Standard

Government Functional Standard GovS 004: Property

Updated 18 November 2025

Printable PDF of GovS 004 (PDF, 349KB)

This functional standard is part of a suite of management standards that promotes consistent and coherent ways of working across government, and provides a stable basis for assurance, risk management and capability improvement. Working as a suite, the Functional standards cross-refer to each other where needed.

The suite of standards, and associated guidance, can be found at Functional Standards - GOV.UK.

They contain both mandatory and advisory elements, described in consistent language (see the table below).

Term	Intention
shall	denotes a requirement: a mandatory element.
should	denotes a recommendation: an advisory element.
may	denotes approval.
might	denotes a possibility.
can	denotes both capability and possibility.
is/are	denotes a description.

The meaning of words is as defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, except where defined in the glossary in Annex B.

It is assumed that legal and regulatory requirements are always met.

GovS 004, Property: Version 2.1 replaces version 2.0. Changes comprise enhancements derived from feedback, updates to other standards and references, and development of functional arrangements.

1. About this government functional standard

1.1 Purpose of this government standard

The purpose of this government standard is to set expectations for the management of government property, to ensure property is:

• procured, held, managed and disposed of appropriately
• well designed, constructed, and operated
• fit for purpose, safe, efficient, secure, sustainable and good value for money

It sets expectations for a management environment to be created where:

• public property delivers its full potential benefits
• property is an enabler of the public service to which it is assigned
• the asset value of government property is optimised or realised in the public interest
• This standard provides direction and guidance for:
• permanent secretaries, directors general, and chief executive officers of arm’s length bodies
• senior officials with responsibility for managing and spending on property
• all government employees engaged in the property function
• suppliers of property services to government

1.2 Scope of this government standard

This standard applies to the management of property held by or on behalf of all government departments and their arm’s length bodies:

• as land, buildings or infrastructure
• for general or specialist use
• for operational or non-operational purposes

Other public sector organisations devolved or local might find this standard useful and may use it to support benchmarking and continuous improvement activity. In these circumstances, mandatory elements in this standard may be treated as advisory.  

Note: An organisation, for the purposes of government functional standards, is the generic term used to describe a government department, arm’s length body or other entity that is identified as being within scope of a functional standard.

Note: Classification of public sector organisations is provided in guidance published by the Cabinet Office [4]. Arm’s length bodies are a specific category of central government public bodies that are administratively classified in three types: executive agency, non-departmental public body, non- ministerial department. All are within scope of this functional standard.

The structure of the standard is shown in Figure 1.

1.3 Government standards references

The following standards are directly necessary for the use of this standard:

• GovS 002, Project delivery
• GovS 003, People
• GovS 005, Digital
• GovS 006, Finance
• GovS 007, Security
• GovS 008, Commercial
• GovS 010, Analysis
• GovS 011, Communication
• GovS 013, Counter fraud

A functional standard supports the achievement of outcomes sought by an organisation. It sets expectations for what needs to be done and why, relating to the work within its scope, in order to achieve those organisational outcomes.

Note: for expectations relating to management of a function across government, and management of functional standards, see GovS 001, Government functions [5].

2. Principles

Those engaged in the planning, delivery and management of government property shall ensure:

1. property objectives are aligned to government policy and organisational objectives
2. actions are taken in the best interests of the public
3. efficiency and value for money are achieved, making the most of synergies between government and other public sector organisations, taking account of the whole life of property assets
4. governance and management frameworks are proportionate and appropriate to the work and assessed levels of prevailing risk, and accountabilities and responsibilities are defined, mutually consistent, and traceable across all levels of management
5. custodian roles are fulfilled for heritage assets and the natural environment and social value is assessed.
6. construction, adaptation, operational management and disposal of property is undertaken sustainably, using plans and designs for sustainability
7. public service environments and workplaces are conducive to the required quality of service and productivity and the health and comfort of the people in them
8. work is assigned to practitioners who have the required capability and capacity and is undertaken in multidisciplinary teams where appropriate
9. continuous improvement is promoted through capturing, sharing and using experience and lessons learned
10. public service codes of conduct and ethics and those of associated professions are upheld

3. Context

3.1 Introduction

This section provides essential background information for the use of this functional standard. The context of ownership, accountability, governance structures and reporting necessarily influences the management of property, which should be suited to the nature and purpose of each estate.

3.2 Government property

Government property is held on behalf of the Crown which is legally indivisible, but for practical reasons the management of government property is distributed across departments and other government organisations.

Much of the civil estate in the UK is held in the name of a single Secretary of State, who for historic reasons and general purposes is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Other ministers are assigned for specialist sectors:

• the prison estate is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Justice
• Some NHS and health interests are held in the name of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
• some properties associated with welfare services, for example job centres, are held in the name of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
• much transport-related property and infrastructure is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Transport

Other property assets including those held overseas are vested in two other Secretaries of State:

• defence property (domestic and overseas) is generally held in the name of the Secretary of State for Defence
• other overseas property is generally held in the name of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

HM Land Registry keeps registers of title for individual properties to indicate the relevant Secretary of State (as a corporation sole) as the proprietor of the property. In some cases, a separate responsibility for management may be indicated.

3.3 Legal implications of ownership

The legal implications of Crown ownership and assigned accountabilities for government property are a necessary consideration when undertaking property- related initiatives.

If the legal title to a property is to be transferred from one Secretary of State to another, this will usually be effected by using the HM Land Registry form to register the incoming Secretary of State as proprietor. 

If management changes are being made but no change in the registered proprietor is required (for example if the Secretary of State remains the same) an intra- governmental transfer may record the transfer of administrative and budgetary responsibility. HM Land Registry will accept a letter as evidence to allow the address for service on the proprietorship register of the property to be changed. Consequently, within a single registered ownership different government departments do not need to transfer title.

Given the principle of indivisibility of the Crown, government departments do not lease property to each other, as landlord and tenant are, technically, the same entity; instead, correspondence such as a Memorandum of Terms of Occupation may be used. Entities that are not a Crown body or other vested interests within government with a separate legal personality are given a lease or a licence.

Not all departments have dispositive power: legislation limits the ability of Crown bodies to dispose of freehold or long leasehold interests. In such situations, Transfer of Functions Orders generally direct property into the hands of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to deal with disposal.

Other aspects of property ownership are affected because government is the occupier, notably tax and insurance: VAT can be non-applicable, and government can self-insure.

Note: guidance on constructing and operating an agreement for shared occupation by Crown bodies is available - see Useful Sources and References [6]

3.4 Accountability for property assets

Day-to-day accountability for property assets rests with each government organisation and its leaders, specifically the Accounting Officer, but HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office influence their decisions through budgetary and other controls and through the publication of cross- government policies, standards, strategies and guidance.

3.5 Authorisation and delegation

Authority to enter into a contract, to sign a contract, and to seal a deed on behalf of the government involves the delegation of authority from ministers to officials. The authority limits and the persons to whom the authority has been given are set out in letters of appointment.

GovS 008, Commercial sets expectations for procurement and contracting.

Note: The Government Property Law Hub provides advice on who has the authority to seal a deed or has dispositive powers (see 6.12) [64].

Note: The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority is responsible for advising the government on delivery of infrastructure and service transformation projects and might refer to this standard if it applies to such projects. [7]

3.6 Responsibility for managing property

The Office of Government Property (OGP) oversees the management of government property as a whole, under the guidance of ministers.

Teams working within or across government organisations undertake property function activities according to the scale and complexity of their property portfolios. Accordingly, teams  vary greatly in size: some departments have small property holdings portfolios whilst some arm’s length bodies hold significant property assets. Where there are benefits in doing so, multiple organisations might assign their holdings to a single delivery organisation, such as the Government Property Agency.

Major property projects including reorganisations of asset holdings or new management structures may be part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio and so are overseen and assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, reporting to both the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.

3.7 Delivery organisations

Across government there are a number of delivery organisations, including executive agencies, property companies and trading funds, which provide a range of services relating to the management of departmental estates. Third party suppliers can also act as delivery organisations (see 4.8.1).

3.8 Property Data

Each government department or other government organisation maintains data about the property assets in its care (or that it occupies), and shares extracts or summaries as requested with the centre of government (Cabinet Office or HM Treasury).

Data standards are issued to achieve consistency within the central digital national asset register [34]

Annual publications give aggregated data in an overview of the government estate [67] and Parliament receives an annual State of the Estate report [1].

4. Governance

4.1 Governance and management frameworks

4.1.1 Overview

Governance arrangements for the property function across government and within departments should be specified, to comprise prioritising, authorising, directing, empowering and overseeing management, and assuring and reviewing performance.

A governance and management framework shall be defined and established for the management of property across government as a whole, and in organisations within scope of this standard, and made available to anyone working within the property function (see 1.2).

Governance and management frameworks should include authority limits, roles and rules for making decisions, degrees of autonomy, assurance needs, reporting structure, and accountabilities and responsibilities, together with the appropriate management practices, processes and associated documentation needed to deliver the required outcomes.

The governance of property related activities within an organisation should be an integral part of that organisation’s overall governance.

Note: see associated guidance for this standard on GOV.UK [8].

4.1.2 The government estate

A senior officer accountable for cross- government property strategy (see 4.7.2) should be appointed to ensure that:

• policies and strategy regarding the future management and use of property across government are defined, maintained and communicated (see 4.2.2)
• any spending controls applicable to property are defined and operated effectively, in association with HM Treasury

The cross-government governance and management framework should define the directives and processes, and technical, commercial and other requirements with which government organisations are expected to comply, and the property- related guidance that organisations are expected to follow.

