Rank: Forum user 
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I would be grateful for some help. I have a client who runs an end of tenancy cleaning business which involves cleaners entering domestic properties to clean them prior to a new tenant moving in. At present there are no procedures in place to protect the cleaners from the risk of legionella. Mindful that landlords now have responsibilities to prevent legionella - what can the business owner do to ensure the necessary precautions are in place. Due to the number of cleans that take place, I'm advised it would be too onerous to request evidence for every property from each landlord/estate agent.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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How soon after the vacation of the property are the cleaners going in? In most residential premises the taps, toilets, showers etc will be used fairly regularly so there should be a reasonable turnover of water.
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 1 user thanked jodieclark1510 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Given the multitude of times this type of activity will have been carried out in a wide variety of locations and conditions is there any epidemiological evidence that there is a risk sufficiently significant that active management action is needed?
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3 users thanked chris.packham for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user 
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The HSE does provide a risk assesment for this, domestic use is considered low risk, depending on how long the property has been vacant for. http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/faqs.htm
As a control measure you could instruct your staff to flush all systems including showers for 5mins prior to commencing work. Testing prior to work is expensive and time concuming in our experience.
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2 users thanked jmaclaughlin for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Amazing how the HSE can do risk assessments from afar these days...
Being pedantic aside, it should be relatively low risk if previously fully occupied and within a short timescale of your cleaners visit. Your control measures could be - find out when tenants moved out and so long as within one week of visit, probably fair to assume v. low legionella risk.
If greater than 1 week then a sliding scale of flushing might be needed bearing in mind that water out of the outlets - especially the shower - is likely the highest risk water. Shower heads can be removed before turning on...cleaned in a descaler etc. Shower hoses can be directed straight into the plug holes...
Some guidance for your cleaners on flushing where there is doubt or active concern re: possible risk would be beneficial.
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1 user thanked Xavier123 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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And then on TV you come across a series such as Grime Busters, Serial Horders or similar where a set of professional cleaners enter a property that has been neglected, some time for decades its owner not having been able to reach, let alone use the kitchen sink or bathroom often with the toilet bowl looking drier than the mojave desert - a remote (HSE) assumption is no good in such circumstances Occassionally these cleaners actually wear their masks correctly
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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And then on TV you come across a series such as Grime Busters, Serial Horders or similar where a set of professional cleaners enter a property that has been neglected, some time for decades its owner not having been able to reach, let alone use the kitchen sink or bathroom often with the toilet bowl looking drier than the mojave desert - a remote (HSE) assumption is no good in such circumstances Occassionally these cleaners actually wear their masks correctly
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user
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Thanks to all for the replies and advice :-)
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