the property
• Assignment and subletting rules
• Compliance duties (health & safety, asbestos, fire safety, etc.)
• Dilpaidations

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

As of April 2023, you cannot legally let an office in the UK unless it has an EPC rating of E or above. This is currently one of the leading office building compliance risks that landlords are falling foul of.   

An EPC provides prospective tenants with vital information about the building’s energy efficiency and potential running costs. You must have a valid EPC when you sell or let an office, and it is your responsibility as the owner or landlord to put it in place. 

Some offices are exempt from this requirement. That includes those in detached premises with a useful floor area of less than 50m², and temporary buildings that are in use for less than two years.

Accessibility

Under the Equality Act 2010, office landlords must make reasonable adjustments to common parts of the office, such as lifts, toilets and entrances, so disabled people can access them safely. Unfortunately, this key legal duty is sometimes overlooked.  

Data protection

If you hold tenant data or have CCTV in common areas of the building, you must also comply with UK Data Protection and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). That includes implementing suitable data policies and putting appropriate signage in place.

Health and safety requirements for office landlords

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

Office landlords have a legal duty of care to provide safe premises for tenants and their employees. Although an Electrical Installation Condition Report is not a legal necessity, it is the recognised way of proving compliance with the legislation.

An EICR ensures electrical installations are safe for employees, contractors, customers and visitors, and should be completed by a qualified electrician every five years. This is usually the responsibility of the landlord if they control the building’s infrastructure and systems under the terms of the lease.

Gas Safety Certificate

As part of the health and safety requirements for office landlords, you must carry out an annual Gas Safe inspection of any office that contains gas appliances. 

Depending on the terms of the lease, the landlord is typically responsible for the safety of gas appliances in common areas or where services are provided to tenants. The tenant will usually arrange testing of the appliances and systems in the specific area they lease. The landlord can share certificates with tenants through a compliance pack.  

Fire risk assessment

Conducting regular fire risk assessments is another health and safety requirement for office landlords. The aim is to identify and mitigate the fire risks within the property.

Again, ultimate responsibility for carrying out the assessment will depend on the terms of the lease. If the landlord retains control of shared parts of the building, such as stairwells and lobbies, they are typically responsible for conducting an assessment of those areas. It usually falls on tenants to arrange fire risk assessments in their office space.

The law doesn’t specify how often you should conduct fire safety assessments. However, as a general rule, you should review them at least every 12 months or whenever there are significant changes to the building, such as the introduction of new equipment, new occupants or structural alterations.

Health and safety risk assessments

As well as fire risk assessments, office landlords that employ staff or control common areas of the building must conduct general health and safety risk assessments and implement policies to ensure the safety of tenants, employees and visitors.  

Asbestos management

If your office was constructed before 2000, you must identify any asbestos-containing materials, put a plan in place to manage or remove them safely and carry out regular risk assessments. 

That is usually the responsibility of the landlord for common areas such as stairwells, lobbies and service ducts. Responsibility may pass to the tenant in single-let offices, depending on the terms of the lease.

Legionella risk assessment

Under health and safety law, landlords of offices with water storage tanks, showers or cooling systems must have a Legionella assessment. Landlords and property managers usually hire specialists to conduct assessments and perform maintenance on their behalf. 
Additional compliance considerations

Landlord’s proof of title

It’s not a legal obligation for a commercial landlord to have the Land Registry title document to present to a tenant as proof of ownership. However, you will usually be asked to provide it by the tenant’s solicitor during the leasing process. If you cannot provide an official copy of the proof of title, most tenants will be advised not to sign the lease.

Insurance cover

It’s often thought that buildings and liability insurance are a legal requirement for commercial landlords. However, no blanket law says office landlords need to have either. That said, it is a crucial consideration and deserving of a place on our office property compliance checklist. 

• Property owner’s liability insurance - Commercial landlords have a legal duty to keep tenants, visitors, contractors and customers safe on their premises. If an incident does occur, for example, due to a poorly maintained roof or car park, it could lead to costly claims. That’s why property owners’ liability insurance is usually considered essential. Putting this cover in place is also a common requirement of mortgage lenders.  
• Buildings insurance - Buildings insurance is also not a legal requirement. That said, it is standard practice, and mortgage lenders will usually request that buildings insurance is in place as a condition of the loan. Most commercial leases allow landlords to recover the cost of buildings insurance from tenants through the service charge.
• Employer’s liability insurance - Employer’s liability insurance, on the other hand, is a legal requirement if you employ anyone to look after the office directly, such as a cleaner or maintenance staff. If you use external commercial property managers, you will not usually need your own cover.

Expert assistance to meet your UK office property regulations 

At Eddisons, we offer a full suite of office property services to help you meet your obligations as a commercial landlord. That includes commercial property managers who take care of the compliance fundamentals and deliver value-adding extras to elevate your assets. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements with our team.