Guidance should include, but not be limited to:

• recommended professional and management practices
• capability planning, including recruitment and resourcing
• support for collaboration and sharing use of property assets between government organisations
• support for critical stages of the property life cycle, from strategy and plans to acquisitions, design, construction, operations, maintenance, and disposals
• business continuity and contingency planning
• forming written agreements, for arrangements such as space sharing, and service delivery
• management information
• property services

Benchmarking should enable comparison in the performance, value for money, efficiency of use and sustainability of government property to inform property strategy and decision-making.

The senior officer accountable for cross- government property strategy should report annually on the size and cost, efficiency of use and sustainability of government buildings and land holdings, and on the extent to which government organisations are implementing this standard (see 4.7.2).

Note: In the property function the senior officer accountable for cross-government property strategy is likely also to be the Head of Function

Note: The performance of the government estate is reported annually to Parliament in the State of the Estate report [1] and in the Government Estate: Annual Data Publication [67].

4.1.3 Governance of property in an organisation

Organisations shall have senior officers accountable for their property assets and for managing property (see 4.7.2 and 4.7.5).

Organisations shall have a defined and established property governance and management framework, which should:

• ensure the organisation’s estate supports its business objectives and is consistent with cross-government property strategy and plans (see 4.2 and 4.3)
• comply with government and departmental policies and directives and with this standard
• be referenced from the respective Accounting Officer System Statement (or equivalent in an arm’s length body).

The senior officer for the function in an organisation (who is responsible for property assets and managing property) should assess its capacity and capability requirements. Organisations that have property professionals should appoint a head of profession to advise the senior officer on the competence of members of the profession. Organisational heads of the property profession should work with the cross-government head of the property profession to co-ordinate their advice and actions.

Note: accounting officer system statements [9] provide Parliament with a single outline of all accountability relationships and processes within a department.

Significant requirements and intentions for changes in the asset portfolio or in property management shall be set out in the organisation’s business plan (which is subject to approval by the organisation’s accounting officer).

The organisation’s governance and management framework should be designed and operated to be responsive to new circumstances, so that plans for the organisation’s estate take account of:

• changes to wider government policies and strategies
• opportunities and innovations
• emerging patterns of demand

Note: in a government department, the business plan might be known as, or accompany, the outcome delivery plan.

4.1.4 Retrospective application of new requirements

Legislation, standards and regulations change over time, resulting in new requirements or specifications for property and property management. Such changes should be reflected in governance and management frameworks in a timely way, overseen by the senior officer accountable for property strategy across government (see 4.7.2) and the senior officer accountable for managing property in an affected organisation (see 4.7.5). Together, they should consider whether the changed requirements or specifications should be applied retrospectively to existing property, after taking advice from relevant specialists (for example, relating to health and safety).

4.2 Strategy

4.2.1 Overview

A strategy sets objectives and desired delivery outcomes to inform future decisions and choices about how objectives are to be delivered.

4.2.2 Cross-government property strategy

A cross-government property strategy shall be developed and maintained to guide the management of the government estate in the national interest, and should be implemented through organisational property strategies and plans (see 4.2.3 and Figure 2).

The cross–government strategy should consider the demand for and supply of property across government in order to:

• support and co-ordinate cross- government policies and priorities
• maximise synergy and efficiency between different government organisations
• set expectations for significant programmes and projects within government organisations
• set expectations for the capability and capacity of teams and individuals
• undertaking property function activity in government
• indicate key responsibilities, processes and accountabilities by which the strategy should be implemented

The cross-government strategy may include, but need not be limited to, the following topics:

• locational strategy
• driving wider economic and cultural stimulus
• co-ordinated public services
• asset efficiency
• maintenance needs, quality of buildings, facilities and environment
• sustainability
• property profession capability
• management information
• transformational programmes for property

Note: the cross-government property strategy might be known as, or supported by, a Government Estates Strategy.

4.2.3 Property strategy in an organisation

Organisations shall develop and maintain a property strategy.

The organisation’s property strategy should be reviewed cyclically, in coordination with changes to its necessary inputs, and should:

• be aligned to the cross-government property strategy (see 4.2.2)
• support the organisation’s business priorities, and be reflected in the organisations’ business plan
• reflect the wider interests of government

The organisation’s property strategy should reflect the locational and property implications of the strategic workforce plan. For any relevant purpose, GovS 003, People shall be followed.

The property strategy should be supported by a delivery plans or plans (see 4.3.3).

4.3 Delivery plans

4.3.1 Overview

A property delivery plan ensures that desired outputs and outcomes are likely to be delivered within defined constraints, to fulfil a property strategy.

4.3.2 Cross-government delivery co-ordination plan

The senior officer accountable for property strategy across government (see 4.7.2) should develop and communicate a cross- government delivery co-ordination plan, which demonstrates how:

• the cross-government property strategy is to be implemented in practice
• the necessary capability and capacity can be made available to meet the government’s needs
• monitoring of performance will be reported

The delivery co-ordination plan should reflect the broad themes from the cross- government strategy (see 4.2.2), and should draw upon strategic asset management plans (see 4.3.3).

4.3.3 Delivery plans in an organisation

The senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation (see 4.7.5) shall oversee the development and maintenance of a delivery plan or plans setting out how the organisation’s property strategy is to be implemented. These plans include the strategic asset management plan, property event pipelines and any other kind of delivery plan that might be necessary.

Delivery plans should be prepared in conjunction with the organisational strategy, business objectives and workforce strategy provided by the person undertaking the intelligent client role for the organisation (see 4.7.4). Plans should be appropriate and proportionate to the size of the organisation’s estate. Plans, or elements of them, might be prepared by the appropriate delivery organisation, in collaboration with the person undertaking the intelligent client role.

The strategic asset management plan translates the property strategy for the organisation into plans, programmes and projects for implementation.

Government strategic asset management plans focus on asset management as the core subject, supplemented by content on workforce, finance, capability, facilities management, data (etc.) to give an overview of the property function in the organisation.

The purpose of a strategic asset management plan is to summarise an organisation’s property strategy and delivery plans in a way that:

• is useful within the organisation, showing how it will deliver its strategic business requirements through its estate
• supports the centre of government on cross-government issues and assuring pipelines of property events, programmes and projects
• can also be configured in a way that is suitable for publication, after approval by the Accounting Officer

Workforce change management is a vital aspect of property delivery plans in an organisation. Strategic adjustments required as a result of workforce planning shall be incorporated in the strategic asset management plan, based on an assessment of current and future accommodation requirements.

Workforce planning shall be undertaken in accordance with GovS 003, People.

The senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation shall develop and provide a strategic asset management plan that explains:

• how assets held by the organisation will meet foreseeable needs at an acceptable level of risk, affordability and sustainability, and can be efficiently maintained whilst providing value for money
• how the organisation’s property assets deliver public benefit
• whether there are any planned disposals, acquisitions or substantial investment in repairs, alterations or refurbishment

Strategic asset management plans should be reviewed at least annually and any other delivery plans reviewed in line with the strategic asset management plan.

Planning for each organisation should include the pipeline of significant events in the property life cycle and their consequences (see 5), such as:

• proposals for acquisitions, retention (following any lease break or expiry) and disposals
• new facilities management contracts
• capital investment projects for new construction and adaptation in extensions, refurbishment or redevelopment of property (including for better sustainability or care of heritage assets) (see 5.2.3)
• maintenance programmes (with major life cycle replacements, new contracts, cost and sustainability implications) (see 5.3)
• changes to the work of the organisation that affect its property holdings, including machinery of government changes
• incident response plans for each operational location, either separately or in conjunction with other occupants at that location

For the preperation of incident response plans, GovS 007, Security shall be followed.

Strategic asset management plans shall summarise the outcome of prior assurance reviews undertaken by the organisation (see 4.6.2).

To meet transparency obligations, a version of the strategic asset management plan that is suitable for publication may be required by the senior officer accountable for property strategy across government.

Strategic asset management plans for publication shall be subject to prior approval by the organisation’s accounting officer.

Note: Published versions of strategic asset management plan summaries are made available for transparency policy purposes on GOV.UK [10].

Note: general principles for property asset management are set out in Strategic Property Asset Management in the Public Sector published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors [11] and in advice from the Institute of Asset Management, including reference to relevant international standards (ISO 55000 series) [12].

4.4 Managing change and contingency

An organisation’s delivery plan should cover the timing of property projects and how resourcing is to be applied within the organisational and supply chain capability and capacity, including how a sufficient number of appropriately qualified, skilled and experienced people are available to undertake the work and manage transitions (see 6.5).

Delivery plans should be based on sound management information and demonstrate how the organisation is:

• following resource management guidelines, including the requirements of Managing Public Money, the Green Book, and other financial guidelines referenced in GovS 006, Finance
• complying with statutory and regulatory requirements relating to health and safety
• planning responses to incidents and emergencies with suitable incident control management and routine testing

Contingency plans should take account of possible changes and consequential needs for maintaining business continuity, evaluating known risks (see 6.4).

Events in the life cycle of property should be anticipated so that reviews can be completed in advance of any required period of notice, recognising those that require spend control approval.

Programmes and projects should be described in sufficient detail to identify those requiring business case approval, either within the organisation or in cross- government control arrangements (see 4.5).

Communication with stakeholders should be an integral part of an organisation’s delivery planning. GovS 011, Communication shall be followed in these engagements.

Machinery of Government changes should be accompanied by a review of the affected estates and engagement by those who are accountable for the relevant property assets and their management.

4.5 Decision making

Decisions relating to property should be made, and approvals given in a timely manner, in accordance with government policy and the relevant governance and management framework.

