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Last reviewed: 19 September 2026 · By the Dad‑Link Emergency Lighting Division
What Is a Defects & Remedial Works Report?
A defects and remedial works report is the document that turns “the emergency lighting failed its test” into a plan of action. It lists each defect found on the installation, and against each one records the location, a description of the fault, a priority, the recommended action, and its completion status.
It is the natural companion to an unsatisfactory periodic certificate or site compliance certificate. The certificate records that something is wrong at the point of inspection; the remedial works report is the living document that tracks each problem through to a fix. That distinction matters to inspectors and insurers: a certificate with deviations and no remedial record looks like a problem ignored, while a remedial report showing items moving from “outstanding” to “completed” shows a system being properly managed.
It also protects the contractor. When you identify a defect and hand over a clear, prioritised remedial report, responsibility for acting on it passes to the responsible person. If they choose not to fix an “immediate” danger, the report is your evidence that you flagged it.
The Three Defect Priorities
Prioritising defects lets the responsible person deal with the most serious first. Get the priority right and the report drives the right response.
| Priority | What it means & when to use it |
|---|---|
| Immediate | A danger exists now. The classic case is an escape route left with no emergency lighting at all — if the power failed this minute, part of the route would be dark. Act at once: interim measures such as restricted use of the affected area may be needed until the fix is done. |
| Urgent | Remedial work is required before the next test. The system still functions, but a defect will cause a failure or non‑compliance if left. For example a single luminaire on a route that failed its duration test, where others still provide cover. |
| Improvement | Work is recommended to bring the installation up to the current standard. Not a failure of the existing design, but a betterment — for instance adding a luminaire to improve uniformity, or upgrading an older fitting. |
What to Do After an Unsatisfactory Certificate
An unsatisfactory periodic or site compliance certificate is not the end of the process — it’s the start of the remedial one. Here is the sequence:
- Capture every deviation as a defect. Each ✗ on the certificate becomes a line on the remedial report, with its location and a description.
- Assign a priority. Immediate, urgent or improvement, based on the actual risk each defect presents.
- Recommend the action. State what needs doing — replace battery pack, add luminaire, repair wiring, replace lamp.
- Handle immediate dangers now. Where an escape route is left without cover, arrange interim measures at once.
- Do the work and record it. As each defect is fixed, update its status and add the completion date.
- Retest and reissue. Once every item is completed and the affected luminaires retested, a fresh satisfactory certificate can be issued.
The remedial report is what connects the two certificates — the unsatisfactory one that found the problems, and the satisfactory one that follows the fixes. Without it, there is nothing to show the gap was ever closed.
The Legal Duty
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (and the equivalent Scottish and Northern Irish legislation), the responsible person must keep fire safety equipment in efficient working order and good repair. BS 5266‑1 clause 13 puts flesh on that: defects should be remedied as soon as possible, and immediately where an escape route is left without emergency lighting.
“As soon as possible” is a judgement, and priority is how you make it defensible. An immediate danger can’t wait for a quote; an improvement item reasonably can. Recording the priority, the date raised and the date completed builds the evidence that defects were dealt with proportionately and promptly — exactly what an enforcing officer or insurer will look for if there is ever an incident.
Tracking Each Defect to Completion
A remedial report is only useful if it’s kept alive. Each defect moves through a simple status.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Outstanding | The defect has been identified but not yet actioned. Immediate‑priority items should never sit here for long. |
| Quoted | The work has been priced and is awaiting approval or scheduling. Useful where the client must authorise spend. |
| Completed | The work is done. Record the completion date — this is what turns the report into proof of resolution. |
Worked Examples
Three defect rows from a real remedial report, and the thinking behind each.
| Ref | Location | Defect | Priority | Action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EL04 | Stair 1, half landing | Luminaire dead — no output on test | Immediate | Replace luminaire; temp light fitted meanwhile | Completed 14/09 |
| EL07 | Corridor B | Failed duration test at 95 min | Urgent | Replace battery pack & retest | Quoted |
| — | Open office core | Uniformity marginal between fittings | Improvement | Add one luminaire to lift the low point | Outstanding |
- EL04 is a dead luminaire on a stair — a route with a dark spot. That’s an immediate danger, so a temporary light went in on the day and the luminaire was replaced and marked completed with a date.
