A 5-star rating means your business has excellent food hygiene standards. Here is a structured approach to getting there — and staying there — using Spotless Score.

Step 1: Know your current rating

Look up your business on the FSA website to see your current published rating. If you've recently improved, you may need to request a re-rating visit.

Step 2: Fix issues from your last inspection

Review your last inspection report (the EHO should have left one). Address every non-compliance item before requesting a revisit. Common issues:

• Temperature record gaps
• Out-of-date or incomplete HACCP documentation
• Cleaning schedule not followed
• Staff food safety training expired
• Pest control measures inadequate

Step 3: Set up your checks in Spotless Score

When you create your Spotless Score tenant, you start with ~30 default checks covering all the key areas. Customise them to match your actual operation:

• Add or remove checks — Managing Checks guide
• Set up your fridge, freezer, and cold-room units — Managing Fridges guide
• Add food items for temperature checks — Managing Food Items guide

Step 4: Monitor temperatures daily

Temperature monitoring is a critical part of any EHO inspection. Set up twice-daily fridge and cooking temp checks. The Spotless Score TempReadingModal shows safe ranges and flags out-of-range readings with mandatory corrective action notes.

See Temperature Monitoring for legal requirements and best practices.

Step 5: Build daily compliance habits

Consistency is what gets you to 5 stars. Use Spotless Score's daily checklist as part of your opening and closing routines:

• Open the app at the start of every shift — check what's pending
• Complete temperature checks during prep and service periods
• Complete visual checks (handwash stations, kitchen surfaces, pest traps)
• Use the progress bar to stay on top of your daily completion rate

Step 6: Conduct regular self-audits

Spotless Score includes monthly and quarterly check templates designed as self-audits:

• Monthly: Full self-audit, HACCP review, training records, cleaning schedule review, equipment servicing
• Quarterly: Supplier approval review, food safety refresher, management review meeting

Treat these as mock EHO inspections. Be honest about what needs work and address gaps before your real inspection.

Step 7: Request a re-rating

Once you've been consistent for a few weeks or months, contact your local authority to request a re-rating visit. Be upfront — tell them you've improved your food safety management system and would like a reassessment.

Prepare your Spotless Score dashboard for the visit. See Inspection Readiness for a full checklist.

Maintaining 5 stars

Getting 5 stars is one thing — keeping it is another. The businesses that hold 5 stars year after year do this:

• Never skip daily checks (even when busy)
• Review their Spotless Score dashboard weekly for gaps
• Complete monthly self-audits without fail
• Keep staff training up to date
• Address EHO recommendations immediately