Guide
Shopfront maintenance checklist
A shopfront needs a simple look every week, a hands-on check every month and a full service once a year. Cleaning the frame, testing the door gear and watching the seals will catch most faults before they become a bigger repair. Use the checklist below and book in anything you cannot fix yourself.
Last updated 3 November 2026. General guidance only: confirm anything legal with your council or adviser.
What should you check every week?
A few minutes before opening is enough for a weekly check. Walk the front from outside, then work each door and the shutter. Note anything that has changed, because a new noise or a door that needs more effort is often the first sign of a worn part.
- Glass: cracks, chips and loose beads
- Doors: closing smoothly and latching first time
- Thresholds and tracks: free of grit and litter
- Shutter: runs straight without new noises
- Signs: all lights and letters working
What should you check every month?
Monthly checks go a little deeper. Wash the frames with warm water and mild detergent, never an abrasive pad, because that can scratch the coating. Check the coating warranty as well, since some set a minimum cleaning interval, and missing it can affect a later claim on the finish.
- Frames: wash and look for scratches or corrosion
- Seals and gaskets: no cracks or gaps
- Drainage slots: clear of dirt
- Locks: turn smoothly with each key
- Fire exits: unblocked and releasing properly
What needs a professional service?
Automatic doors, shutters, floor springs and door closers all benefit from a service at the interval the maker recommends. In Great Britain, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require workplaces, and equipment linked to their safety, to be kept in good repair. A maintenance plan is £295 to £995 ex VAT per site per year.
On a service, a technician checks the fixings, adjusts closers and springs, tests locks and sensors, and looks for wear before it causes a breakdown. A regular date is easier to manage than a failure on a busy trading day, and it gives you a dated record for your file.
Which warning signs should not wait?
Some faults get worse or more expensive if they are left. Call for a repair if you spot any of the signs below. Repair work is a charged diagnostic visit, from £125 ex VAT, and we tell you the cost before we come out, so you can decide what to do next.
- Door dropping, scraping or slamming
- Oil on the floor around a floor spring
- Mist between the panes of a sealed unit
- Shutter running unevenly or sticking
- Water marks at the cill or threshold
- Flickering or dark sections on a sign
What records should you keep?
Keep a simple log of checks, services and repairs, with dates and photographs. Your insurer or landlord may ask for it after a claim, and a record helps a technician trace a recurring fault. In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 also expects fire safety measures, including fire doors, to be maintained.