Responsibility for plumbing repairs in commercial premises usually depends on the lease. In some leases the tenant is responsible for most repairs, while in others the landlord keeps responsibility for shared services or the main structure, and the cost may be recovered through a service charge.
Because commercial leases vary so much, checking the wording of your own lease is usually the first step. Knowing where responsibility sits can help avoid delays when a repair is needed.
What the Lease May Say
Some commercial leases make the tenant responsible for repairing and maintaining the premises, including the plumbing within them. Others split responsibility, with the tenant looking after fixtures inside the unit and the landlord looking after shared pipework, drains or plant.
Responsibility for fixtures the tenant has added, such as an extra sink or a staff kitchen, may also depend on what was agreed when they were fitted.
The lease may also say who arranges repairs and how costs are shared. If the wording is unclear, a solicitor or surveyor may be able to advise.
Shared Buildings and Common Parts
In buildings with several units, such as shopping parades, office blocks or mixed-use buildings, some plumbing may serve more than one unit. This can include rising mains, shared soil stacks, drains and washrooms in common areas.
A leak from a unit above, or a blockage in a drain that serves several units, may affect you even though the cause is not in your premises.
Problems with shared parts are often dealt with by the landlord or managing agent, while problems that only affect one unit may fall to the tenant. Reporting a problem promptly to the right person can help avoid delays.
The Public Supply and Sewers
As with homes, water companies are usually responsible for their own mains and pipes up to the boundary, while pipework on the property is usually the responsibility of whoever is liable under the lease or ownership. Problems on the public sewer are usually the sewerage company’s responsibility.
If several neighbouring premises are affected at once, the problem may be outside your property.
What to Do When a Problem Happens
Keeping a copy of the relevant parts of the lease, and contact details for the landlord or managing agent, somewhere easy to find can save time when a problem happens.
Check whether the problem affects only your unit or shared parts, note when it started and take photographs. Let your landlord or managing agent know if shared parts may be involved. If water is escaping, isolate the supply if the stopcock is known and turns normally.
Our page on business plumbing repairs explains how plumbing faults in business premises are assessed and repaired.
If you have a plumbing problem at commercial premises in Poole, a plumber can assess the issue and explain what is needed to put it right.