Responsible person
Whoever has control of the premises or event for its main use — the person who holds the Martyn's Law duty.
The responsible person is the individual or organisation with control of the premises (or event) for the relevant use. It is usually the operator — not always the landlord, and not a hirer. Legal responsibility cannot be passed on by a hire contract, although tasks can be shared.
Identifying the responsible person matters because the duties fall on them. Where control is genuinely shared or unclear, it is worth getting that pinned down early.
Who it affects: Owners, operators, licensees, event leads and anyone who controls a venue.
Related terms
Qualifying premises
A building or site mainly used for a Schedule 1 activity where 200 or more people may reasonably be expected at once.
So far as reasonably practicable
The standard the Act uses for enhanced measures — proportionate to the venue, its risks and what is feasible, not a fixed checklist.
See where your venue stands
The free readiness checker gives you an indicative tier in about five minutes, with the reasoning and the official guidance it rests on.
Run the free check →What this is — and what it is not
martynslaw.app is a preparation and document-management tool. It is not legal advice, not official guidance, not official certification, not SIA approval and not a guarantee of compliance. The responsible person must review and approve all documents before use.
martynslaw.app is an independent product. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Home Office, the Security Industry Authority or any other public body. Official sources are cited as sources only.