Every London business premises needs a written fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order 2005, recorded in full and kept under regular review. It covers ignition sources, staff and visitors, escape routes, alarms, training and your emergency plan. BritCertify's NEBOSH-qualified assessors cover shops, offices, restaurants, salons and warehouses from £159 inc. VAT, with the report typically emailed the same day.
Does my business need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. If you employ staff, open premises to the public or control a non-domestic building, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes you, or whoever controls the premises, the responsible person. That applies to a one-chair barber’s as much as to an office floor in the City.
Since 1 October 2023, section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 has required every responsible person to record the full assessment in writing, along with the name of the person or organisation who carried it out. The old position, where smaller businesses with fewer than five employees generally did not have to write their findings down, no longer applies.
In a building with several occupiers, each business assesses the space it controls and the landlord assesses the shared parts. The lease usually decides who controls what, and the responsible persons must cooperate with each other.
What does a commercial fire risk assessment look at?
Five things: what could start a fire, what would burn, who would be at risk, how people get out, and how the business manages fire safety from day to day.
| Area | Examples of what we check |
|---|---|
| Ignition sources | Electrical equipment and extension leads, heaters, cooking, smoking areas, hot work, battery charging |
| Fuel | Stock, packaging, waste, flammable liquids, aerosols, furniture and display materials |
| People | Staff, customers, contractors, lone workers and anyone who would need help to escape |
| Escape | Number and width of exits, travel distances, door fastenings, signage, emergency lighting |
| Detection and equipment | Alarm system and its service records, extinguishers, fire blankets |
| Management | Training, drills, fire marshals, logbooks and coordination with other occupiers |
What fire risks are typical for my type of business?
The assessment is built around what actually happens on your premises. These are the points our assessors concentrate on in the most common London business types.
| Business | What we typically focus on |
|---|---|
| Shops | Stock stacked against rear exits, final exits padlocked during trading, cardboard waste, storage under stairs and in basements |
| Offices | Daisy-chained extension leads, comms cupboards, kitchenette appliances, stair doors wedged open for air, coordination with other tenants |
| Restaurants and takeaways | Cooking oil fires, grease in extract canopies and ductwork, gas isolation, staff escape routes through the kitchen, basement prep areas |
| Salons and barbers | Hairdryers and straighteners left on, aerosols and flammable products, towels in tumble dryers, treatment rooms with a single exit |
| Warehouses and workshops | Racking and pallet storage, forklift and lithium battery charging, hot work, long travel distances, mezzanines |
Many London shops, cafés and restaurants have flats above. Your assessment covers your premises and records where they meet the residential parts, such as a shared wall, ceiling or exit. The freeholder or managing agent needs a separate communal area fire risk assessment for the flats’ shared parts.
What does the responsible person need to have in place?
The written assessment is the starting point. The Fire Safety Order also expects working precautions, maintained equipment and staff who know what to do.
- An emergency plan: who raises the alarm, who calls 999, how the building is cleared and where everyone assembles.
- Training: fire safety at induction, refreshed regularly, with extra training for anyone appointed as a fire marshal.
- Help for those who need it: a personal emergency evacuation plan for any member of staff who would need assistance to escape.
- Maintenance: alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers and fire doors kept in working order, with a record of every check.
- Good housekeeping: exits openable without a key and kept clear whenever people are inside, and waste removed rather than stored beside them.
Which fire safety records should a business keep?
Keep a fire safety logbook, paper or digital, that shows each check was done on time. Inspectors and insurers will usually want to see it alongside the assessment.
| Record | How often | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm user test | Weekly, from a different call point each time | BS 5839-1:2025 |
| Fire alarm service | Every 6 months (5–7 month window) | BS 5839-1:2025 |
| Emergency lighting functional test | Monthly | BS 5266-1:2025 |
| Emergency lighting full-duration test | Annually, typically 3 hours | BS 5266-1:2025 |
| Extinguisher visual check | Monthly | BS 5306-3:2017 |
| Extinguisher service | Annually | BS 5306-3:2017 |
| Fire drill | As the assessment sets; we recommend at least once a year | Fire Safety Order 2005 |
| Fire risk assessment review | At least every 12 months, and after significant change | Fire Safety Order 2005 |
We can arrange a fire alarm certificate and extinguisher servicing alongside the assessment where that saves you a second visit.
How is the price worked out?
By floor area and number of storeys, because those drive how long the inspection takes and how complex the escape arrangements are. Prices run from £159 inc. VAT for a small single-storey unit to £349 for premises of 2–3 storeys up to 200 m². Larger buildings, warehouses and complex sites are quoted. Commercial kitchens, basements and mezzanines take longer to inspect, so mention them when you book and the price will reflect them from the start.
