CDM Regulations: Duties When You Commission Works

If you commission construction or refurbishment work, even as a landlord rather than a builder, you have duties under the CDM Regulations. Ignoring them is a common and risky mistake.

What CDM is

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) set out health and safety duties for construction projects. Crucially, they place duties on the client, which is whoever has construction work carried out for them, so a landlord commissioning a refurbishment or fit-out is usually the client.

The client's duties

As client you must, broadly:

• Make suitable arrangements for managing the project so it is carried out safely.
• Appoint the right people, and on larger or multi-contractor projects appoint a principal designer and principal contractor.
• Provide information, and ensure welfare facilities and adequate time and resources.
• On notifiable projects, notify the HSE.

Why it matters for landlords

Landlords often assume CDM is the builder's problem. It is not: the client has real duties, and failing to meet them can lead to enforcement and liability if something goes wrong. Even relatively modest works can bring CDM into play.

Get it managed

For anything beyond minor work, make sure someone competent is managing CDM, whether that is a principal designer, a contractor or a consultant. Confirm what your project requires. See commercial landlord obligations.

Do the CDM Regulations apply to a landlord?

Yes. A landlord commissioning construction or refurbishment is usually the client under CDM, with real health and safety duties.

What are the client's CDM duties?

Making suitable arrangements for the project, appointing the right people, providing information, and on larger projects appointing a principal designer and contractor.