Who is responsible under Martyn's Law?
The duty sits with the person who has control of the premises for its qualifying use. That is usually the operator rather than the freeholder. Enhanced duty premises must also name a designated senior individual responsible for compliance.
Control, not ownership
The responsible person is the one with control of the premises in connection with its relevant use. For a leased venue that is normally the operator running it, not the landlord who owns the building.
Ask who decides how the premises operates day to day. That is usually where the duty lands.
Shared and multi-occupancy sites
Where several organisations occupy one building, more than one may hold duties, and there may be a shared area nobody has yet claimed.
Establish it in writing before it matters. An unassigned responsibility is the failure mode here, not a disputed one.
The designated senior individual
Enhanced duty premises must designate a senior individual with responsibility for ensuring the duties are met. This is a named person, not a job title left vacant.
Standard tier premises do not need one.
You can delegate the work, not the duty
A consultant, a managing agent or a software tool can do the work. The legal responsibility stays with the responsible person.
That is the reason to keep your own record of decisions and their reasoning, rather than relying on a supplier to hold it for you.
Enter your premises and expected occupancy. You get the tier for each site and the reasoning behind it. Free, no account.