What Is Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM)?
Planned preventative maintenance, usually shortened to PPM, is a structured way of inspecting, servicing and maintaining a building before faults develop into larger problems.
Instead of waiting for something to break, the property owner, facilities team or maintenance contractor creates a schedule of routine checks and planned work. The aim is to spot deterioration early, protect important assets and reduce avoidable disruption.
PPM can cover the building fabric, fixed equipment, external areas and specialist systems. The exact programme will depend on the type of property, how it is used, its age, condition and the legal or operational requirements that apply.
What does planned preventative maintenance include?
A PPM programme should be based on the actual property rather than a generic checklist. Typical activities may include:
• Roof, gutter and rainwater outlet inspections
• Brickwork, pointing and external wall checks
• Door, window and ironmongery maintenance
• Drainage checks and minor clearance work
• Damp, mould and water ingress inspections
• Building fabric repairs
• Condition surveys and photographic reporting
Some activities are general building maintenance, while others need specialist contractors. Gas systems, electrical installations, fire safety equipment, lifts, pressure systems and air conditioning may have separate inspection, servicing or testing requirements.
A good PPM schedule should make responsibilities clear, including who completes each task, how often it is required and what evidence must be retained.
What is the difference between planned and reactive maintenance?
Planned maintenance is arranged in advance. Reactive maintenance happens after a fault, failure or urgent defect has already been identified.
Reactive work will always be needed to some extent. The problem arises when it becomes the main maintenance strategy.
A planned approach helps reduce preventable failures. Clearing gutters and checking roof details may identify a minor defect before water enters the building. Inspecting doors and ironmongery may stop a small fault from becoming an access or security issue.
The best maintenance strategy normally combines both approaches. Planned work controls known risks and recurring needs, while a reliable reactive service deals with unexpected problems.
Why is PPM important for commercial buildings?
It helps identify defects earlier
Many costly building problems begin as minor defects. A loose roof detail, failed seal or small leak may be straightforward to repair when found early. If ignored, the same issue can cause water damage, mould, damaged finishes and operational disruption.
It improves budget control
Emergency work is difficult to budget for. Planned maintenance gives organisations time to obtain quotations, group tasks together and schedule larger work across the year.
It reduces disruption
Maintenance can be arranged around quieter periods, school holidays, void periods, shutdowns or agreed access windows.
It supports safety and compliance
The Health and Safety Executive advises employers to keep work equipment maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. HSE guidance also notes that establishing a planned maintenance programme can help reduce risk.
Not every PPM task is a statutory inspection, and a routine visit does not replace specialist legal checks. However, a structured programme helps make sure responsibilities are identified, assigned and recorded.
It protects property condition
Regular maintenance can extend the useful life of building components and finishes. It also reduces the chance of premature replacement caused by neglect.
It creates better records
Clear records help property managers understand recurring faults, compare spending and plan future investment.
How does a PPM programme work?
A practical planned preventative maintenance programme normally follows six steps.
Step 1: Create an asset and property register
List the buildings, areas, systems and components that need to be maintained.
Step 2: Review condition and risk
Inspect the property and record existing defects. Consider what would happen if each item failed. Safety-critical, security-related and business-critical items should receive greater priority than minor cosmetic issues.
Step 3: Set suitable frequencies
There is no single frequency that suits every building or asset. The schedule should take account of manufacturer recommendations, legal requirements, building condition, level of use, previous faults, seasonal risks and business criticality.
Some tasks may be monthly or quarterly. Others may be annual, seasonal or completed over a longer cycle.
Step 4: Assign responsibility
Identify who arranges, approves, completes and records each activity.
For leased premises, the lease should be checked before significant work is instructed.
Step 5: Complete and record the work
Each visit should record findings, photographs, completed repairs, recommendations and follow-on actions.
A tick against a schedule is not enough if there is no evidence of what was inspected or what condition it was in.
Step 6: Review performance
The programme should be reviewed regularly. Property managers should look at overdue tasks, repeated defects, reactive repair volumes and whether planned work is reducing failures.