Decision-making should allow adequate time for prior and consequential actions such as:

• commercial research and negotiations
• due diligence
• giving notice
• design/specification activity
• spend control approval
• obtaining planning permission
• determining legal requirements
• conveyancing
• post-construction fit-out, upgrades or installations.

Decisions shall take into account an adequate analysis of the options available. They should be made by assessing options against defined criteria and in consultation with stakeholders and subject matter experts.

Decision making should provide practical property solutions taking into account the need, property life cycle (see 5), predicted whole life costs and benefits, and the context for government property.

Decisions should be made with due regard to:

• the requirements of property strategy and related plans
• management information, including costs and condition data
• potential for improving sustainability or efficient utilisation
• scope for letting or subletting surplus accommodation
• adaptation to deal with risks associated with climate change
• optimising the tenure of property assets, whether leased or freehold (including any Crown Estate Lease provisions)
• optimising contracts relating to facilities management and any other property services
• management and any other property services

Decisions should be:

• holistic, taking account of social, economic and environmental considerations, system capability and capacity, and any potential impact on the Exchequer or on HM Government’s reputation
• the subject of consultation and communication with the relevant stakeholders by appropriate means, supportedbytheinformationandanalysis necessary to appraise the available options, on a whole life and total cost basis, prepared in accordance with GovS 010, Analysis and GovS 006, Finance.

If decisions are made conditionally, responsibility for fulfilling conditions should be assigned to a named individual.

Property projects (such as for acquisitions, lease retentions and renewals, refurbishments and disposals) should be justified by preparation of a business case of proportionate depth to:

• justify the selected solution
• demonstrate the overall viability of the proposal

Business cases shall be prepared and approved in accordance with GovS 006, Finance, to demonstrate strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management viability.

A business case may be developed over a number of phases and updated to reflect changes, with reviews, prior to each significant decision point to justify continuing the work. Where the development of a property solution is managed as a programme or a project, GovS 002, Project delivery shall be followed.

Cabinet Office spend controls may require central government bodies to obtain approval based on advice from relevant functions before expenditure is made or committed.

Organisations should take advice from relevant functions well in advance of planned expenditure and of the respective submissions for approval, following spend controls guidance [2,3].

Efficiency considerations should include both technical and allocative efficiencies, as described in the Government Efficiency Framework (67).’

Note: controls guidance includes the National Property Control and Facilities Management Control.

Note: for options appraisal and the preparation of business cases, see HM Treasury Green Book [13] and appraisal guides issued by departments. The Green Book, chapter 5, explains social value.

4.6 Assurance

4.6.1 Assurance framework

The purpose of assurance is to provide due confidence to senior leaders and stakeholders that work is controlled through a systematic set of actions that supports safe and successful delivery of policy, strategy and objectives.

Organisations shall have a defined and consistent framework to assure the management of their estate, to verify statutory compliance and to ensure that:

• property is performing to required standards
• improvement pathways are effective
• resourcing, capacity and capability exist to deliver foreseeable and planned requirements (see 4.6.3)

The property assurance framework should be applied proportionately to the value and risk of the activity, and integrated with the organisation’s overall assurance framework.

Typically, assurance should be carried out on at least three levels including:

• operational management within the organisation, applying judgement to support successful delivery and adherence to functional standards
• senior management, independent of operational management, in accordance with the defined assurance framework
• independent bodies (within or external to government, such as internal audit and National Audit Office) to provide an objective evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of governance, risk management and controls

The work of internal and external assurance providers should be planned to minimise disruption to other work, avoid overlaps with other assurance activities and duplication of effort, whilst remaining rigorous and meeting the needs of stakeholders. Where assurance includes formal review activity, the customer for the review should be clearly identified.

The requirements of the Orange Book: management of risk – principles and concepts, shall be met [14].

4.6.2 Assurance reviews

Organisations shall undertake assurance reviews for the property assets in their portfolio and the property function that is responsible for managing them.

Organisations shall include a summary of the assurance reviews in their strategic asset management plan, as directed by the senior officer accountable for property strategy across government (see 4.3.3) and incorporate planned remedies.

4.6.3 Capability and capacity review

The purpose of a capability and capacity review is to provide an assessment of whether the capacity and capability exist to deliver the organisation’s property strategy and delivery plans, identifying risks, gaps or shortfalls.

Organisations shall conduct capability and capacity reviews of the human resources needed within the property function as part of an assurance review, prior to plan revision and for each stage of programme implementation.

Capability and capacity reviews should be aligned and coordinated with plan preparation (see 6.5 Figure 4).

4.7 Roles and accountabilities

4.7.1 Overview

Roles and accountabilities shall be defined in the relevant governance and management frameworks and assigned to people with appropriate seniority, skills and experience. This should include, but not be limited to, the activities, outputs or outcomes for which they are accountable and the person to whom they are accountable.

Each organisation may implement the roles and accountabilities set out in this standard to suit the scale and needs of its estate.

Roles may be:

• tiered to ensure an appropriate span of control
• supported by teams to reflect the workload and specialist skills needed
• structured to include people working full-time or part- time
• contracted out or fulfilled by in- house employees

Roles may be combined for smaller estates.

Note: The Government Property Profession Career Framework [15] defines job families and includes professional standards for the range of functional roles,, operating at different levels of expertise. These are described for: leadership, strategic asset management and the intelligent client function, workplace and facilities management, construction projects, technical specialisms and assurance.

Note: GovS 001: Government functions sets expectations for managing government functions and functional standards and the relationship of functions to professions [5].

4.7.2 Senior officer accountable for property strategy across government

The senior officer accountable for property strategy across government is accountable to the Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Service for:

• producing a cross-government property strategy (see 4.2.2) and associated delivery co-ordination, planning and monitoring (see 4.3.2)
• advising accounting officers on the alignment of their strategic asset management plans, property services and assurance processes with cross- government strategy (see 4.3.3, 4.6)
• advising on the cross-government governance and management framework for property (see 4.1)
• promoting mutually beneficial cooperation across public sector organisations
• producing reports as required by ministers or by Parliament

Note: this role for strategic planning is usually held by the same person who leads the Property function across government.

4.7.3 Accounting officer

The permanent head of a government department is usually its Principal Accounting Officer.

An organisation’s accounting officer, or equivalent in an arm’s length body, is accountable (via a Principal Accounting Officer where appropriate) to Parliament and the public for the stewardship of public resources, including property assets. The accountability includes ensuring the assets and resources are used effectively and to high standards of probity.

The Principal Accounting Officer generally appoints the most senior executive in the arm’s length bodies within the department’s ambit as an accounting officer.

The Accounting Officer should:

• ensure that property held by the organisation is being managed in accordance with this standard and delivering the required outcomes
• approve publication of the property content of the organisation’s business plan and the strategic asset management plan

4.7.4 Intelligent client

The Intelligent Client role is accountable to the accounting officer (or equivalent in an arm’s length body) (see 4.7.3) for representing the organisation’s interests in relation to property. Each organisation should have a named person in this role with the capacity and capability to advise and support those engaged on the activities defined in this standard, including:

• interpreting business needs of the organisation in conjunction with senior management, and translating them into property requirements for the organisation’s property strategy and plans (see 4.2.3 and 4.3.3)
• reviewing management information about the performance and quality of the organisation’s property portfolio in meeting the needs of the organisation (including staff and members of the public, where appropriate)
• escalating issues that need to be resolved to the accounting officer, and monitoring whether improvement action has been taken

The accounting officer should nominate the person undertaking this role to lead on the production of the organisation’s property strategy (see 4.2.3), supported where necessary by the senior officer accountable for property in an organisation (see 4.7.5) and any delivery organisation that may be engaged.

Note: the Government Property Agency has developed a toolkit for reviewing the Intelligent Client role in departments that are onboarding their estate for management by the Agency [16].

Note: The role of Intelligent Client may be taken by the senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation (see 4.7.5) provided the Accounting Officer agrees that both roles may be combined.

4.7.5 Senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation

The senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation is accountable to the Accounting Officer (or equivalent in an arm’s length body) (see 4.7.3) for providing leadership to those responsible for work within the property function, and for effective collaboration with the organisation’s leadership team. This role includes:

• setting the property governance and management framework for the organisation (see 4.1.3)
• developing the organisation’s property strategy and delivery plans (see 4.2.3 and 4.3.3)
• establishing defined approaches for reviewing, challenging, and re-setting the strategic direction for the organisation’s estate
• defining, securing and managing the appropriate capability required to effectively and efficiently manage property in the organisation, including defining and assigning the roles required (see 4.6.3).
• ensuring that other property roles and accountabilities are defined and established within the organisation, as needed, including management responsibility for each site or location used by the organisation (see 4.7.6 and 4.7.7)

Note: the senior officer leading for property in a large organisation is likely to be known as the Property Director or Head of Estates (see the Government Property Profession Career Framework [15]). In delivery organisations the chief executive would usually fulfil this role. Elsewhere it could be assigned to a a wider role that also covers commercial responsibilities.

4.7.6 Site manager

A manager for each site should be appointed, to be accountable to the senior officer accountable for the management of property in an organisation (see 4.7.5), to ensure the needs of occupants and the requirements of this standard are met in a coherent way.

Responsibilities should be defined on a case-by-case basis and may include but need not be limited to:

• acting as the central point of contact for users of the property and seeking to ensure that it promotes their wellbeing
• managing incidents or failures affecting the workforce or members of the public
• meeting operational requirements specified in sections 5 and 6 of this standard
• facilitating interactions between security, safety, environmental and other property-related services.

