Do I need a LOLER certificate for our lift?

Surely if you engage support as part of your business, such as cleaners, handymen, etc., it becomes a workplace??

If it were me, for the relatively small cost, I'd do it for peace of mind, if nothing else. I have a small office, just myself, no employees, and I don't see clients in it (other than maybe once or twice per year), but I still have my electrical appliances PAT tested and my fire extinguishers serviced each year. I don't need to, by law, but I do it for peace of mind, as it's simply good practice to keep things safe.

J_B wrote: »

Our additional cost to carry out this inspection and certificate is £75 + VAT a visit in total £150 + Vat a year

I do appreciate that this is a moneysaving site, but I also think that sometimes you need to put things in context.

So, how much of a dent does £150 plus VAT make in your profit margins? Setting that against peace of mind about whether or not you absolutely HAVE to have one or not, what's that worth?

And, my reasoning also goes, if your seller mentioned it to you, have you checked what their reasoning is for suggesting that you DO need it? Is it just for 'peace of mind', or do they really think you OUGHT to have it?

If you're not convinced by your seller, can you find another company who does maintenance contracts and inspections, and ask them?

As an example, I was talking to our fire alarms inspection people earlier today. We changed who does this last year, and the new company thought we should have more Break Glass points than we had. But they also disagreed with our previous inspections people over the provision of emergency lighting - the previous company wanted more, this company says what we've got is fine. We've looked at what each company says, and made our decision. Both companies can justify what they're saying - "The regulations say ..." - but they can and do interpret the regulations differently.

J_B wrote: »

Well, hundred and fifty quid of course ....

OK, let's try another approach. We have battery operated Dorgards fitted on the office doors at work. I think they are marvellous things. Until they stop working properly.

Because I KNOW that they are all getting to the end of their life, I have a spare in my cupboard. When changing the batteries no longer cuts it, I unscrew it, put the spare on the door, and post the old one off to the supplier.

They tell me it's beyond economical repair, but they'll sell me a refurbished one. Although while I'm on the line, have I ever thought of upgrading to the newer versions, which could be 'taught' to stay open over the noise of the vacuum cleaner and only close for the actual fire alarm.

Now, the cost of a refurbished one is paltry in terms of our annual accounts. And the risk of the whole place going up in smoke because some helpful person propped the fire door open with a fire extinguisher so we couldn't isolate the kitchen - well, it's a definite possibility and happens regularly when the one on the kitchen door has gone on the blink.

So to me, it's a no-brainer cost worth paying. Peace of mind and all that. But upgrading so that the vacuum cleaner doesn't make the door close? Are you having a laugh? How hard is it to re-open the door when my colleague has finished vacuuming? Especially as I can't do much while they're vacuuming under and around my desk, so one of us is either going to leave or enter the office, through the door, once they've finished ...

Are your margins SO tight that £150 is a problem? If it's not, I'd pay it.


[QUOTE=JAlso, just had this email ...

There was a temporary problem while delivering your message to hse.infoline@natbrit.com. Gmail will retry for 46 more hours. You'll be notified if the delivery fails permanently.

:mad:

I've just tried another contact page from the link you posted and the auto responder says ...
<<Thank you for submitting your enquiry to the Health & Safety Executive's advice team. We will aim to provide you with a response to your enquiry within 30 working days of receipt. You may also wish to visit our website at https://www.hse.gov.uk where you will find a comprehensive range of health and safety information and guidance.>>

30 working days!! :mad:[/QUOTE]:rotfl: I must confess, that when I answered your question about contacting them, I had no real expectation that it would get you a definitive answer. Sorry, but there it is.

In The Good Old Days, the local fire brigade would have come out and inspected your property and advised what fire safety measures you needed to put in place. They don't do that any more: it's your responsibility as a business owner / employer to work it out for yourself. There are consultants who will do this for you, at a price.

Actually, that's a thought, is there a 'holiday property owners association / federation / club' where you can ask such questions?

If you were putting it on any of the booking platforms, would they ask whether or not you had a LOLER for the lift?