Planned Preventative
Maintenance Contracts
Structured maintenance visits for commercial catering equipment and heating systems - reducing breakdown risk, extending equipment life, and keeping your facility compliant. Serving London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, and across the South East.
What is Planned Preventative Maintenance?
Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is a structured programme of scheduled servicing and inspection visits, carried out before faults develop into failures. Rather than waiting for equipment to break down and then reacting, a PPM contract means your catering equipment and heating systems are regularly checked, adjusted, cleaned, and tested by qualified engineers on a pre-agreed schedule.
The distinction from reactive maintenance is straightforward: reactive repair responds to a breakdown that has already happened. PPM works to prevent the breakdown from occurring in the first place - or catches early warning signs when they are still inexpensive and quick to address.
Fix & Repair Engineers offer PPM contracts for commercial catering equipment and heating systems across London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, and the wider South East. Contracts are structured around your site's specific equipment list and operational requirements - not a fixed package designed for a generic kitchen.
The Business Case for PPM
A PPM contract is not an overhead - it is an investment in operational continuity. The question is not whether maintenance has a cost, but whether that cost is planned and controlled, or unpredictable and disruptive. Here is what a structured maintenance programme delivers in practice.
Breakdown Prevention
Routine inspection identifies worn components, failing seals, blocked jets, and developing faults before they cause a full breakdown. Addressing them at service stage costs a fraction of an emergency repair and eliminates the downtime entirely.
Controlled Maintenance Costs
PPM converts unpredictable emergency repair spend into planned, budgeted expenditure. For finance teams and operators, this predictability has real value - particularly when managing multiple sites or tight margins.
Extended Equipment Lifespan
Commercial catering and heating equipment is a significant capital investment. Appliances that receive consistent professional servicing perform reliably for longer. Premature equipment failure through poor maintenance is one of the most avoidable costs in a commercial kitchen or facility.
Safety & Compliance
Gas appliances require annual safety inspection. Regular servicing of commercial catering equipment supports compliance with food hygiene regulations, HSE guidance, and insurance requirements. A documented maintenance record is your evidence of due diligence if questions are raised.
Improved Energy Efficiency
Poorly maintained equipment - ovens with dirty burner jets, refrigeration with failing seals, boilers with scale build-up - works harder to deliver the same output and consumes more energy. Regular servicing keeps equipment running at the efficiency it was designed for.
Documented Service Records
Every PPM visit produces a written service report detailing equipment inspected, work carried out, condition noted, and any recommendations. This documentation supports warranty compliance, insurance claims, EHO inspections, and asset management records.
What Our PPM Contracts Include
Every contract is tailored to the specific equipment list and operational requirements of your site. The following covers the core activities carried out during a typical PPM visit - the exact scope is agreed with you before the contract begins.
Two Contract Options
Labour Only Contract
Covers all engineer time and labour for scheduled visits. Parts required during the visit are charged additionally at agreed contract rates. Suited to sites with newer equipment or lower parts usage expectations.
Labour & Parts Contract
Covers both engineer time and an agreed range of parts. Provides maximum cost certainty and is the preferred option for busy sites with older or higher-wear equipment.
Visit Frequency
We visit clients between 1 and 4 times per year depending on equipment type, usage intensity, and manufacturer recommendations. Frequency is agreed as part of the contract setup and can be reviewed annually.
Equipment We Cover Under PPM
We carry most common parts on our vans and are experienced across all major commercial catering and heating equipment manufacturers. If your equipment is not listed, contact us to confirm coverage.
Who Our PPM Contracts Are For
A PPM contract makes practical and financial sense for any operator whose commercial equipment is business-critical - where a breakdown would directly disrupt service, compromise safety, or affect revenue. We work with a wide range of clients across the South East.
Restaurants & Pubs
Kitchen downtime during service is not an option. PPM reduces that risk and ensures gas appliances remain safe and compliant throughout the year.
Hotels & Hospitality Venues
Multi-kitchen operations with high equipment volumes benefit most from structured maintenance programmes - covering everything from kitchen equipment to boilers and heating systems.
Care Homes
Catering and heating equipment failures in care settings have immediate resident welfare implications. PPM reduces breakdown risk and supports the compliance obligations of registered care providers.
Schools & Education
School catering operations run to strict timetables. Planned maintenance keeps canteen equipment operational and ensures compliance with food safety and gas safety requirements.
Facilities Managers
Multi-site and facilities management teams benefit from a single contractor covering both catering equipment and heating systems - with consistent engineer standards, service documentation, and priority callout terms.
Dark Kitchens & Production Units
High-intensity kitchen operations running long hours put more wear on equipment. Increased visit frequency and priority breakdown response make PPM particularly valuable for production-focused environments.
How a PPM Contract Works
Getting a PPM contract in place is straightforward. We keep the process simple so you can get coverage confirmed and dated without unnecessary delay.
Initial Enquiry & Equipment List
Contact us with your site details and a list of equipment to be covered. If you're unsure what should be included, we can advise based on your type of operation and the equipment you use.
Contract Scope & Pricing Agreed
We confirm the contract scope - equipment covered, visit frequency (1-4 per year), contract type (labour only or labour and parts), and pricing. All terms are clear before you commit.
First Visit Scheduled
The first PPM visit is booked at a time that works for your operation - we aim to minimise disruption to your service. Engineers arrive with the equipment list and carry most common parts on the van.
Service Report Issued
Following each visit, a written service report is issued detailing all equipment inspected, work carried out, condition ratings, and any recommendations. This is your compliance and maintenance record.
Ongoing Schedule Managed
Subsequent visits are pre-planned and confirmed in advance. Between visits, contract clients receive priority callout rates if a breakdown occurs and need immediate attendance.
Annual Contract Review
At renewal, we review the equipment list, visit frequency, and contract terms. If your operation has changed - new equipment, site expansion, or reduced usage - we adjust accordingly.
PPM, Safety & Legal Compliance
A PPM contract is not solely about reducing costs - it is also how responsible operators demonstrate that their equipment is properly maintained, safe to operate, and compliant with the relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Gas Safety Regulations
Gas appliances in commercial premises require annual safety inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Our PPM contracts include this for all contracted gas equipment.
Food Hygiene & EHO
Environmental Health Officers expect evidence of equipment maintenance. A documented service record from a professional contractor is the clearest evidence of responsible kitchen management.
Manufacturer Warranty
Many equipment warranties require evidence of regular professional servicing to remain valid. A PPM contract provides exactly this - protecting your warranty position on new and recent equipment.
Insurance & Due Diligence
In the event of an equipment-related incident, documented maintenance records are your evidence of due diligence. A PPM service record demonstrates that reasonable steps were taken to maintain equipment safely.
PPM Contract Coverage
We provide PPM contracts across London and 11 counties in the South East - for both single-site operators and multi-site facilities management clients.
Not sure if we cover your location? Contact us and we will confirm.
PPM Contracts - Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from operators considering a planned preventative maintenance contract for their catering equipment or heating systems.
Request a PPM Contract Quote
Tell us about your site, your equipment, and your operational requirements. We will confirm coverage, propose a visit frequency, and provide clear pricing - with no obligation to proceed.