An individual may be responsible for more than one site or for facilities management on multiple sites, however it should be made clear to users who is nominated as responsible for the operational management of each site or each necessary facility (including health and safety or resilience provisions). The site manager role may be undertaken by any competent person and may be combined with another role or roles (see4.7.7) and supported by a team.

This role may be undertaken by a third-party supplier.

Organisations sharing the use of a property or group of properties may appoint the same individual or team to the role, to enable coherent management of a shared facility.

Where this is done, responsibilities should be defined to reflect the interests of each organisation involved.

Note: third party suppliers include the Government Property Agency who can fulfil or support this role, for example in a multi-occupied office environment such as government hubs, by appointing a workplace services lead, often known as the community manager.

4.7.7 Other property roles

Property roles should be defined within the overall management structure of the organisation, to meet requirements and guidance of the relevant governance and management frameworks (see 4.1).

Roles may be operational or advisory, and should normally be part of a team structure.

Specialist or technical roles should be defined and assigned to suitably qualified people.

Examples of other property roles that might be needed include:

• leadership or executive roles
• workplace and facilities management
• technical activities, including information management
• delivery of property related projects

Programmes and projects should be managed in accordance with Gov S002, Project delivery (see 6.7).

Note: the Government Property Profession Career Framework [15] defines a coherent set of roles and competences for the management of property, with the aim of enabling consistent use of them across government.

4.8 Other requirements

4.8.1 Performance standards for third party suppliers

Performance standards and guidance may be issued for technical or operational activities to be done by third party suppliers.

For example, information management services, legal services and estate agency services are often required in the property sector and might be supplied by service providers external to government.

4.8.2 Separate jurisdictions

Differences between statutory obligations applying in separate jurisdictions shall be observed.

When operating in different countries where government or its agencies holds or occupies property assets, and jurisdictions differ, the management of property should normally operate to a UK standard or, if higher, the standard of the country in question. A rationale should be provided for any alternative standard applied.

5. Property life cycle

5.1 Overview

This section covers the property life cycle from initial vision and strategy to design, planning and acquisition (including construction) or procurement, through routine operation and maintenance, to adaptation and refurbishment, and finally to redundancy and disposal (see figure 3).

Throughout the property life cycle, government property assets should be managed according to the governance section of this standard (see section 4).

The whole life cycle of a property asset should be considered at every stage of decision making (see 4.5) in order to optimise the value and benefits obtained from holding the property. Alternatives should be evaluated. Care should be taken with decisions to retain property assets when alternatives might be available. For practices that apply across the life cycle, see section 6.

5.2 Asset acquisition (including construction)

5.2.1 Justification for acquisitions

Proposals for new acquisitions should be based on the organisation’s property strategy and delivery plans (see 4.2 and 4.3).

The senior officer accountable for property strategy across government (see 4.7.2) should be consulted before commitment is made to a new acquisition or construction project, to include an analysis of whether there is suitable property already available within the existing government estate to meet the need, including through adaptation (see 5.2.3). In practice this consultation can be done via the asset management plan pipeline, and shall be consulted in accordance with property spend control requirements.

Proposals for new property solutions should be justified in a business case (see 4.5) that includes an impact assessment in which wider social, economic and environmental costs and benefits are considered. Whenever applicable, business cases should include an options analysis showing the relative merits of refurbishment and retro-fitting of improvements compared with new acquisitions.

Decision-makers should not take on a building that would adversely affect their organisation’s energy efficiency performance. A proposal for a building to become part of their estate that is not within the top quartile should be declined.

The quality of business cases for construction or acquisition projects that are part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio shall be examined and validated through the Project Delivery function. [7].

5.2.2 Timing of acquisitions

Dependencies between multiple projects in a programme, such as a disposal and replacement acquisition, should be identified and actions planned to ensure that critical relationships (such as notice periods, vacation, fit-out, and move-in dates) are aligned to avoid delay and double running costs or temporary lack of accommodation. Related projects should be linked in the organisation’s strategic asset management plan (see 4.3.3).

If there is a need for commercial activity to acquire new property, the market should be engaged early and requirements set to be accessible to as many suppliers as possible.

Commercial acquisitions shall follow GovS 008, Commercial, and should comply with national procurement policy and authorisation arrangements.

If a proposed property solution is subject to HM Treasury or Cabinet Office approval (including any spend control) (see 4.5) early engagement should demonstrate in- principle compliance with the sponsoring organisation’s property strategy (see 4.2.3) and with the cross-government property strategy (see 4.2.2) and other requirements (see 4.8). Engagement should be facilitated through inclusion in the property event pipeline of the organisation’s strategic asset management plan (see 4.3.3) prior to engaging with spend control.

5.2.3 Investment options

Managers responsible for property acquisition should consider investment options using relevant analysis and undertaking stakeholder engagement before deciding a procurement pathway. The choice between acquiring a new building and re-using an existing asset by adaptation or extension should be addressed explicitly in options analysis, using whole life cost methodology.

The relevance and importance of community, place, heritage, environmental quality and accessibility should be considered as part of the benefits realisation plan in the business case for any new investment, using relevant stakeholder inputs.

5.2.4 Adaptation: investment in current property assets

Decisions to invest in refurbishment, extension or other adaptation of buildings should be taken with regard to an assessment of the whole life cost of retaining the property (identifying historic, current and future maintenance and service charge liabilities) and of any alternatives, including potential estate rationalisation, disposals or acquisitions.

Whoever is responsible for initiating expenditure on property projects shall ensure that the relevant finance team is provided with whole life asset management cost profiles for budgeting purposes.

Plans should take into account the possible need to adapt buildings and land management to the effects of climate change.

5.2.5 New building projects

New-build property solutions shall comply with cross-government and organisational requirements and standards, as defined in the management framework (see 4.1).

Projects for constructing new or adapting existing government buildings should take account of:

• government guidance on project initiation including Transforming Infrastructure Performance Project Routemap, Asset Management Module [20, 66]
• the whole life cost of holding the asset for its design life
• government policy for climate change and guidance provided in the Net Zero Estate Playbook [51]
• common minimum standards for construction, and associated government guidance [21]
• government buying standards [22]
• current options for modern methods of construction
• requirements of this standard relating to property management
• government hubs policy and its associated design guide [23]
• relevant management practices, including those for building information management (see 6.3) workplace and facilities management (see 6.8), sustainability (see 6.10), health and safety, security and wellbeing (see 6.11)

Design of government buildings shall follow design guides adopted in cross-government and organisational management frameworks, such as guidance for the design of offices, schools, hospitals, or prisons.

Government buying standards set minimum requirements for building performance in making additions to the government estate [22]. When options are being assessed, a costed option to achieve a higher rating than the minimum shall be evaluated.

Note: performance requirements may be assessed using BREEAM ratings, such as ‘Excellent’ for new buildings and ‘Very Good’ for refurbishment. The RICS Ska Rating might be a useful alternative for projects with a short design period.

Note: A workplace design guide is published by the Government Property Agency [23]

A National Design Guide is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government [24]

The Construction Playbook provides advice on the assessment, procurement and delivery of public sector works projects and programmes [25].

Managers of construction projects should make arrangements for efficient transition into operational phases as an integral part of the project from the outset, maintaining attention to them throughout the project.

Note: Guidance on transitions from construction to operational phases has been provided in a publication on Government Soft Landings [19].

5.3 Asset use, adaptation, maintenance and operation

5.3.1 Overview

Managing the use, maintenance and operation of property assets secures value for money, and contributes to the government’s sustainability objectives.

Whole life management practices should be followed (see 6.2).

5.3.2 Users

Users of government buildings should be enabled to contribute towards keeping them in good condition and fit for purpose by reporting issues and making suggestions for improvements. Suggestions should be acknowledged, assessed and acted on if found to be beneficial, practical and affordable.

Employees with specific needs should be made to feel welcome and enabled to operate to their full potential as independently as possible with dignity and ease of access to all facilities [28].

Workplace and facilities managers (see 4.7.7) are responsible for ensuring regular assessment of building accessibility arrangements. Arrangements shall comply with statutory requirements, and should aim for a higher standard where possible.

5.3.3 Maintenance and operation

Government property should be managed to achieve decarbonisation, energy efficiency and waste minimisation over the life of the asset by adopting standards of maintenance aimed at sustainability (see 6.10). Annual budgets and business plans should include resourcing for this purpose.

Maintenance cycles shall be designed and implemented to ensure that they comply with contractual obligations (such as those for leasehold assets) and achieve required standards for safety (see 6.11). If they are failing to meet obligations, alternative property solutions should be evaluated.

Maintenance strategies should be regularly updated and aligned to strategic asset management plans. Maintenance should include routine replacement, remedial action and certification, done through normal project planning and management activity (see GovS 002, Project delivery).

Allowance should be made for historic, current and future maintenance liabilities, including service charge liabilities under a lease and the final dilapidations settlement.

Operational handbooks should be updated to reflect any changes resulting from maintenance requirements.

Condition and energy surveys shall be conducted regularly and at least every five years to ensure that management information is available for quarterly reporting and can be used as a basis for budgeting expenditure on repair, replacement and refurbishment.

Land that is contaminated should be assessed for remediation to determine the action required to bring it to an acceptable standard of environmental quality.

Building and land assets shall be assessed regularly for safety risks. Risks identified shall be recorded, notified to management, and minimised (see 6.4).

Commercial arrangements and maintenance contracts shall comply with Government Functional Standard GovS 008, Commercial (see 6.12), observing spend control arrangements for workplace and facilities management operated jointly between the Commercial and Property functions.

