Facilities insights and guides

It depends on footfall and how the space is used. As a guide, toilets, kitchens, bins and busy touch points such as door handles and lift buttons are cleaned every working day, while desks, floors and communal areas follow a set weekly schedule. Busy areas such as receptions, shared kitchens and gyms need more. Put the frequencies in a written specification and review it after the first month.

Ask for proof of public liability insurance, a written specification and price, how the work is supervised, and what happens if a visit is missed or falls short. Ask who your point of contact is and how issues are reported. Every Atlas South job is covered by £5 million public liability insurance.

Reactive maintenance fixes something after it fails, such as a leak or a dead circuit. Planned maintenance is scheduled servicing and inspection that catches problems earlier, which usually means fewer emergencies and less disruption. Most buildings need both, with reactive cover for the unexpected.

In Great Britain, anyone carrying out gas work legally must be on the Gas Safe Register. Ask to see the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card, check that it covers the type of work being done, and confirm it on the Gas Safe Register website. Atlas South is Gas Safe Registered.

Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical safety in homes in England. Some domestic electrical work must be notified to building control or carried out by a registered competent person who can certify it. Rules differ across the UK nations, so check the requirement for your property. Atlas South is Part P Certified.

Landlords of privately rented homes in England must arrange a gas safety check every 12 months for gas appliances, have the electrical installation inspected at least every five years, and fit smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms where required. Rules change, so check current guidance on gov.uk. Our home and landlord services cover these jobs.

Your fire risk assessment sets what applies, but typical routines are a weekly fire alarm call point test, a monthly emergency lighting check, an annual full-duration emergency lighting test, and regular servicing of the alarm system and extinguishers by a competent engineer. Log every check and fix faults straight away.

Yes. In the UK, people doing licensable security work, such as guarding for hire, must hold the right Security Industry Authority licence. Ask to see the licence card and check it on the SIA’s online register. Atlas South is SIA Licensed.

Agree the post orders (what officers do on each shift), the hours and cover, how incidents are reported, who to call out of hours and how absences are covered. Ask for a named supervisor and regular reporting.

A clear scope of services, response times for emergencies and routine jobs, a single point of contact, regular reporting, evidence of insurance and a review schedule. One contract covering hard and soft services avoids chasing several suppliers.

Treat gas smells, major leaks, loss of power, fire damage and security breaches as emergencies. If you smell gas, leave the building, avoid switches and naked flames and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. In a fire or immediate danger, call 999. For other emergencies, call Atlas South on 07778 858278, answered 24/7.