Professional Services provided by Concept Environmental Solutions Limited
A legionella risk assessment is a detailed evaluation of your building’s water systems, carried out to find conditions where Legionella bacteria could develop and to set out how to control them. Aimed at the duty holder rather than the engineer, it translates a technical inspection into a clear, actionable plan.
The assessment follows BS 8580-1, the British Standard governing legionella risk assessment. Legionella occurs naturally in water but becomes a problem when water stagnates and sits between 20 °C and 45 °C, the range in which the bacteria thrive. Stored, recirculated or rarely used water is the usual culprit, especially where systems can produce a breathable spray, such as showers, taps and cooling towers.
The result is a written record of your system, an evaluation of who is at risk, and a prioritised set of actions.
Anyone in control of a building with a water system. This includes an employer, landlord or managing agent who has a legal duty to assess and manage Legionella risk. In a city of dense, mixed-use and often ageing building stock, that duty applies widely.
We assess a broad range of London premises, including:
Premises with swimming pools, spa pools or cooling towers carry heightened risk and need particular attention. And if you let residential property anywhere in London, you also hold landlord duties to assess and control Legionella risk in the water systems your tenants depend on.
Legionella control is underpinned by established law. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require you to control the risk from hazardous substances, Legionella included. ACOP L8 and the guidance in HSG274 Parts 1–3 explain how, and BS 8580-1:2019 sets the standard for the assessment itself.
As the duty holder, you must ensure a suitable and sufficient assessment exists and that its recommended controls are implemented and maintained.
Reviews should take place at least every two years, or sooner whenever the water system, its use or building occupancy changes. Where these duties are neglected, the HSE can take enforcement action and impose fines, and, more seriously, occupants are left exposed to avoidable risk.
We make the process clear and minimally disruptive, which matters in busy London buildings.
As every stage is handled by Concept, there’s no need to juggle multiple contractors. We typically issue the written report within five working days of the site visit, and for restaurants, central London offices and managed residential blocks, we routinely work out of hours to avoid disrupting your operation.
Concept Environmental offers genuine depth on every assessment. We hold more than 90 years of combined experience, with over 60 specialists across four UK offices, so you’re never reliant on a lone contractor.
We are LCA accredited and a BSRIA member, with UKAS, BESA, SafeContractor, CSCS and ARMA accreditations behind our work. As part of the Celnor Group, we can call on broader environmental and compliance expertise when a project demands it.
Our London regional office in Holborn means assessors who know the city, understand its building stock and can respond quickly across the capital.
London Regional Office: Beaumont Midtown, 322 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7PB
Working from our Holborn office, we cover the whole of Greater London. Our assessors are regularly on site across the City of London, Westminster, Canary Wharf and Camden, as well as Islington, Hackney, Shoreditch, Kensington, Hammersmith, Croydon, Wandsworth and Stratford. Being centrally based in Midtown means we can reach most parts of the capital quickly, and our coverage extends comfortably into the Home Counties for clients with sites just beyond the M25. Wherever your building sits, you’ll get the same accredited assessment and responsive service. Outside this list? Get in touch as we travel beyond the core London patch.
Yes. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and COSHH 2002, any London business in control of premises with a water system must assess and manage Legionella risk. A documented assessment is how you demonstrate compliance, so for offices, hospitality and healthcare sites, it is effectively a legal necessity.
From our Holborn office we can usually reach central London sites within 24 hours and often sooner for urgent enquiries. Because we work out of hours, we can also schedule visits in the evening or at weekends to avoid disrupting a busy office, restaurant or residential block. Call us to arrange a convenient time.
Yes. We regularly assess HMOs, blocks of flats and managed residential developments across London, working with landlords, freeholders and managing agents. These properties carry clear landlord duties around Legionella, and we provide the assessment and any follow-up controls needed to keep them compliant, with minimal disruption to residents.
A risk assessment evaluates your whole water system to identify where Legionella risk exists and what controls are needed. Water sampling is a laboratory test of the water itself, checking for the presence of bacteria. The assessment may recommend sampling as one control, but sampling alone doesn’t satisfy your legal duty, the assessment does.
Your legionella risk assessment should be reviewed at least every two years. You should also reassess sooner if your water system is altered, occupancy changes, the building’s use changes, or after any case that has been linked to your premises. Keeping the assessment current ensures your controls stay appropriate and compliant.
Yes. Through our leisure and water hygiene services, we assess and manage higher-risk systems, including hotel spa pools, swimming pools and cooling towers. These readily generate aerosols and demand particular care, so our specialists apply the specific controls each system requires and can manage ongoing treatment and monitoring.
Meet your legal duties and protect building users with a professional legionella risk assessment in London. Concept Environmental’s accredited assessors make compliance clear, fast and low-disruption.