Note: Crown Commercial Service issues guidance on contracting facilities management agreements and the operation of the relevant spending controls. These are operated jointly with the Office of Government Property.

Note: a number of tools have been developed by the Office of Government Property and issued to departmental Directors of Estates to support estates teams in developing business case proposals for maintenance investment. One of these is: Responsible Maintenance, A guide for Accounting Officers, Executive Committees and Boards [29].

5.3.4 Retention or disposal of property assets

Prior to lease events and other opportunities to release or redeploy an asset, consideration should be given to whether the asset continues to be an effective and essential part of the organisation’s property portfolio. Opportunities for disposal should be taken if a positive business case can be made. Delivery plans should be updated accordingly.

Guidance on disposals should be followed (see 5.4)[33].

If property assets are retained out of necessity when they are sub-optimal or below standard, proposals should be included in the strategic asset management plan for improvement or replacement indicating when this might be possible [10].

5.4 Managing surplus assets

When government assets under any tenure become surplus to requirements they should be evaluated for disposal including transfer into new uses, giving precedence to uses that are government priorities. Evaluation of leasehold property should include term, lease breaks and conditions.

To avoid unnecessary costs, sales of freehold assets by government organisations shall be preceded by consultation with other public sector bodies through the Register maintained by the Office of Government Property.

Properties that are to be sold on the open market should be promoted through a portal that is easily accessible to the public.

Note: access to information about surplus property has been provided through a Government Property Finder system [30, 31] as part of InSite.

Planned freehold disposals should be identified in the disposals pipeline of the organisation’s strategic asset management plan (see 4.3.3). Government organisations that are known to have an interest should be consulted directly before adding the property to The Register.

Disposals of surplus property should be made in accordance with published guidance and should be supported by a business case (see 4.5) containing an appraisal of the options and benefits of the disposal, in the context of the wider public sector, securing value for money, in accordance with published guidance.

If surplus property has previously been acquired through compulsion, or a threat or perceived threat of compulsion, an assessment of requirements should be carried out at an early stage in accordance with Guidance on Compulsory Purchase and the Crichel Down Rules [32].

Note: see published guidance on  Managing Surplus Government Property [33].

Active disposal strategies should allow for:

• obtaining the necessary approvals (internal and external)
• complying with lease conditions or other tenure obligations
• remediation if required
• giving priority to demands for alternative government re-use
• marketing to obtain best value
• arrangements for tendering and selecting a purchaser or developer
• handling of conditional and unconditional offers and any material variations through to completion
• records of properties that have been sold being retained in accordance with agreed practices (see 5.4)

6. Management practices

6.1 Overview

This section covers practices which apply across the property life cycle.

Practices required for different aspects of managing property often interact with one another in the overall management of the government estate. They contribute to a management cycle comprising:

• gathering knowledge about the estate (see 6.3, 6.4)
• making plans for change or investment (see 6.6, 6.7)
• assembling capability and capacity (see 6.5)
• delivering the required outcomes (see 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, 6.11)

With appropriate assurance and feedback loops, each practice can support continuous improvement and integrated ways of working across government and in organisations.

6.2 Whole life asset management

6.2.1 Overview

Appropriate tools at national and international levels, such as international cost management standards and current rules of measurement [17] should be used to determine the whole-life costs of government property assets consistently and to support estate management activities such as:

• feasibility studies
• development appraisals
• cost planning and control
• maintenance and inspection
• comparison between tenders
• major refurbishment
• valuation of assets and liabilities
• dispute resolution and audit

Reference to these calculations should be made in business cases, following guidance on spend control approvals [2,3].

6.3 Information management

6.3.1 Record keeping

Accurate and up-to-date information about the status of government property assets is essential to provide objective evidence for decision-making, so that the estate can be managed effectively and efficiently.

Organisations shall record and maintain accurate and up-to-date records of every property asset. This should be done in accordance with data standards issued for cross-government purposes, as defined in the management framework (see 4.1), and a classification of strategic and non-strategic assets (see 6.3.2 and 6.3.3).

Information on strategic property assets (land, buildings and infrastructure) should meet the requirements set for the central government property database in the Property Data Standard [34].

Information on non-strategic assets (such as individual components of a building) shall be recorded in the organisation’s own property management data systems.

Building information models (see 6.3.7) should be constructed for each asset whenever possible and practical.

Note: the government’s central property database (e-PIMS) has been upgraded as a digital national asset register (InSite). The associated data standard issued by the Office of Government Property [34] guides departmental data structures and inputs.

6.3.2 Records for strategic and non- strategic assets

Records of strategic property assets should include:

• location
• physical attributes (size, accessibility, condition, basic floor plans)
• use (occupation)
• use status (interim, permanent, proposed, etc.)
• tenure
• quality (suitability, fitness for purpose)
• valuation, and liabilities
• employee numbers accommodated (both as headcount and full time equivalent)
• space utilisation
• utility consumption
• overall property costs
• appropriate volume metrics (such as number of visitors, storage space, or vehicles)

The records of non-strategic assets should include:

• asset classification
• count (quantity or unit of measure)
• location (site, building, area of building)
• condition (date of last condition survey, operational status, accessibility, and life expectancy)
• maintenance (dates of last inspection and next inspection)

Note: guidance on recording asset data is provided in the FM Standards 001, 002 [26, 27]

Informative notes should be added to asset records if any asset has potential for an alternative use that would exceed its value in existing use or could deliver a government priority.

Note: see the Government Financial Reporting Manual for more on asset classification [35].

Metric units of measurement shall be used for all property records. Other measurement units may be used in addition to metric if necessary.

Note: metric units are defined in the international system of units, and include metres, square metres, and hectares.

6.3.3 Information about the condition of property assets

Accurate information about the condition of government property assets supports decision making, and is required (see 4.5), collected and standardised in accordance with Facilities Management Standards [26, 27]. Regular condition surveys may be linked to the discharge of landlord or tenant obligations or may be carried out by a third party.

Condition surveys should be undertaken by practitioners with the necessary competence, and presented to convey essential information clearly to decision makers. Condition surveys should:

• consider maintenance requirements (backlog, priority repairs, a summary of foreseeable future needs)
• support interpretation of space utilisation and user satisfaction information
• support the calculation of whole life costs

Condition surveys should include:

• the asset register or inventory
• statutory compliance audit
• condition of building fabric, structure and structural components
• component life cycle replacement advice
• mechanical and electrical equipment
• energy survey
• health and safety record
• access and space management metrics

Condition surveys may be customised to suit the needs of the organisation and its activity sector.

6.3.4 Record keeping for health and safety

Organisations shall maintain records (see 6.3.1) of key components of building structures that could have implications for health and safety, and ensure that appropriate inspection regimes by competent people are in place. The responsible person shall:

• take into account the design life of components and any specific known risks
• consider any need for life cycle replacement
• review newer information and standards that might affect the acceptability of older components or methods of construction
• ensure that they hold series of adequate condition data
• take a proportionate, risk- based approach to investigation that gives due consideration to the users of the building, its age and condition, and the possible impact of reduced maintenance over time
• health and safety files shall be handed over at the end of projects, to ensure continuity with retained knowledge.

Note: the Health and Safety Executive provides guidelines and information relating to a range of relevant topics, aiming to keep employees safe and well [57].

Note: Construction and property industry interests have created a Building Safety Charter, which is recommended by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to all involved in developing, managing or maintaining government buildings [58]. The charter anticipates reforms to the building safety system overseen by MHCLG, reflecting changes to legislation and best practice.

6.3.5 Information and data security

Information and data should be:

• retrievable by those who need it and are authorised to use it
• held securely, in accordance with statutory, organisational and (where applicable) contractual requirements
• managed in accordance with GovS 007, Security
• recoverable for as long as necessary to meet timescales required for historic records

The status of the data (including confidence level and currency), its provenance, and security classification should be made clear.

6.3.6 Performance reporting

Government organisations should monitor and report on the performance of their estate using the metrics specified for use across government and in the organisation’s management framework (see 4.1).

Reporting shall include benchmarking and data required for reporting to Parliament in the State of the Estate report or as may be requested by the senior officer accountable for cross- government property strategy (see 4.7.2).

6.3.7 Building information modelling

Building information modelling (BIM) shall be used for government building projects as defined in the management framework, and shall be undertaken in accordance with the prevailing modelling standards [36].

The digital representation should be used:

• to add value in the design phases of a property asset and to guide construction and building management throughout the life of the asset
• as a collaboration and information exchange platform for those involved in the development, operation and maintenance of assets
• as a shared knowledge resource and basis for decisions, with the aim of reducing costs, facilitating operations and enhancing user experience

Procurement of digital models for government buildings should take advantage of opportunities for the UK construction sector to demonstrate leadership in building information management.

Note: a published series of BIM standards and publicly available specifications (PAS) can be consulted for the requirements to implement BIM in the UK [37].

6.4 Risk management

Risk shall be managed throughout the property life cycle to minimise physical, financial and other liabilities. A defined framework for risk management should cover risk assessment, controls and mitigation, addressing matters that are important to the organisation. Strategic or major risks should be defined.

Plans for mitigation of risk should be regularly reviewed. Strategic or major risks should be referenced in the organisation’s strategic asset management plan.

Plans for resilience should cover events or circumstances which might adversely affect the estate, so that the organisation can maintain business continuity in the event of disruption.

Note: guidance on risk management can be found in the Orange Book [14] and in Cabinet Office guidance [38].

6.5 Capability assessment

6.5.1 Overview

The senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation (see 4.7.5), advised by their Head of Profession, should recruit competent employees, including professionals, and should ensure that their workforce is trained and skills kept up to date. A capability and capacity review shall be undertaken regularly to ensure business needs can be met by the available human resources.

