CompliancePDF

EHO Inspection Preparation Checklist

A comprehensive checklist covering everything EHO inspectors assess, organised by the three scoring areas: food hygiene, structural compliance, and food safety management.

Free downloadReady to useUK compliant

PDF

3 record sheets

In one sentence

The EHO Inspection Preparation Checklist is a free PDF for UK food businesses with 3 record sheets: hygienic food handling checks (cross-contamination, cooking, cooling, reheating), structural compliance (kitchen condition, ventilation, handwashing, pest-proofing), food safety management (haccp/sfbb, training records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules). Download it, print it or fill it in, and keep it with your food safety records; Paddl keeps the same records on a phone with timestamps and reminders.

Reviewed by the Paddl team · 11 September 2026

EHO inspections assess three areas: hygienic food handling, structural condition, and confidence in management. This free checklist covers every element inspectors look at, so you can self-assess and fix issues before they arrive unannounced.

What's in the PDF

Hygienic Food Handling

Score each area: 0 (good), 5 (minor issues), 10 (some risk), 15 (significant risk), 20 (major risk), 25 (urgent risk). Columns: Check Item · OK? · Score (0-25) · Issue Found · Action Required · Priority.

Structural Compliance

Columns: Check Item · OK? · Score (0-25) · Issue Found · Action Required · Priority.

Documentation Readiness

Columns: Document · Available? · Up to Date? · Location · Action Needed.

Skip the template

Paddl does this automatically

Instead of filling in paper templates, Paddl generates eho inspection preparation checklists automatically with AI - complete with digital signatures, mobile access, automatic reminders, and audit-ready records for EHO inspections.

AI-generatedMobile appEHO-readyAuto reminders

30 days free + 1st month freeStart free with code TOOLSANDTEMPLATES30 days free, then your first month is 100% off. Card required.

Why you need this

EHO inspections are unannounced - you need to be ready at all times

Your Food Hygiene Rating Score directly impacts customer trust and revenue

A structured self-assessment helps identify and fix problems before inspectors find them

This checklist mirrors exactly what inspectors assess using the FHRS scoring system

What's included

Hygienic food handling checks (cross-contamination, cooking, cooling, reheating)

Structural compliance (kitchen condition, ventilation, handwashing, pest-proofing)

Food safety management (HACCP/SFBB, training records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules)

Documentation readiness checklist (what paperwork to have available)

Common fail points and how to fix them

Scoring guidance (what gets 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 on each element)

Action priority matrix for identified issues

How to use this template

Self-assess weekly

Walk through the checklist weekly, scoring each area honestly as an inspector would.

Fix priority issues

Address any items that would score poorly. Use the priority matrix to tackle the most impactful first.

Check documentation

Ensure all required documents are complete, up to date, and accessible. Gaps in paperwork are easy points lost.

Brief your team

Ensure all staff know what inspectors may ask them - especially about allergens and food safety procedures.

Tips for getting the most from this template

The most common fail areas are: temperature records incomplete, cleaning schedule gaps, and allergen information unavailable

Inspectors score "confidence in management" based on your track record - consistency matters

Fix structural issues (broken tiles, damaged walls) before they become inspector comments

If you know your documentation is weak, that's the fastest area to improve your score

Paddl keeps all EHO-required documentation digital, complete, and instantly accessible

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Tools & Templates offer

Inspection-ready every day, not the day before

30 days free+1st month free

A compliance score per site, updated as checks are done
The gaps an inspector would find, listed before they arrive
One-click EHO audit pack for any date range
Records timestamped and signed by the person who did them

Every check item on this list is something Paddl's compliance dashboard scores continuously: overdue checks, expired certificates, missing training, an out-of-date plan. The EHO visit view walks a manager through what the officer will ask to see.

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Card required. Nothing to pay for your first two months. Cancel anytime.

Related Paddl features

Paddl digitises everything in this template - and these features work together to keep your business compliant.

ComplianceTrack all food safety compliance in one dashboard SFBB PacksDigital Safer Food Better Business packs with mobile diary HACCP PlansAI-generated hazard analysis with digital CCP monitoring Daily RoutinesScheduled tasks with mobile completion and photo evidence Allergen ManagementAI-powered allergen matrix covering all 14 UK allergens Team ManagementStaff roles, training records, and induction tracking DocumentsDigital document storage with AI extraction and signatures COSHH ManagementChemical safety data with AI extraction from Safety Data Sheets Mobile AppComplete tasks, log records, and sign documents on mobile Equipment TrackingMaintenance schedules, service records, and AI health diagnostics

5★Food hygiene ratingCustomer storyHow Restore opened a new Bristol site and passed its first EHO inspection with 5 starsRestore kept these records in Paddl instead of on paper. Read how the visit went

Skip the paperwork entirely

Paddl digitises everything in this template - and more. AI-generated plans, mobile completion, automatic alerts, and audit-ready records. No printing, no filing, no gaps.

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