PPM Schedule for a Block of Flats: A Starter Checklist

A planned preventative maintenance (PPM) schedule for a block of flats lists every asset in the common parts, what needs checking, how often, who does it and where the record is kept. Build it in two layers: first the checks that law or official guidance sets a frequency for, such as fire doors, gas appliances, lifts and water systems, then the routine care that keeps the roof, drainage, door entry and plant working.

The legal layer depends on the building. A two storey block and an 18 metre tower share some duties but not others, so the starting point is knowing the height, what plant is installed and who the responsible person is.

Start with an asset register

Building height and number of storeys, measured to the top occupied floor, because several fire safety duties start at 11 metres and 18 metres
Fire safety systems: alarm and detection, emergency lighting, smoke ventilation, dry or wet risers, fire doors in the common parts and flat entrance doors
Gas plant the landlord provides, such as communal boilers, with every appliance and flue listed
Water systems: cold water storage tanks, hot water cylinders or calorifiers, booster pumps and little-used outlets
Lifts, automatic doors, gates and car park barriers
Door entry, access control and CCTV
Roofs, gutters, roof outlets, drainage and external fabric
The current fire risk assessment, the last electrical report and manufacturer servicing requirements

The statutory core

These items set the backbone of the calendar. Frequencies below are minimums from the regulations or official guidance, and your fire risk assessment or the last inspection report can require more.

Fire risk assessment: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires it to be reviewed regularly, and since 1 October 2023 every responsible person in England must keep a written record of the assessment and its findings
Fire doors in buildings over 11 metres: quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts, including self-closing devices, and annual checks of flat entrance doors on a best endeavours basis, with fire door information given to residents every year (see our Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 guide)
Buildings of at least 18 metres or seven storeys: monthly checks of firefighters lifts, evacuation lifts and essential fire-fighting equipment such as rising mains, smoke control and fire alarm systems, with results recorded so residents can see them and faults not fixed within 24 hours reported to the fire and rescue service
Emergency lighting: a monthly function test and an annual full duration test, following BS 5266-1 (see our emergency lighting testing guide)
Fire alarm and detection: tested and serviced at the intervals set by the system's British Standard and your fire risk assessment, with every test logged
Gas: each appliance and flue a landlord provides checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer at intervals of no more than 12 months, with records kept for at least two years and a copy given to existing tenants within 28 days (see our gas safety guide)
Electrics: in let flats, the fixed installation inspected and tested at least every five years, or sooner if the last report says so (see our EICR guide)
Water: a legionella risk assessment reviewed periodically and whenever something changes, with monitoring such as monthly temperature checks at sentinel outlets, and HSE recommends keeping monitoring records for at least five years (see our legionella guide)
Lifts: where a lift is used by people at work, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 require a thorough examination at least every six months for equipment that lifts people

Residential lifts need care. HSE says these regulations may not apply where a passenger lift is not used by people at work, but whoever controls the lift in connection with their business still has duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and a similar regime of maintenance and examination may be entirely reasonably practicable. Keeping six monthly thorough examinations in the schedule, alongside routine servicing, is the safer default.

Then add the building itself

These rarely have a legal frequency, so set them from manufacturer instructions, condition and what reactive call-outs tell you. Typical items:

Gutters, roof outlets and drains cleared before winter, and a roof inspection after storms (our winter maintenance checklist covers the seasonal work)
Door entry, access control, gates and barriers serviced, with fobs and codes audited
Communal lighting, timers and sensors checked on a set round
Pumps, extract fans and ventilation serviced to the manufacturer's schedule
CCTV checked for coverage, recording and retention settings
External fabric, balconies and walkways inspected and photographed so defects can be tracked

Turning the list into a schedule

Group tasks into monthly, quarterly, six monthly, annual and five yearly visits
Align due dates where the rules allow: gas checks done up to two months early keep their original anniversary
Plan access early for anything inside flats, such as entrance door checks, and log every attempt
Keep one register of each task, its last and next date, the certificate and any remedial action, so overdue items are visible
Review reactive repair data every quarter and move recurring faults into the planned schedule

Local fire services publish their own guidance: London Fire Brigade explains the 2022 regulations by building type, and Greater Manchester and Merseyside fire and rescue services run online routes for reporting high-rise faults. In leasehold blocks, a maintenance contract longer than 12 months where any leaseholder pays more than £100 a year is a qualifying long-term agreement and needs section 20 consultation first.

How Apex helps

Apex Options builds and runs planned preventative maintenance schedules for residential and commercial buildings, with on-site delivery in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. We start from your asset register and fire risk assessment, combine visits where we can and keep certificates, logs and remedial actions together under fire safety and compliance. This guide is general information, not legal advice, so confirm your building's specific duties with a qualified professional.

Sources

Apex OptionsPublished 20 October 2026

Questions

Questions.

What should a PPM schedule for a block of flats include?

Every asset in the common parts, what needs checking, how often, who does it and where the record is kept. Start with the checks set by regulations, such as fire doors, gas, electrics, water and lifts, then add roofs, drainage, door entry and other plant.

How often should fire doors be checked in a block of flats?

In England, in buildings with storeys over 11 metres, fire doors in the common parts must be checked every quarter and flat entrance doors every year on a best endeavours basis. Below 11 metres no set frequency is given, but the doors must still give adequate protection, so your fire risk assessment should set one.

Do lifts in a residential block need six monthly examinations?

Where a lift is used by people at work, a thorough examination is required at least every six months. HSE says the rules may not apply where a lift is not used at work, but whoever controls the lift still has general safety duties, and a similar regime may well be reasonably practicable.

Keep reading

Related guides.

Security · 16 October 2026

Planned preventative maintenance for a block of flats: a starter checklist.

Start with an asset register

The statutory core

Then add the building itself

Turning the list into a schedule

How Apex helps

Sources

Questions.

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