Organisations should use resources provided centrally to benchmark and drive their recruitment, induction, training and development programmes, in compliance with GovS 003, People.

To promote greater consistency in recruitment to senior roles across government, government organisations recruiting to a Senior Civil Service role for managing property shall consult with the Head of Profession in Cabinet Office (Office of Government Property) before commencing the recruitment process.

6.5.2 Induction and training

Induction and training shall be provided to ensure that staff engaged in the management of property can work safely and effectively as soon as is practical.

Induction should include ensuring that security clearance has been granted to suit the role being undertaken.

The management of training should include:

• an analysis of training needs
• a training strategy
• development and maintenance of briefings and courses (including those delivered online)
• monitoring the effectiveness of training provided

Reasonable adjustments to the working environment should be made to suit individual circumstances.

6.5.3 Professional development

Professional standards for working in government property should be defined and levels of ability linked to external qualifications. A learning and development curriculum, access to on-the-job training, networking, mentoring and development opportunities should be provided.

Talent management and staff development should fill skills gaps and provide leadership for managing property within organisations and across government, taking account of the prevailing property career framework.

Note: see the Government Property Career Framework [15].

6.6 Continual asset management

Government property holdings require adjustment to current circumstances, and this should be done as often as necessary so that value for money is maintained. Asset-holding organisations should engage continuously in strategic asset management, to achieve the alignment of property assets to the aims and objectives of their organisation.

Regular review of each property asset with benchmarking should enable the optimisation of property portfolios, using accurate calculation of total costs on a whole life basis.

Relevant specialist advice such as valuation, cost and liability estimation, whole-life accounting, and preparation of investment strategies should be obtained whenever necessary.

Conclusions should be summarised in strategic asset management plans, which are an intrinsic part of the government system for continuous asset management (see 4.3.3).

Note: The International Organization for Standardization has published a suite of standards ISO 55000, 55001 and 55002 to provide guidance on asset management. ISO 55000 and 55001 are standards setting out internationally recognised core elements of an Asset Management system. ISO 55002 provides guidance on the application of ISO55001 [39].

Note: Guidance is also published by national professional bodies, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institute for Asset Management [11, 40].

Note: strategic asset management plans within government are recognised to be broad in their approach, combining planning for functional capability and resourcing with a management overview of the physical assets. Guidance on plan preparation is issued by the Office of Government Property [10].

6.7 Property-related programmes and projects

A project management approach should ensure delivery of property solutions on time, to the required quality, within agreed cost expectations, and should realise the required outcomes and benefits.

Changes to a property portfolio, such as new construction, lease or freehold acquisitions, refurbishment, relocations or disposals, should be managed as programmes or projects in accordance with GovS 002, Project delivery.

If a project involves construction, a recognised industry standard methodology should be followed, and used to generate programme or project milestones.

Projects involving procurement shall follow national procurement policy, the Commercial functional standard, GovS 008, and relevant frameworks managed by Crown Commercial Service [41].

Projects requiring the relocation of activities to existing, new or refurbished property should involve stakeholders in a comprehensive assessment of needs during the design of the facility.

Contracts for new or refurbished facilities shall include operational handbooks (or equivalent documentation) as well as post-construction operational advice and support, in the interests of safety and operational efficiency.

Post-occupancy evaluation and feedback should be given to design and construction teams to inform future practice. Useful intelligence should be stored in the building information model (see 6.3.7)

Note: an example of an industry standard methodology is the Plan of Work from the Royal Institute of British Architects [42].

Note: Government Soft Landings produced by the Cabinet Office and approved by the Government Construction Board provides guidance on transitions and meeting the requirements of end users [19].

6.8 Workplace and facilities management

6.8.1 Overview

The purpose of workplace and facilities management is to maintain the quality and functionality of assets in use, ensure that work environments meet the needs of users, support productivity, and provide services that enhance the public user and employee experience.

A strategy for workplace and facilities management should set appropriate service standards in line with the organisation’s needs, and develop a sourcing strategy defining the elements that will be delivered within the organisation or by external suppliers respectively.

Note: technical and operational advice is given in the FM Asset Data Standard and FM Service Standard [26, 27, 8].

6.8.2 Standards for workplace and facilities management

Recognised standards for workplace and facilities management shall be used as the basis for defining the services needed, regardless of whether the services are provided through in-house operations or outsourced to a delivery organisation (see 6.13).

The scope of workplace and facilities management should reflect the purpose and use of the asset and include, but not be limited, to:

• security
• cleaning
• waste management
• catering
• support services, such as reception, porterage, mail rooms, charging points
• grounds maintenance
• building fabric, mechanical and electrical inspections and maintenance
• environmental management
• project delivery
• health and safety management for employees and customers
• stakeholder engagement with both direct users and contract/service managers
• smarter working arrangements to optimise the use of buildings (see 6.8.4)

Utilisation of meeting rooms and other workspaces should be optimised by creating facilities that can be used flexibly for different purposes, and by different users.

Acoustic, lighting and air quality characteristics of meeting rooms, office space and other work areas should be assessed and made suitable for their intended use.

Workplace and facilities management should include:

• establishing an effective means of capturing, storing, accessing and updating essential data and management information
• compiling comprehensive and consistent condition surveys
• prioritising life cycle inspection and maintenance of critical infrastructure
• assessing the likely impact on service delivery of any underinvestment in property maintenance
• creating a culture that prefers cleaning, repair and recycling rather than replacement

6.8.3 Commissioning services

Managers in an organisation (see 4.7) should be consistent in commissioning workplace and facilities management services between different sites and contracts. They should define the standards to be used in relation to the needs of the organisation and procurement pathways.

They should adopt a whole life approach (see section 6.2) and consider:

• energy efficiency and sustainability
• the efficiency and effectiveness of their workplaces and facilities, and contribution to corporate strategy
• identifying measurable performance targets to deliver improvement
• working towards integrated supply chains to minimise waste
• minimising accidents and enhancing safety
• improving performance by better training and working conditions

Decisions made as a result of the considerations above should be embedded into contracts as soon as possible.

Note: the International Standards Organisation family of standards for workplace and facilities management provides comprehensive guidelines for comparable services [43].

Note: the Facilities Management Professional Standards prepared by the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management indicate the information required by facilities managers to deliver a competent facilities management service and can be used to benchmark skills and knowledge [44].

Note: British Standards Institute also publish a management code of practice BS 8210:2020 [45].

6.8.4 Smart and hybrid working

Agility in workspace improves productivity by combining flexible physical accommodation with adaptable information and communications technology. It can support the development of new workplace cultures, to deliver optimum working conditions.

Government organisations should design their accommodation, facilities, technology and management regimes to align with the national code of practice for smart working [46]. For offices, they should accommodate evolving patterns of working that combine home- based working with attendance at assigned workplace locations.

The use of a common access pass should be introduced wherever possible, to increase the flexibility of use of government property.

Integrated workplace management systems should be used where possible, to enhance agile working, space utilisation and building performance. Opportunities should be taken to improve information gathering, including the use of automated systems such as workplace sensors, linking to artificial intelligence systems capable of handling large volumes of data.

Note: integrated management systems combine different types of management data, on assets, capital projects, facilities, maintenance, energy use and sustainability.

Note: the national code of practice for smart working is BSI Standard PAS 3000 [46].

Note: the Government Workplace Design Guide provides additional detail with specific reference to government workplaces and their particular operational conditions [23].

6.9 Information and communication technology

6.9.1 Overview

Design and procurement of information and communication technology should be in accordance with GovS 005, Digital, data and technology, GovS 007, Security and GovS 008, Commercial.

6.9.2 Design and installation

Information and communication technology systems should be designed and installed to enable flexibility for varying workforce conditions and staff deployments. Their design should demonstrably improve productivity, including efficient access for people working remotely, unless that is inappropriate for security reasons (see 6.11.2).

6.9.3 Communications infrastructure

The installation of electronic communications infrastructure for general public and commercial use at government property locations benefits citizens by improving the reach and efficiency of transmission. Installation should be permitted wherever an agreement can be made under the electronic communication code of practice, and should follow published guidance.

Note: the Electronic Communications Code is set out in schedule 3A of the Communications Act 2003, and is a set of rights designed to facilitate the installation and maintenance of electronic communications networks [47, 48].

6.10 Sustainability

6.10.1 Planning for sustainability

Management of the whole property life cycle (see section 5) shall be directed towards compliance with government policy for the environment [49].

Plans should be made to improve sustainability within defined timescales. The aim should be to:

• achieve net zero carbon emissions for each building or property portfolio, contributing to published government targets
• undertake new developments in a way that utilises resources in an efficient and responsible manner, leaving the natural environment in a measurably better state than it was before, including conserving and enhancing biodiversity

Guidance has been issued on pathways to highly efficient non-domestic buildings which achieve zero carbon ambitions, in the form of a Future Buildings Standard [50].

A Net Zero Estates Playbook provides guidance on how government estate managers can plan to achieve targets set by government policy [51].

6.10.2 Reporting on sustainability

Property-holding organisations should report on consumption of energy and water and the outputs of greenhouse gases and waste from their estates, using metrics defined in the cross-government management framework (see 4.1).

Data should, as a minimum, be reported at the building level, or in larger buildings or complexes at the sub-building level, and ideally also per employee, to demonstrate efficiency and enable comparisons over time and between property portfolios.

For large buildings, campuses, and other complex facilities, managers should adopt a sufficient degree of sub-area measurement to enable facilities management teams to make informed decisions about optimising energy performance and water usage.

