PPM stands for planned preventative maintenance: the scheduled programme of servicing, inspection and component replacement that keeps a building's assets working, compliant and out of the emergency column. In facilities management it is the backbone of the maintenance calendar — the difference between running a building and being run by it.
What a PPM programme includes
A typical commercial PPM programme spans:
- Statutory and compliance-driven cycles — fire alarm servicing, emergency lighting tests, fire door inspections, lift inspections, water hygiene monitoring, fixed wire testing
- Manufacturer-recommended servicing — boilers, air conditioning, AHUs, pumps, booster sets, roller shutters and door systems
- Condition-preserving work — gutter and drainage clearance, roof inspections, external decoration cycles, sealant and fabric checks
- Consumable replacement on interval — filters, belts, lamps, batteries — cheap parts whose failure causes expensive symptoms
Each task carries a frequency — weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or multi-year — set by legislation-linked guidance, manufacturer requirements, asset condition and risk. Our guide to PPM frequencies covers the common intervals in more detail.
Why FM teams rely on PPM
- Compliance evidence — much of the programme exists to demonstrate that statutory duties are being met, with documentation to prove it
- Budget predictability — scheduled work can be priced and planned, unlike emergencies
- Fewer failures — small defects are caught during servicing rather than announced by breakdowns
- Asset life — plant that is serviced lasts longer and is cheaper to run
- Occupier confidence — visible, orderly maintenance is part of what tenants pay service charges for
How a PPM programme is built
The process is straightforward in principle: build an asset register, attach a maintenance requirement and frequency to each asset, group tasks into sensible contractor visits, and diarise the year. In practice the hard parts are data quality — asset registers are often incomplete in inherited buildings — and contractor capacity: every task on the plan needs a competent business assigned to deliver it.
That second problem is a procurement exercise. FM teams need contractors per discipline who can hold a schedule, document their visits and price consistently — the subject of our guide on how facilities managers vet contractors.
Sourcing PPM contractors
Regency Contractors Network helps facilities teams find vetted contractors for planned programmes across electrical, HVAC, fire safety and the other core disciplines — searchable by area, reviewed before listing, and contactable directly. Start with our PPM contractors page or request client access.
Frequently asked questions
- Is PPM a legal requirement?
- PPM itself is a management approach rather than a legal instrument, but many of the inspection and servicing cycles inside a PPM programme support statutory duties — fire safety, lifts, water hygiene and electrical safety among them. The programme is how duty holders evidence that those obligations are being met.
- What is the difference between PPM and a maintenance contract?
- PPM is the programme of planned tasks; a maintenance contract is one commercial arrangement for delivering some or all of it. A building's PPM plan is often delivered by several contractors across different disciplines.
- Who is responsible for PPM in a managed building?
- Ultimately the building owner or the party holding repair obligations — commonly discharged day to day by a facilities manager or managing agent who plans the programme and appoints contractors.
