Legionella compliance, in plain English.
If you control a building with a water system, ACOP L8 makes you responsible for managing legionella. We explain the duty, the control methods that work, and what to do next — free, with no sign-up.
Not sure where to start? Take the 60-second duty check →
What kind of premises are you responsible for?
The duty is the same law everywhere, but what it asks of you is not. Pick the closest match — each page is written for that building's risk profile.
Landlords & rentals
A real legal duty, but a simple one for a simple system. Often two sides of A4.
Lower duty 02Offices & shops
Low intrinsic risk — every disused outlet is the trap to watch.
Lower duty 03Care homes
Vulnerable residents and CQC scrutiny. Use a competent assessor.
Higher scrutiny 04Schools
The long summer shutdown is the key risk to plan around.
Seasonal risk 05Hotels & holiday lets
Transient guests, idle bathrooms, hot tubs — risk moves with occupancy.
Seasonal risk 06Hospitals & healthcare
The full HTM 04-01 regime. Specialist territory from the start.
Higher scrutinyDo the check, don't just read about it
Six interactive tools and references unique to this site. Each gives you something you can act on and write down.
Risk Assessment Builder
Nine questions about your building produce an indicative risk rating and a monitoring schedule built for your system.
Open → 02Temperature checker
Enter hot and cold readings and check them instantly against the HSG274 thresholds.
Open → 03Cost calculator
A tailored estimate from your building type, outlets, and whether you store hot water.
Open → 04Enforcement tracker
Real UK prosecutions where legionella control failed — the failings, the companies, the fines.
Open → 05Temperature chart
The danger zone, safe zones and monitoring targets from HSG274, at a glance.
Open → 06Worked example
See a completed risk assessment for a six-flat HMO — what good looks like before you write your own.
Open →Legionnaires' disease in England & Wales
Figures from UKHSA national surveillance (NELSS), maintained on our open Legionella Data Index. Reported cases are a confirmed minimum, not the true total.
180 guides, kept current
Written to the ACOP L8 framework and reviewed against HSG274. Every guide shows its last review date on the page.
What are the legionella temperatures?
Reviewed 2 Aug 2026Can you get legionella from air conditioning?
Reviewed 2 Aug 2026What is the difference between legionella and legionnaires' disease?
Reviewed 2 Aug 2026The free risk assessment template
A structured Word document following the five-step ACOP L8 approach — risk identification, written scheme, monitoring, records. Emailed instantly.