Organisations should set internal targets for water consumption and report using suitable metrics.

Note: the Overview of Reporting Requirements includes guidance on metrics for reporting against Greening Government Commitments targets [52].

6.10.3 Reuse, recycling, and minimising waste

Workplace and facilities managers (see 4.7) should minimise waste generation, including avoiding single-use plastic. They should re- use and recycle materials, and source them locally wherever possible.

Furniture and equipment should be reused rather than replaced if there is opportunity to do so without unacceptable loss of quality, in terms of both function and appearance.

Waste water treatment and recycling systems should be improved if a new installation can economically reduce water, energy or chemical consumption.

6.10.4 Energy efficiency and generation

Organisations shall ensure that their buildings meet minimum energy efficiency standards, through reporting and benchmarking their energy performance. They shall have the relevant certification, where required by regulation. This should be augmented by regular monitoring data, and an action plan for improvements if any are feasible.

Note: examples of certification include the Display Energy Certificate and Energy Performance Certificate.

Recommendations for improving energy performance outlined in the Display Energy Certificate advisory reports [53] should be addressed.

Monitoring should be put in place to report the actual energy performance of all buildings for comparison with design targets, to inform energy efficiency improvements and for reporting against contractual conditions if they apply.

Renewable energy supply should be adopted where a practicable option is available.

Opportunities for generation of clean energy within land and buildings on the government estate should be appraised and included within strategic asset management plans.

Note: the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) imposes a restriction on granting new tenancies or continuation of existing tenancies where the property has an Energy Performance Certificate rating of F or G [54].

6.11 Health and safety, security, and wellbeing

6.11.1 Introduction

Users of government property assets (employees, suppliers and the public) should be protected from avoidable harm and provided with support for their wellbeing (such as suitable accessibility) through measures that avoid unnecessary disruption, intrusion or cost.

Records should be maintained to inform new wellbeing initiatives (see 6.3.4).

6.11.2 Security

Designers of government buildings and land holdings shall ensure that security requirements are taken into account and managers shall report against minimum security standards in accordance with guidance and Government Security Policy [55].

Physical security measures for office or other spaces should be designed to match security levels relevant to their use.

Personnel and physical security measures should be designed, installed and operated in accordance with GovS 007, Security.

6.11.3 Safety and wellbeing of property users

The safety of people present in government premises shall be prioritised. Fire risk assessments shall be carried out by the responsible person [56].

Routines for the safe evacuation of buildings following the sounding of an alarm shall be practiced regularly, as advised by the person responsible for managing incidents, as agreed with the site manager (see 4.7.6).

The wellbeing of the users of a building or asset should be protected when undertaking planned and preventative maintenance.

Heating, cooling, lighting, air quality, noise, and other essential physical attributes of a building should be adjusted for human comfort and to meet safety standards, and should be monitored. The responsible person shall ensure that workplace and service delivery conditions fulfil the prevailing industry and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standards and as specified in facilities management and other contracts.

Testing of electrical and other equipment shall be carried out to the required legal standard and facilities management contractual obligations.

6.12 Financial, commercial, and legal aspects of property

6.12.1 Financial and commercial

The senior officer accountable for managing property in an organisation should obtain the relevant financial and commercial guidance and information to undertake the role effectively (see 4.7).

Evaluation of procurement and delivery routes should be undertaken as part of project planning. Contracts for the construction, purchase or leasing of new buildings, or other property services, shall be entered into or renewed only after completing due diligence, taking account of the financial status and stability of the supplier.

Due diligence for property transactions should include appropriate counter fraud measures, taking account of GovS 013, Counter Fraud.

Tax and insurance liabilities should be assessed.

Procurement for government property and property services shall be undertaken in accordance with GovS 008, Commercial.

Financial planning, control and reporting shall be undertaken in accordance with GovS 006, Finance.

Note: advice on assuring contractual requirements is available as part of the Crown Commercial Service FM Services Framework [41].

Note: the facilities management framework document prepared by RICS/IFMA provides strategic-level guidance [59].

Note: international accounting standards determine the status of balance sheet entries for property assets, with potentially significant effects on the overall balance of assets and liabilities [60].

Note: advice is published on GOV.UK on how to ensure correct liabilities for business rates through a check-challenge-appeal process [61].

6.12.2 Legal support

Specialist legal advice should be sought early in the progress of property transactions with regard to the content for leases, conveyances, or agreements if there is uncertainty over due process, or issues arise over ownership or the viability of contracts for managing property assets or services.

Care should be taken over tenure arrangements involving a Memorandum of Terms of Occupation, or a lease that might be contracted out of protection under the Landlord and Tenant legislation, the use of a Licence to Occupy, or a Tenancy at Will.

Requests for information concerning property should be handled appropriately, bearing in mind that information might be sensitive for commercial or other reasons and subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Note: legal advice is available from the Property Law Hub in the Commercial Law Group of the Government Legal Department [64].

6.13 Delivery organisations and third parties

The purpose of using government and third party delivery organisations is to provide specialist services which are not available within a government organisation, to meet demand which the organisation cannot fulfil with internal staff, or to benefit from efficiencies from coordinated delivery.

Delivery organisations may be used throughout the property life cycle.

Delivery organisations should work to this functional standard and be familiar with the types of work they are contracted to conduct.

Contracting with commercial suppliers should be undertaken in accordance with GovS 008, Commercial and relevant frameworks managed by Crown Commercial Service [41] [also see 6.14].

A government organisation relying on a separate delivery organisation to fulfil its obligations should ensure that a good working relationship exists with those performing its intelligent client role (see 4.7.4), and that client-side commissioning is carried out effectively to achieve departmental and government priorities.

Assurance processes should be put in place to provide evidence, on at least an annual basis, of the capability, capacity and financial status of the delivery organisation.

Within the delivery organisation responsibilities should be assigned to reflect the specified requirements of the client (which might include requirements of a government department as sponsor body) and to maintain an ongoing dialogue about delivery, including the provision of good quality data as management information.

Note: advice on assuring contractual requirements is available as part of the Crown Commercial Service FM Services Framework [41].

6.14 Learning from experience

Learning from experience avoids the repetition of mistakes. It helps spread improved practices to benefit current and future work. Throughout the property life cycle, lessons should be captured, evaluated and shared.

All individuals involved with management of government property and with key stakeholders should identify lessons from previous experience, share them with colleagues, and apply them when planning and undertaking new work.

Practical arrangements should be made to share learning, mitigate risk and improve outputs and services. Actions should include making accessible records of post- occupancy evaluation, monitoring and evaluation of usage, and user satisfaction.

As lessons are learned, organisation leaders and owners of standards, processes, methods, guidance, tools and training should update their management framework(s) and knowledge sources to communicate important lessons across government where appropriate.

7. Annex A. References

All references are subject to independent updates. Users should check for the latest versions.

Where items are marked ‘Available on request’, unless otherwise indicated, contact the Office of Government Property.

I.D.	Description: Government References
1	Cabinet Office, State of the Estate
2	Cabinet Office, Cabinet Office Controls (2021)
3	Cabinet Office, Property Spend Controls (2021)
4	Cabinet Office, Public Bodies Handbook – Part 1, Classification of Public Bodies: Guidance For Departments (2016)
5	Cabinet Office, GovS 001: Government functions (2021)
6	Cabinet Office, Civil Estate Occupancy Agreement (2005)
7	Cabinet Office, Infrastructure and Projects Authority mandate (2021)
8	Cabinet Office, Management Framework Collection
9	HM Treasury, Accounting officer system statements (2017)
10	Cabinet Office, Departmental strategic asset management plans
13	HM Treasury, The Green Book (2020)
14	HM Treasury, Orange Book (2020)
15	Office of Government Property, Government Property Profession career framework (2020)
16	Government Property Agency Intelligent Client toolkit – Government Property Agency (Homepage)
20	Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Transforming Infrastructure Performance (2017)
21	Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, Common Minimum Standards for Construction (2017)
22	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Sustainable procurement: The Government Buying Standards
23	Government Property Agency, Government Workplace Design Guide (2021)
24	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, National Design Guide (2021)
25	Cabinet Office, The Construction Playbook (2020)
26	Cabinet Office, Facilities Management Asset Data Standard
27	Cabinet Office, Facilities Management Service Standard
28	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M (2021)
29	Office of Government Property, Responsible Maintenance - A Guide for Accounting Officers, Executive Committees and Boards. Available on request from Office of Government Property: govs.property@cabinetoffice.gov.uk or Government Property Online (Homepage)
30	Cabinet Office, Register of Surplus Land
31	Cabinet Office, Government Property Finder
32	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Compulsory purchase process and the Crichel Down Rules (2019)
33	Office of Government Property, Guide for the disposal of surplus government land
34	Office of Government Property, Data standards
35	HM Treasury, Government financial reporting manual-2021-22 (2020)
38	Cabinet Office, Management of risk in government: framework (2017)
41	Crown Commercial Service, Procurement guidance (Crown Commercial Service homepage)
47	DCMS, A New Electronic Communications Code May 2016 (2016)
48	Ofcom, Electronic Communications Code
49	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment (2019)
50	Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, The future building standard (2021)
51	Cabinet Office, Net Zero Estate Playbook
52	Cabinet Office and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, [Greening Government Commitments 2016 to 2020] (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greening-government-commitments-2016-to-2020) (2018)
53	Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Display Energy Certificates and advisory reports for public buildings (2015)
54	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Non-domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard - landlord guidance (2019)
55	Cabinet Office, National security and intelligence, and Government Security Profession, Government security (2021)
56	HM Government, Fire safety in the workplace
57	Health and Safety Executive, Publications (Health and Safety Executive Homepage)
61	Valuation Office Agency, Check and challenge your rateable value (2020)
62	Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, The National Planning Policy Framework (2021)
63	Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, National Model Design Code (2021)
64	Government Legal Department, Commercial Law Group, Property Law Hub: legal advice
65	HM Treasury, National Infrastructure Strategy (2020)
66	Infrastructure and Projects Authority, Project Initiation Routemap, modules including Asset Management (2016)
67	HM Treasury, Government Efficiency Framework (2023)
68	Government Property Function, State of the Estate in 2023-24 (2025)