Government facilities management guidance recommends tracking the planned maintenance schedule against the maintenance actually delivered.
How often should PPM be carried out?
The frequency depends on the task and the risk.
Seasonal checks are often sensible for roofs, gutters, external areas and drainage. High-use areas may need more frequent attention than low-use spaces.
Specialist equipment should be maintained in line with applicable legislation, risk assessments and manufacturer guidance. Building fabric frequencies should reflect age, condition, exposure and previous defects.
A contractor should be cautious about offering a standard schedule without first understanding the property.
What does planned preventative maintenance cost?
There is no universal PPM price because every property and service requirement is different.
The cost will usually depend on:
• Number and size of properties
• Age and condition of the buildings
• Type and frequency of inspections
• Access requirements
• Specialist servicing needs
• Reporting requirements
• Amount of minor repair work included
Some contractors charge for each visit. Others provide a monthly, quarterly or annual agreement.
The important point is to understand what is included. A lower annual price may only cover inspections, while another proposal may include minor repairs, reporting and priority attendance.
For a fuller explanation, see our guide to commercial property maintenance costs in the UK.
Planned preventative maintenance checklist
A basic PPM review should answer the following questions:
• Do we have an up-to-date list of properties and maintainable assets?
• Are safety-critical and business-critical items identified?
• Does every task have a suitable frequency?
• Are statutory inspections separated from general maintenance checks?
• Is responsibility clear between landlord, tenant and contractors?
• Do we receive photographs and clear completion notes?
• Are follow-on repairs assigned and tracked?
• Do we review repeat faults and reactive spending?
• Is the programme updated when the building or its use changes?
Common PPM mistakes to avoid
Common mistakes include using a generic checklist that does not reflect the property, recording that an inspection took place without documenting what was found, and failing to act on identified defects.
Businesses should also avoid treating PPM as a substitute for statutory testing, setting frequencies without considering risk, leaving landlord and tenant responsibilities unclear, and repeatedly postponing planned work until it becomes urgent.
A good programme should lead to action. If the same roof leak, door fault or drainage problem appears repeatedly, the underlying cause should be investigated rather than treated as a series of unrelated jobs.
Frequently asked questions
What does PPM stand for?
PPM stands for planned preventative maintenance. It describes maintenance scheduled in advance to reduce the risk of failure, deterioration or unexpected disruption.
Is PPM a legal requirement?
There is no single law requiring every commercial building to follow one standard PPM schedule. However, employers, building operators and dutyholders have legal responsibilities for safety, maintenance and specific systems. A planned programme is a practical way to organise and evidence those responsibilities.
What is included in a PPM contract?
A PPM contract may include scheduled inspections, servicing, condition reporting, minor repairs, recommendations, quotations and maintenance records. The scope and exclusions should be clearly defined.
Can PPM eliminate reactive repairs?
No. Unexpected faults will still occur. The aim is to reduce preventable failures, identify deterioration earlier and make reactive work less frequent and less disruptive.
Who should manage the PPM schedule?
It may be managed by a facilities manager, property manager, managing agent, business owner or maintenance contractor. The client should retain clear oversight of responsibilities, priorities and records.
How is a PPM schedule created?
A schedule is normally created by reviewing the property, listing maintainable assets, assessing condition and risk, setting suitable frequencies and assigning responsibility for each task.
How often should a PPM schedule be reviewed?
The programme should be reviewed regularly and whenever there is a significant change to the property, its use, condition or responsibilities. An annual formal review is sensible for many organisations, supported by ongoing updates.
Need a more organised approach to commercial property maintenance?
Northern Trade Solutions Ltd supports businesses, housing providers and property managers across Lancashire and the North West with planned maintenance, reactive building repairs and commercial refurbishment works.
We can help you review your property requirements, identify practical maintenance priorities and create a clearer programme for future work.
Contact NTS on 01253 423232, email info@nts-limited.co.uk or visit nts-limited.co.uk to discuss your property.
Comments