- EL07 failed its duration but others on the route still provide cover, so it’s urgent, not immediate. It’s been quoted and is awaiting the go‑ahead.
- The open‑office row is an improvement: the area passes today, but adding a luminaire would remove a marginal low point. It sits as outstanding until the client decides.
Standards & References
- BS 5266‑1:2016 — clause 13 covers the maintenance regime and the requirement to remedy defects as soon as possible, and immediately where an escape route is left without emergency lighting.
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — the legal duty on the responsible person to maintain fire safety equipment in efficient working order (with equivalents in Scotland and Northern Ireland).
- BS EN 50172:2004 / BS 5266‑8:2004 — the testing and record‑keeping routine that surfaces the defects the report captures.
Recording It in Lux Meter Pro
The same form is available on iPhone and iPad in the app, and in the browser through our Cert It web app.
Open a report
Choose Defects & Remedial Works, add the client and installation, and optionally link the certificate it follows.
Record each defect
Enter the luminaire reference and location, describe the fault, and set the priority — immediate, urgent or improvement.
Recommend the action
State what needs doing to put each defect right.
Track the status
Set each item to outstanding, quoted or completed, adding the completion date when done. Immediate items are highlighted until closed.
Add notes
Record access requirements, parts on order or retest arrangements.
Sign, generate & send
Sign and generate the PDF with defect, outstanding and completed counts. Reissue it as items are closed off.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- No priority. Without it, everything looks equally (un)important and the immediate dangers get lost.
- Treating an immediate danger as a snag. A dark escape route needs interim measures today, not a slot next month.
- Vague actions. “Investigate” isn’t an action. Say what the fix is — replace battery, add luminaire, repair wiring.
- Never updating the status. A remedial report frozen at “outstanding” proves nothing was done. Keep it live.
- No completion dates. The date is what turns a fixed defect into evidence.
- Not reissuing the satisfactory certificate. Once everything’s completed and retested, close the loop with a fresh certificate.
Before You Issue — Quick Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an emergency lighting remedial works report?
A record of the defects found on an emergency lighting installation, each with its priority, the recommended remedial action and its completion status. It’s typically issued after an unsatisfactory periodic or site compliance certificate and updated as the work is done, giving a clear audit trail of what was wrong and how it was put right.
What are the defect priorities?
Immediate means a danger exists now, such as an escape route left without emergency lighting — act at once. Urgent means remedial work is required before the next test. Improvement means work is recommended to bring the installation up to the current standard.
What do I do after an unsatisfactory emergency lighting certificate?
Record each deviation as a defect with a priority and recommended action, arrange the work — immediately where an escape route is left without emergency lighting — and use interim measures if needed. Once every item is completed and retested, a fresh satisfactory certificate can be issued.
Who is responsible for carrying out remedial works?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person must ensure defects are remedied as soon as possible. They can appoint a competent contractor, but the duty to see it done and recorded stays with them. The remedial works report is the shared record that tracks it.
How is a remedial works report different from a defect on the certificate?
The certificate records the deviation at the point of inspection. The remedial report is the living document that tracks each defect to a fix — its priority, the recommended action, whether it’s outstanding, quoted or completed, and the completion date. Together they show both the problem and its resolution.
Can I record and track remedial works on a phone?
Yes. Lux Meter Pro provides the defects and remedial works report on iPhone and iPad, and in the browser through Cert It. Record defects with priority and action on site, track them to completion, and generate a PDF with live counts.
Close the Loop on Every Defect
We build the defects and remedial works report into Lux Meter Pro and our Cert It web app — priority, action and completion tracking with live counts, in a clean BS 5266‑1 PDF. Record defects on site, track them to a fix, and issue the satisfactory certificate once they’re all closed.