EC Cleaners Network · TR19 · Legal duties · Insurance
TR19 is a BESA industry specification, rather than a law in its own right. Your premises can still have legal duties to manage fire risk and maintain ventilation, alongside specific insurance, lease or contract requirements.
Find out what created the requirement before booking work: the premises fire-risk assessment, policy wording, landlord instruction or contractor report. Then agree the system, scope and evidence needed with the appropriate independent specialist.
TR19 Grease, TR19 Air and the underlying legal duty
BESA TR19 Grease addresses the management of grease-related fire risk in kitchen extraction. BESA TR19 Air addresses hygiene and internal cleanliness of general ventilation. Neither should be described as a universal statutory operating licence.
Using a relevant specification can support maintenance and risk management. It does not replace the dutyholder’s assessment of the premises or prove that every legal obligation has been met.
For a practical comparison and document checklist, see TR19 cleaning standards and report checks.
Which fire-safety rules apply to your site?
England and Wales: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the main framework for most non-domestic premises. Scotland: the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 apply to most non-domestic premises. Northern Ireland: use the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.
Keep the fire-risk assessment, identified actions and maintenance records together. If extraction grease or access problems have been raised, pass the original requirement to the specialist. A cleaning report is supporting evidence, not a replacement fire-risk assessment.
Use the official guidance for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Request a kitchen extract cleaning quote
Include the postcode, kitchen and system details, reason for action, known access issues and required dates. Tell us what the insurer, landlord or fire-risk report requests. The independent specialist confirms the physical scope, availability and price.
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Does insurance require a TR19 certificate?
Check the actual policy, schedule, endorsements and any written risk-improvement requirements. Ask your insurer or broker which systems, cleaning intervals, contractor credentials and records are required for your premises.
- Identify whether the requirement covers the full extraction route, particular components or another ventilation system.
- Agree the required frequency and evidence, including how inaccessible sections should be handled.
- Retain quotations, completed reports and correspondence about outstanding work.
- Ask the insurer or broker to confirm any uncertainty about acceptance or cover.
A contractor certificate does not guarantee insurance acceptance. Missing paperwork should not be presented as automatic rejection of every claim: the particular policy and circumstances need proper consideration.
See kitchen extraction insurance questions to check before commissioning work.
What cleaning and evidence should you request?
Define the canopy, filters, plenum, ductwork, fan and discharge route where relevant. Ask the specialist to identify access limitations and the inspection or cleaning work needed. Agree the scope before comparing quotations.
The completion record should identify the site, system, contractor, date, work completed, relevant photographs or measurements, exclusions and outstanding actions. Ask for any certificate or applicable notification agreed for that work.
The next cleaning date should reflect the system condition, cooking activity, risk assessment and relevant policy or maintenance requirements. A single fixed interval does not suit every kitchen.
Use our TR19 certificate and post-clean report guide, extract cleaning prices guide and kitchen extraction service page to prepare the enquiry.
Food hygiene and chemical safety remain separate
A clean extraction system does not determine the business’s Food Hygiene Rating or cover all food-safety duties. Kitchen surfaces, equipment, food handling and management arrangements need their own controls. See GOV.UK food hygiene guidance.
Cleaning chemicals also need appropriate task-specific assessment and controls. Read COSHH in commercial kitchens and the commercial kitchen regulations checklist for the wider picture.
What if an action or notice has already been issued?
Keep the original document and deadline. Clarify the required response with its issuer or the appropriate adviser. A cleaning booking does not suspend an enforcement notice or demonstrate that it has been satisfied.
Our fire-safety notices and next steps guide explains how to distinguish statutory enforcement from a contractor recommendation or insurer request.
Frequently asked questions
Is TR19 a legal requirement in the UK?
TR19 is an industry specification rather than legislation in its own right. Applicable fire-safety and other duties still need to be met, and a relevant specification may be required by an insurer, lease or contract.
Does a TR19 certificate guarantee my insurance cover?
No. Check the actual policy and any risk-improvement conditions with the insurer or broker. Agree the scope and evidence required; a contractor document cannot guarantee acceptance of a claim.
Does every kitchen need cleaning at the same interval?
No. The schedule should reflect the cooking activity, system condition, risk assessment and applicable insurer or maintenance requirements. Ask the competent specialist to explain the proposed interval.
Who carries out work arranged through EC Cleaners Network?
Search and Submit Ltd coordinates the enquiry. An independently appointed specialist confirms the quotation and remains responsible for the assessment, safe working, physical delivery and reports within its scope.
Official sources
Guidance checked on 10 October 2026. Official sources: BESA TR19 Grease; BESA TR19 Air; GOV.UK fire safety; Scottish Government fire safety; NIFRS business fire safety; GOV.UK food hygiene.
Turn the requirement into a clear cleaning scope
Send the information already available, or email EC Cleaners Network to discuss it.