Your legal duty
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for most non-domestic premises – including the common parts of blocks of flats – must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep it under review.
The duties have been strengthened in recent years:
- The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed that, in multi-occupied residential buildings, the assessment covers the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors
- Since 1 October 2023, all responsible persons must record the whole fire risk assessment in writing, record who carried it out, and use a competent person if they appoint someone to help
- The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 added duties for residential buildings, including fire door checks above 11m and information for residents
Fire risk assessments we carry out
- Blocks of flats – Type 1 (common parts, non-destructive) as standard, with Type 2, 3 or 4 where the risk calls for it
- HMOs and converted houses
- Mixed-use buildings with commercial units below flats
- Offices, shops, restaurants and industrial units
- Hotels, student accommodation and care settings
What makes a good FRA
A good fire risk assessment is specific to the building. It identifies the hazards and the people at risk, checks the escape routes, fire doors, compartmentation as far as visible, detection and alarm, emergency lighting and signage, and the way the building is managed. Then it sets out clear actions, each with a priority and a recommended timescale, so the responsible person can close them out and show they have.
Competence
We assign assessors with the training and experience for the type of building – typically members of a recognised professional register or a third-party certification scheme – and the assessor's name is recorded in the report, as the law now requires.
What's included
- Review of previous FRAs and records
- Full site inspection
- Escape routes, doors and compartmentation
- Detection, alarm and emergency lighting
- External walls considered (flats)
- Management and maintenance arrangements
- Prioritised action plan with timescales
- Assessor name and competence recorded
- Resident information requirements checked
- Review date recommended
Fire risk assessment costs
FRA fees depend on the size and type of premises, the type of assessment (Type 1 is quickest; Type 3 and 4 involve entering flats and are significantly more involved) and the number of buildings. Be wary of very cheap assessments – the time on site and the competence of the assessor are what you're paying for. See the cost guide.
Where we work
Fire risk assessments are carried out across London, Slough and Berkshire.
Guides on this topic
- Fire strategy vs fire risk assessment: what's the difference?
- Residential PEEPs: what responsible persons must do since April 2026
- BS 9792:2025: what's changed for fire risk assessments in blocks of flats
- Mandatory fire risk assessor certification: what's coming
- Fire door inspection requirements for blocks of flats (Regulation 10)
- Fire risk assessment types 1–4 explained (and when you need an intrusive one)
Related services
- Fire Door Inspections – quarterly and annual checks with remedial schedules
- Fire Compartmentation Surveys – fire stopping, cavity barriers and risers
- Retrospective Fire Strategies – for existing buildings with a missing or outdated strategy