The single most useful thing a self-managed block can build is a list of its recurring obligations with dates attached. Almost every problem in a small building traces back to something that should have happened on a schedule but did not: a lapsed policy, an expired certificate, a missed filing. None of it is hard. It just has to be tracked.
Below are the obligations grouped by type. Exactly which apply, and how often, depends on your building, so treat this as the checklist to localise rather than a one-size-fits-all rule. The point is that every one of them lives on a calendar, not in someone's memory.
Fire safety: the non-negotiable
Fire safety is the area where getting it wrong matters most, and where the law is most specific. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a fire risk assessment of the building's common parts, kept up to date. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, in force since January 2023, added further duties for the 'responsible person' in many blocks, such as providing fire safety information to residents.
- Fire risk assessment (FRA): arrange a competent assessment of the common parts and review it regularly, and after any significant change. Act on its recommendations and keep the report.
- Fire safety information for residents: make sure residents know the evacuation strategy and basic fire safety arrangements for the building.
- Communal alarms, emergency lighting and extinguishers, where fitted: test and service on schedule and keep the records.
Insurance: protect the whole building
A block must carry buildings insurance covering the full structure, not just individual flats. It is usually a lease requirement, and a lapse can be catastrophic if something goes wrong while you are uninsured.
- Buildings insurance renewal: diarise the renewal date and review the cover and the sum insured each year, ideally with an up-to-date rebuild cost assessment every few years.
- Check the commission: ask what commission your broker or agent earns. Reforms under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 are tightening transparency, so you should be able to see exactly what is being charged.
- Engineering inspections, if you have communal plant: lifts, pressurised systems and similar equipment may need periodic statutory inspection. Most simple small blocks have none, which is part of why they are easy to self-manage.
Electrical, gas and other safety checks
Communal systems carry their own checks. The detail depends on what your building actually has, which for a small converted block is often very little.
| Check | Typical interval | Applies when |
|---|---|---|
| Communal electrical inspection (EICR) | Around every 5 years | There is shared electrical installation, such as hallway lighting |
| Communal gas safety check | Annually | There is a shared gas appliance or communal boiler |
| Asbestos management survey and review | Reviewed regularly | The building was built or refurbished before 2000 |
| Water risk (legionella) assessment | Reviewed periodically | There are shared water tanks or systems |
Company and financial deadlines
If your building runs through a freehold company or RMC, the Companies House filings belong on this same calendar, alongside the building's financial year.
- Confirmation statement: at least once every 12 months, within 14 days of the review period ending.
- Annual accounts: within 9 months of the company's year end, even if dormant.
- Service charge year-end: reconcile the budget against actual spend and account to leaseholders, certified by an accountant if the lease requires it.
- Annual general meeting: where your articles or lease provide for one, to approve accounts and the budget.
A simple annual rhythm
Pulled together, the year for a typical small block looks something like this. Adjust the months to your own renewal and year-end dates.
Start of the service charge year
Agree and issue the budget and service charge demands. Confirm buildings insurance is in place.
Through the year
Log expenditure as it happens, address repairs, and keep the reserve fund topped up. Review the fire risk assessment on its schedule.
Renewal points
Handle insurance renewal and any periodic safety checks as their dates arrive, rather than in a last-minute rush.
After the year end
Prepare the service charge accounts, file company accounts within nine months, and file the confirmation statement when due.
Want this set up and run for your building without doing it from scratch? The switch check is the first step, and our Exit Kit includes a first-year compliance calendar built around your block.
Frequently asked questions
Does a small block of flats legally need a fire risk assessment?+
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a fire risk assessment of the common parts of a block of flats, kept up to date. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 added further duties for the responsible person. This applies to small blocks, including converted houses, not just large developments.
Who is responsible for compliance in a self-managed block?+
The freehold company or RMC, acting through its directors, is responsible. Self-managing does not reduce the obligations; it just means the directors organise them directly rather than paying an agent to. A shared compliance calendar is the practical way to make sure nothing is missed.
What happens if we let the buildings insurance lapse?+
It is one of the most serious things that can go wrong. A lapse usually breaches the lease and leaves the whole building exposed if a fire, flood or major incident occurs while uninsured, potentially costing leaseholders enormous sums. Diarise the renewal and never let it pass unrenewed.
Sources and further reading
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
- GOV.UK: fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
- Companies House: filing deadlines
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Good Flats is not a law firm or a regulated managing agent. Information is verified against UK legislation as of June 2026; some announced reforms are not yet fully in force. Always check your own lease and take professional advice on anything significant.