Nothing on this page is a single legal requirement, because the records below come from several different regimes: fire safety, health and safety, safeguarding, insurance conditions and, from 2027, Martyn's Law. What they have in common is that somebody will eventually ask to see them.
Fire safety
| Record | Typically kept |
|---|---|
| Fire risk assessment and significant findings | Current version plus previous ones |
| Fire logbook: alarm, lighting, extinguisher, door checks | At least 3 years |
| Fire drill records | At least 3 years |
| Fire safety training and instruction records | While current, plus 3 years |
| Alarm and emergency lighting service certificates | At least 3 years |
| Extinguisher service certificates | At least 3 years |
See fire safety records explained and test frequencies.
Martyn's Law, from 2027
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| The four public protection procedures | Evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication |
| Record of who has been made aware of them | Kept current as people join and leave |
| Named responsible person | Recorded in minutes or a governing document |
| Notification to the SIA | Through the regulator's own portal |
| Capacity assessment and how it was reached | Supports which tier applies |
Standard tier has no duty to file a documented assessment, but the duty is qualified by what is reasonably practicable, so being able to show your working matters. See the Martyn's Law guide.
Building and equipment
| Record | Typical cycle |
|---|---|
| Electrical installation condition report (EICR) | Commonly every 5 years |
| Portable appliance testing (PAT) | Risk-based, commonly annually for a hall |
| Gas safety check, where there is gas | Annually |
| Legionella risk assessment | Reviewed periodically; monitoring records kept |
| Asbestos register and management plan | Where the building predates 2000 |
| Boiler and heating servicing | Annually |
| Play equipment or outdoor inspections | Where applicable |
The asbestos one surprises people. The duty to manage asbestos applies to most non-domestic premises built before 2000, which describes the majority of village halls.
People
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| Accident book and incident records | Kept securely; RIDDOR reports where applicable |
| Safeguarding policy and named lead | Where children or vulnerable adults use the building |
| DBS checks, where required | With expiry or review dates |
| Volunteer induction records | Shows who has been briefed on what |
Accident records involving personal data should be kept securely and in line with data protection duties rather than in an open book on the counter.
Hire and use
| Record | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hire agreements | Including confirmation the hirer saw the safety procedures |
| Public liability insurance | Current certificate, with renewal date |
| Premises licence, where alcohol or entertainment | Plus conditions attached to it |
| PRS and PPL music licences | Where music is played or performed |
Governance
Most halls are charities or CIOs. The trustee register, conflicts of interest register, governing document and annual return dates sit alongside the safety records and are asked for by the same people, usually at the same awkward moment.
Making it manageable
Two things make the difference between a venue that can produce this and one that cannot.
First, one place. Records spread across a filing cabinet, three laptops and a caretaker's notebook are functionally unavailable, even when every individual record exists.
Second, named ownership. Every record above should have someone whose job it is, and that should survive a change of committee. The most common failure is not that nobody did the check; it is that the person who did it left and took the knowledge with them.