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CQC5 Jul 2026

CQC Safe key question: the five property evidence items inspectors check first on every visit

Analysis of recent CQC inspection reports for residential care homes identifies five property evidence items that appear in the majority of Safe assessments: Fire Risk Assessment, EICR, gas safety certificate, Legionella risk assessment and a documented maintenance log.

Why this matters

If you cannot produce any one of these five items on the day of inspection, your Safe rating is immediately at risk. These are not nice-to-haves they are the evidence baseline from which all other property assessment flows.

What to do
  • 1Assemble all five documents in a single "CQC evidence pack" physical or digital and keep it current.
  • 2Review currency: FRA within 12 months, EICR within 5 years, gas certificate within 12 months, WRA within 2 years, maintenance log ongoing.
  • 3Brief your registered manager on the location and content of the evidence pack so they can present it confidently during any unannounced visit.
Primary source
CQC How We Inspect: Regulation 15
View source
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