I.D.	Description: External References
11	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Strategic Property Asset Management in the Public Sector
12	Institute of Asset Management, ISO 55000 series
17	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, International Construction Measurement Standards
19	UK BIM Framework, Government Soft Landings (2019)
36	Construction Industry Council, Building Information Modelling (BIM) Protocol(2018)
37	NBS, PAS 1192 Framework
39	International Organization for Standardization, ISO 55000 Asset Management(2014)
40	Institute of Asset Management, Asset Management - An Anatomy
42	Royal Institute of British Architects, RIBA Plan of Work (2020)
43	BSI, ISO 41001 Facility Management
44	Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, Facilities management professional standards
45	British Standards Institute, BS 8210:2020 maintenance management code of practice
46	BSI, Smart working (2015)
58	Building a Safer Future, Building Safety Charter
59	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Strategic FM Framework (2018)
60	IFRS Foundation, International Financial Reporting Standard 16 - Leases

8. Annex B. Glossary

See also the common glossary of definitions which includes a list of defined terms and phrases used across the suite of government functional standards. The glossary includes the term and definition.

Term	Definition
asset (property)	In the context of property, assets are tangible fixed entities in the form of land, buildings or related equipment, owned with the expectation of present or future benefit.
assurance	A general term for the confidence that can be derived from objective information over the successful conduct of activities, the efficient and effective design and operation of internal control, compliance with internal and external requirements, and the production of insightful and credible information to support decision making. Confidence diminishes when there are uncertainties around the integrity of information or of underlying processes.
benchmarking	Comparison of performance between different organisations using consistently gathered data.
BIM	Building information modelling is a broad term that describes the process of creating and managing a digital model of a building or other facility such as a building, bridge, highway or tunnel.
Crichel Down rules	Rules for assessing compensation payable when land is sold that has previously been brought into government ownership by compulsory purchase.
crown body	A department, office, executive agency or other organisation that is defined by law in the UK as a crown body.
Crown Estate	The Crown Estate is property belonging to the British monarch as a corporation sole, which is neither government property nor part of the monarch’s private estate. The Crown Estate Commissioners are accountable to Parliament, reporting annually.
crown land	A term often used to cover a variety of categories, such as: land belonging to The Queen as monarch; The Queen’s private property; properties of the Duchies of Cornwall or Lancaster; or Government land. To avoid confusion, more specific terms can be used, such as The Crown Estate or central government property.
defined (way of working)	In the context of standards, ‘defined’ denotes a documented way of working that people are expected to use. This can apply to any aspect of a governance or management framework for example processes, codes of practice, methods, templates, tools and guides.
dispositive power	Power to transfer, lease or grant legal interests out of a property.
established (way of working)	In the context of standards, ‘established’ denotes a way of working that is implemented and used throughout the organisation. This can apply to any aspect of a governance or management framework, for example processes, codes of practice, methods, templates, tools and guides.
Estate	The sum total of property assets held by an organisation.
Governance	Governance defines relationships and the distribution of rights and responsibilities among those who work with and in the organisation. It determines the rules and procedures through which the organisational objectives are set, and provides the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance. Importantly, it defines where accountability lies throughout the organisation.
governance and management framework	A governance and management framework sets out the authority limits, decision making roles and rules, degrees of autonomy, assurance needs, reporting structure, accountabilities and roles and the appropriate management practices and associated documentation needed to meet this standard.
government property	Property owned by the Government in any form of tenure, including freehold and leasehold.
government property function	A grouping of similar activities related to property that are aligned across government and embedded into departments and arm’s length bodies. For activities within its scope, the function: sets cross-government strategies; sets and assures standards; develops capability; gives expert advice; drives continuous improvement and develops and delivers commonly required services.
government property profession	A group of people across government with skills, knowledge or expertise engaged in the management of property and committed to developing capability. An individual can belong to more than one government profession. Those in the property profession can be employed in any department or arm’s length body.
heritage asset	A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage assets include designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority as of heritage value (including local listing).
lease event	Date of lease expiry or allowing operation of break clauses.
lease retention	Choosing to retain a lease beyond a break date that provides an opportunity to exit the lease without penalty.
organisation	An organisation, in the context of government functional standards, is the generic term used to describe a government department, arm’s length body, or any other entity that is identified as being within scope of a functional standard.
plan	A plan sets out how objectives, outcomes and outputs are to be delivered within defined constraints, in accordance with the strategy.
strategy	A strategy outlines longer term objectives, outcomes and outputs, and the means to achieve them, to inform future decisions and planning.
sustainability (property)	The development, use, maintenance, operation and disposal of property that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This includes biodiversity and climate change adaptations.
whole life costs (property)	The cost of an asset throughout its whole life cycle, including costs associated with acquisition, ownership, use, operation, maintenance and disposal, calculated on a consistent basis over time.

9. Annex C. Useful sources

This Annex signposts a collection of information sources that will be maintained on GOV.UK, forming part of the management framework for the functional standard. It can be found here.

The governance and management framework for the cross-government property function comprises this functional standard, adopted governance arrangements, and associated requirements and statements that support the standard. Some may be available on GOV.UK and others may be held on organisational intranets. The status of each element should be investigated before use.

A wide range of external advisory material is used to support UK government organisations in the normal course of managing government property. Each is likely to be updated from time to time by its owner, independently of this standard. It is necessary to check the latest revisions and replacements.

9.1  Professional standards

Guidance notes and insight documents are produced by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). They cover many aspects of land, property, construction, infrastructure, valuation, asset management, facilities management, procurement and environmental matters.

Many documents are open source and can be found via the RICS website. Some may require membership of the Institution.

9.2 International standards

Since 2013, over 200 organisations throughout the world have been working to develop international standards for property. These organisations own the standards listed below collectively. They are implemented by each organisation through their own professional guidelines, providing high-level standards as a common framework for practitioners to promote consistency, transparency and confidence in their own circumstances.

For further information see the RICS home page:

International standards include those for valuation, asset management, workplace and facilities management, property measurement (for industrial, office, residential and retail property, including for valuation purposes), construction measurement (for costing), ethics, and fire safety.

United Nations organisations have worked together to address ways in which land is held and occupied in different tenure systems.

9.3 Financial reporting

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), issued by the IFRS Foundation, are a legal requirement in many countries and include:

• IFRS 16 Leases – introduces a new era of lease accounting by putting leases on the balance sheet, a response to (amongst other things) growth in short-term use of serviced offices, shared workspaces and technology start-up communities
• IFRS 15 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers
• IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement – definition of Fair Value, now Equitable Value, involving three levels of evidence
• IFRS 9 Financial Instruments – defines Estimated Losses, which are to be put into current year accounts

HM Treasury issues a Government Financial Reporting Manual which includes advice on the valuation of property assets [35].

9.4 Building regulations

New and existing government buildings are expected to comply with building regulations so that people can access and use buildings and their facilities regardless of disabilities, in accordance with guidance on accessibility issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government [28].

9.5 Planning and Development

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government administers policy and guidance on new development, including the National Planning Policy Framework [62] and the National Model Design Code [63].

These national frameworks complement the National Infrastructure Strategy published by HM Treasury [65], and sit within the Town & Country Planning legislation.

9.6 Legal Advice

Legal advice is available from the Property Law Hub in the Commercial Law Group of the Government Legal Department [64].

9.7 Memorandum of Terms of Occupation

The Civil Estate Occupation Agreement for Crown Bodies provides advice on constructing and operating a Memorandum of Terms of Occupation (MOTO) to serve as a lease-equivalent between different parts of central government. Advice can be obtained from the Government Legal Department and from the Government Property Agency.

9.8 Workplace and facilities management contracts

Crown Commercial Service website has the most up-to-date frameworks for WFM contracting [41].

Note: RICS has produced a Professional Statement on the Procurement of facilities management – supported by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply and Crown Commercial Service.

9.9 Government offices – branding

Directions on naming and external and internal signage of government office buildings are given in the Government Workspace Design Guide [23]

9.10 Space standards and smart working

Space utilisation in the government office portfolio has been managed towards a target of no more than 8 sqm per person (FTE), except where another space standard may apply, such as in public access areas. Smarter Working (described in The Way We Work best practice guidelines and the Government Workspace Design Guide) is now achieving more efficient space utilisation, typically around 6 sqm/FTE.

Space standards are becoming more flexible, with an emphasis on productivity, environmental quality and suitability for changing work patterns. Allowances are being made for an increasing proportion of meeting rooms and shared workspace.

The national code of practice for smart working is BSI Standard PAS 3000. A centre of excellence exists in the Government Property Agency to help deliver change and offer common tools for use across all sectors [46, 23].

Note: improvement targets were set for 70% of organisations achieving PAS 3000 by 2020 and all of them by 2022.

9.11 School estates

Non-statutory guidance has been issued on how and when to involve the Secretary of State in transactions involving land held for the purpose of a school: see Involving the Secretary of State in land transactions.