Keep your AOV system fully compliant, all year round

Regular maintenance and testing of smoke ventilation systems by certified engineers — meeting the requirements of the Regulatory Reform Order 2005/6 and keeping your building’s occupants safe.

Maintenance procedures

What happens on a maintenance visit

A certified engineer works through a full preventative maintenance checklist on every visit — keeping your AOV in efficient working order and good repair.

What we do

Regular maintenance & testing of all smoke ventilation systems.

We provide regular maintenance and testing of all smoke ventilation systems. As a potentially life-saving system, it is important to maintain the reliability and efficiency of each and every installation.

The smoke ventilation system is part of the overall fire safety strategy and under the Regulatory Reform Order 2005/6 a responsible person must ensure that equipment and devices are maintained in efficient working order and good repair to safeguard the relevant persons within the building.

Each site requires a preventative maintenance schedule carried out only by a certified engineer on an annual basis, with checks carried out by the site supervisors or responsible safety reps at least once a week.

Your building’s occupants’ safety may rely on the regular maintenance of the Automatic Opening Ventilation (AOV) in-place. We keep up to date with industry regulations to ensure that your AOV smoke ventilation system is always fully compliant.

BLEC maintenance procedures

The fully qualified engineer will ensure the following on every visit:

Why preventative matters

AOVs only earn their keep when they’re actually called on — usually only ever in an emergency. A planned maintenance schedule is the only way to know with certainty that the system will operate correctly the day you need it to.

A documented maintenance log also forms part of the evidence trail you may need to demonstrate compliance with the RRO 2005/6 — useful whether you’re facing a fire risk assessment, an insurance audit, or any other regulatory review.

Why choose BLEC for AOV maintenance

Planned, preventative, fully documented

Six things that come as standard on every BLEC maintenance contract — keeping you compliant and your residents safe, year-round.

Annual schedule

A preventative maintenance schedule planned around your building — bookings agreed up front so there are no surprises.

RRO 2005/6 compliance

Maintenance carried out to the level required for the Regulatory Reform Order — documented evidence for your records.

Certified engineers

Only certified engineers carry out maintenance — never sub-contractors. Trained on every major AOV system.

Full simulated fire test

Every visit includes a full simulated fire condition test — telescopic smoke testing, panel checks, vent actuation.

Written reports

A full maintenance report after every visit — what was tested, what passed, what needs attention next.

Priority response

Maintenance contract holders get priority response on any reactive call-outs between scheduled visits.

Related compliance services

One team, end to end — AOV is just one part of what we look after for property managers.

AOV Installations

New AOV systems designed, supplied and fitted to BS 7346-8 — for new builds and retrofits across the UK.

AOV Service & Repair

Reactive service and repair for AOV faults — 24-hour emergency response across all major manufacturers.

Fire Risk Assessments

PAS 79 Type 1–4 fire risk assessments — covering the wider fire safety strategy your AOV is part of.

Client Feedback

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Common Questions

AOV maintenance questions answered.

The questions we get asked most often when property managers are setting up a planned maintenance contract for the first time. If yours isn’t here, just call or drop us a line.

Still have questions?

Our team responds to enquiries within one working hour during business hours.

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Is AOV maintenance a legal requirement?

Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005/6, the responsible person for a building must ensure all fire safety equipment — including AOVs — is “maintained in efficient working order and good repair”. A documented annual maintenance schedule by a certified engineer is the standard way to meet that requirement.

How often does my AOV need maintaining?

A full preventative maintenance visit by a certified engineer should happen on an annual basis. In addition, the site’s responsible person or safety rep should carry out a weekly visual check — verifying the panel shows no fault indicators and the override switches are operable. We can provide a simple weekly checklist for your team.

What does a full maintenance visit involve?

Every visit includes: AOV control panel and power supply checks (including standby batteries), telescopic smoke testing of every detector interfaced with the CIP, and a full simulated fire condition test of all AOVs — during which they’re inspected for wear and tear, then lubricated and cleaned as needed. You get a written maintenance report at the end.

Can my caretaker carry out the maintenance?

Site staff can do the weekly visual checks, but the annual full maintenance must be carried out by a competent, certified engineer — that’s what the regulations require. Smoke-test units, panel diagnostics and battery load testing all need specialist equipment and training.

What's the difference between maintenance and servicing?

Maintenance is planned and preventative — scheduled visits to check the system is working and stop faults developing. Servicing & repair is reactive — call us when something goes wrong. Most of our clients have a maintenance contract that covers the annual visit plus priority response on any reactive call-outs during the year.

What documentation do I get?

You get a written maintenance certificate and a detailed engineer’s report after every visit — listing every test carried out, the result, any parts replaced, and any issues that need monitoring. These form the evidence trail your insurer or fire risk assessor will look for.