Food hygiene inspections

We are responsible for enforcing food hygiene laws and have the right to visit and inspect all food premises at all reasonable hours. This can mean us visiting you in the evening if these are your normal trading hours. We may often arrive without making an appointment.

We may visit your premises for several reasons, including routine inspections, to carry out sampling, to follow-up a complaint, or to give advice. When we visit we will be looking to ensure that you are complying with the law and are producing food that is safe to eat.

We will look at:

• your premises
• how you work - i.e., how hygienically you handle food
• your food safety management system
• the types of food that you make and prepare

You can expect us to be:

• courteous
• show you official identification
• give feedback following the inspection on what can be done to improve hygiene and also what practices and hygiene management systems are working well
• make a clear distinction between what is required by law and what is recommended as good practice
• provide written reasons explaining any action they will be taking including the relevant section of the Act or Regulation
• give you a reasonable time to comply with any legal requirements unless the matter is of serious risk to Public Safety, in which case a more immediate solution will be discussed
• tell you the procedure for appealing against any action or requesting a second opinion

After the inspection

At the conclusion of the inspection we will leave a handwritten report which details any works which are necessary. Our findings at the time of the visit is used to provide a rating score for the business. This score is used to calculate when the next intervention will be undertaken and provide you with your food hygiene rating. For more details visit the our food hygiene rating scheme page.

The frequency of planned inspections depends very much on the potential risk posed by your type of business, along with the level of hygiene, structure, management control and the previous standards. Higher risk businesses should expect to be inspected every 6 months - 12 months, medium risk businesses, 18 months - 24 months and the lowest risk businesses will be contacted by letter, email or phone at least every 36 months.

Enforcement action

We can take enforcement action to protect the public. This can include:

• seizing foods suspected to be unfit for human consumption
• writing you a letter following an inspection or outlining issues with compliance and asking you to correct these
• serving a formal legal notice that sets out certain things you must do or forbidding you from using certain processes, premises or equipment
• recommending a prosecution in serious cases

Authorised officers will allow you enough time to make changes unless there is an immediate risk to public health.

If you do not agree with the actions we have taken, you can appeal a decision made by a local authority 

Contact us

For further information and advice please contact the Food and Safety Team: eandr@nfdc.gov.uk, or telephone 023 8028 5411.