BS 9792:2025: what's changed for fire risk assessments in blocks of flats

What BS 9792 is

BS 9792:2025, Fire risk assessment – Housing – Code of practice is the British Standard methodology for carrying out and recording fire risk assessments in residential buildings. It succeeds PAS 79-2:2020, which many assessors used for blocks of flats. The Institution of Fire Engineers describes it as a substantial reworking of the earlier document, not just a rename.

A code of practice isn't law. The legal duty is still to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. But following a recognised British Standard is strong evidence that an assessment is suitable and sufficient.

What it covers

BS 9792 applies to:

• Purpose-built and converted blocks of flats and maisonettes
• Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
• Specialised housing, including supported and sheltered housing
• Some student accommodation
• Common areas in mixed-use buildings

It doesn't apply to private single-household dwellings, short-term lets, residential care homes or wholly non-domestic premises.

What's changed

• A revised structure that's easier to follow
• Clearer treatment of the different types of fire risk assessment – see fire risk assessment types 1–4
• Updated example documentation for recording and communicating findings
• More emphasis on residents' evacuation needs, including people who may need help – which fits with the residential PEEPs regulations
• Clear limits. BS 9792 doesn't replace a specialist fire risk appraisal of external walls to PAS 9980. Assessors should recognise when an issue is beyond their competence and recommend specialist input.

The link to assessor competence: BS 8674

BS 9792 is paired with BS 8674:2025, which provides a framework for assessing whether an individual is competent to carry out general fire risk assessments. The government's proposals for mandatory fire risk assessor certification also refer to a tiered competency framework based on BS 8674.

What managing agents and housing providers should do

1. Ask your assessor whether new assessments follow BS 9792:2025.
2. Specify the FRA type you need, and why.
3. Check competence – qualifications, experience with your building types, third-party certification or professional registration, and professional indemnity insurance.
4. Expect clear escalation – where the assessor finds issues beyond an FRA (external walls, compartmentation, structural concerns), the report should say so and recommend the right specialist.
5. Don't rewrite everything at once. Move to BS 9792 at each assessment's next review, starting with higher-risk and complex buildings.

What a BS 9792 fire risk assessment should include

You should expect a housing fire risk assessment to set out:

• The building – construction, height, layout, number of flats and any non-residential uses
• The occupants – including residents who may need help to evacuate
• The evacuation strategy and whether the building supports it
• Fire hazards – ignition sources, combustible storage, arson risk
• Fire precautions – fire doors, compartmentation, detection and alarm, emergency lighting, signage, smoke control and firefighting facilities
• Management – maintenance, testing, resident information, training and records
• The external walls – whether there's a concern that needs a specialist FRAEW
• A prioritised action plan, with clear responsibilities and timescales
• The type of assessment and its limitations – what wasn't inspected and why

Questions to ask when you receive your FRA

1. Is the overall risk rating explained, not just stated?
2. Are the actions specific to the building, or generic?
3. Does it say who carried it out, and their competence?
4. Does it flag issues for specialists – compartmentation, external walls, fire strategy – where needed?
5. Does it reflect the residential PEEPs and fire door duties where they apply?

Our fire risk assessments are carried out by competent, certificated assessors, with specialist input from fire engineers where needed.

Sources

• IFE – Housing fire risk assessment in the era of BS 9792:2025
• FSM – BSI issues BS 9792 focused on housing sector

This guide is general information based on the law and guidance in England as at 8 November 2026. It isn't legal advice – for advice on a specific building, get in touch.