Facilities management gets talked about as if everyone knows what's in it, but the contracts vary enormously. Some cover only the building's hard services; others run everything from cleaning to compliance. Before you sign or compare quotes, it helps to know exactly what a facilities management contract should include.
We deliver facilities management for businesses across Lincoln and Lincolnshire, so here's a plain-English breakdown of what's typically covered and what to check.
Key takeaway
Quick answer: what does an FM contract cover?
A facilities management contract typically covers hard FM (the building's physical systems: heating, electrical, plumbing, fabric, fire safety), soft FM (people-facing services: cleaning, grounds, waste, security), statutory compliance (gas, electrical, fire, legionella certificates), and reactive cover (a number to call when something breaks). Total or integrated FM bundles all of it under one provider, one point of contact and one invoice.
Hard FM: the Building Itself
Hard FM covers the physical, fixed systems that keep a building safe and operational. These are usually non-negotiable because they're tied to safety and legal compliance.
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Electrical systems and lighting
- Plumbing and drainage
- Building fabric: roof, walls, doors, windows
- Fire safety systems and alarms
- Planned preventative maintenance of all the above
Soft FM: the People-Facing Services
Soft FM covers the services that make a premises pleasant and presentable to work in and visit. These are often what staff and customers actually notice.
- Commercial and office cleaning
- Grounds maintenance and landscaping
- Waste management
- Washroom and consumables management
- Pest control
- Security liaison
Compliance: the Certificates
This is the part that protects you legally, and the part landlords and businesses most often let slip. A good FM contract keeps every statutory check in date and the paperwork on file.
- Gas safety inspections (CP12)
- Electrical safety (EICR, typically every 5 years)
- Fire risk assessments and alarm testing
- Legionella risk assessments
- Emergency lighting checks
Reactive Cover: When Something Breaks
Even the best-maintained building has emergencies. A facilities management contract should include reactive cover: a single number to call, agreed response times, and a contractor who already knows your building. That's the difference between a two-hour fix and a two-day scramble for quotes.
Worked example: a Lincolnshire office bundling FM
A business running a 30-person office was juggling four suppliers: a cleaner, a gardener, a handyman, and a separate firm for gas and electrical certs. They moved to one FM arrangement: monthly cleaning and grounds, planned maintenance, compliance tracked and booked in advance, and one number for reactive issues. Four invoices became one, and nothing slips through the cracks because one contractor owns the whole picture.
What to Check Before You Sign
- 1Is it hard FM only, or does it include soft services like cleaning and grounds?
- 2Is statutory compliance included, with the paperwork held and renewals prompted?
- 3What are the reactive response times, and is there out-of-hours cover?
- 4Who actually does the work: an in-house team, or layers of subcontractors?
- 5Is it one invoice and one point of contact, or several?
- 6Can you scale it up or down as your needs change?
Key takeaway
One contractor for the whole building
LWR Group provides facilities management for businesses across Lincoln and Lincolnshire: hard and soft FM, compliance and reactive cover, coordinated under one point of contact and one invoice. Whether you need the full package or just the bits you're missing, we'll build it around your premises.
See commercial property maintenanceLWR Group
Property Services · Lincoln & Lincolnshire
