The England and Wales points below use the 2012 regulations and government guidance. Check Scottish and Northern Irish arrangements separately and refer uncertain systems to an appropriately qualified professional.
What you need to know
- Confirm jurisdiction before applying thresholds or timing.
- Use actual equipment and control information.
- Agree accredited scope and safe access.
- Retain the report and act on unresolved evidence questions.
Check applicable building and country
Record the full premises and UK nation, including floor or unit boundaries. Use the framework applying to that building. A national service website should not cause England and Wales inspection or penalty wording to be copied automatically into a Scottish or Northern Irish assessment.
Check TM44 eligibility and requirementsIdentify cooling equipment and effective rated output
Obtain manufacturer-rated cooling output and identify connected components. Electrical input, floor area and the number of visible indoor units do not establish effective rated cooling output. Keep uncertain ratings as queries for the assessor instead of entering estimates as confirmed facts.
Review grouped systems and common control
Map units within the building and identify the person controlling temperatures for the relevant grouping rule. Show shared plant and independent installations. Avoid either ignoring relevant smaller units or counting indoor and outdoor components twice when compiling the equipment schedule.
Confirm the person responsible for operation
Establish who controls technical functioning and can arrange the inspection. Compare landlord, tenant and facilities responsibilities with practical operation. A job title, ownership entry or person adjusting a wall controller should not be the sole basis for assigning the obligation.
Verify assessor accreditation and scope
Verify the proposed assessor’s accreditation and suitability for the installation. Agree which systems and locations are included and what records are required. A company logo or general service description does not establish the credentials or availability of the person assigned.
Prepare safe site and controls access
Arrange permissions, escorts and safe access to plant and controls. Identify someone able to explain normal use. Disclose inaccessible areas when the visit is planned rather than expecting an assessor to bypass building restrictions or inspect equipment through an unsafe route.
Review inspection findings and report reference
Check the full report’s building identity, inspection date, assessor, assessed plant and applicable reference. Read limitations as well as recommendations. Raise errors with the assessor, keeping the issued file intact while the matter is clarified.
Track document retention and renewal dates
Retain the report against the building and current asset register, with a planning date before the next required assessment. Track plant changes and operational handovers. A maintenance visit or newly downloaded report copy should not reset the recorded inspection date.
Request an accredited TM44 inspection quotationCheck the governing guidance
This article does not authenticate a government register entry or establish the status of an individual building. Confirm the applicable national framework and the actual installed equipment before relying on a compliance conclusion.
England and Wales legal points are anchored in current government publications and the regulations. Technical applicability for a specific building still requires its actual system information.