To keep the visit efficient, have ready any floor plans, the previous assessment, alarm, emergency lighting and extinguisher service records, your staff numbers and the landlord’s or managing agent’s contact details. Visits run Monday to Friday 08:00–18:00 and Saturday 09:00–14:00, so you can book an early slot before you open to customers.
What happens after the assessment?
You receive the full written assessment naming the assessor, an overall risk rating and an action plan with priorities and suggested timescales. Brief your staff on the findings that affect them, work through the actions and keep dated records of what was done.
The quickest wins are usually housekeeping: clearing exits, moving waste away from doors and reconnecting closers. Bigger items, such as fire stopping, alarm upgrades or new emergency lighting, need a contractor and a budget, and the action plan gives you the timescales to plan them.
London Fire Brigade can ask to see the assessment during an inspection, and insurers and landlords may ask for it too. Review it at least every 12 months, and whenever you refit, change the layout, bring in new equipment or processes, change staffing significantly or have a fire or near miss. Request a quote with your floor area and storeys and we will confirm the price before booking.
Fire risk assessments are carried out by NEBOSH-qualified fire risk assessors. We hold £5 million public liability insurance.
Commercial fire risk assessment prices in London (inc. VAT)
| Option | Price (inc. VAT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small single-storey unit | from £159 | Small shop, studio or single-room office |
| Single storey up to 100 m² | from £249 | Typical high street shop, café or salon |
| 2–3 storeys up to 100 m² | from £299 | Small shop or office with upper floors |
| Single storey up to 200 m² | from £299 | Larger shop, restaurant or light industrial unit |
| 2–3 storeys up to 200 m² | from £349 | Multi-floor offices and restaurants |
| Larger premises | Quote | Warehouses, premises over 200 m² or more than three storeys |
All prices include VAT and are from prices for straightforward layouts. Central London parking or Congestion Charge may be added; we always confirm before booking.
Book this serviceWhat's included
- On-site inspection by a NEBOSH-qualified fire risk assessor
- Review of alarm, emergency lighting and extinguisher records
- Assessment of escape routes, exits and travel distances
- Check of staff training, drills and the emergency plan
- Full written assessment naming the assessor
- Prioritised action plan with suggested timescales
- Report typically emailed the same day
How it works
Tell us about the premises
Share the business type, floor area, storeys, staff numbers and opening hours, so we confirm the price tier and book around your trading.
Site inspection
The assessor walks every area, back of house included, checks exits, alarms, equipment and records, and talks to the manager about daily routines.
Report and action plan
You receive the full written assessment naming the assessor, rated findings and prioritised actions, typically emailed the same day.
Train, fix and review
Brief staff, complete the actions, keep service records, and review after refits, new equipment, a change of use or any fire.
Commercial Fire Risk Assessment: frequently asked questions
Do small businesses with fewer than five staff need a written fire risk assessment?
Yes. Before October 2023, smaller businesses with fewer than five employees generally did not have to write their findings down. Since 1 October 2023, section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 has required every responsible person to record the full fire risk assessment, with the name of whoever carried it out. A sole trader running a shop or salon is included.
Is the landlord or the tenant responsible for a commercial fire risk assessment?
It depends on who controls which parts of the building, which the lease usually sets out. A tenant who occupies a whole unit is normally responsible for assessing it. In a multi-let building, each tenant assesses its own space and the landlord or managing agent assesses the shared entrances, stairs and plant areas. Everyone with a duty must cooperate and share relevant information.
Who enforces fire safety in London businesses?
London Fire Brigade enforces the Fire Safety Order across Greater London. Inspectors can visit, ask to see your fire risk assessment and records, and issue formal notices requiring improvements. Where the risk to people is serious, they can restrict or prohibit use of the premises, and serious breaches can be prosecuted. A current assessment and dated maintenance records are your best evidence.
Does a small shop or office need a fire alarm system?
Not always; the fire risk assessment decides. In a small single-storey shop where a fire would be obvious to everyone at once, a simple arrangement may be acceptable. Premises over several floors, with areas where a fire could develop unseen, or where people sleep, normally need an electrical fire alarm system designed to BS 5839-1:2025 and serviced every 6 months.
What fire safety training do my staff need?
Every member of staff needs basic fire safety training at induction: how to raise the alarm, the escape routes, the assembly point and the fire hazards of their own job. Repeat it regularly and whenever the risks change. Staff appointed as fire marshals need more detailed training, and anyone with specific duties, such as isolating the gas supply in a kitchen, should practise them.
Does a commercial fire risk assessment cover the flats above my shop?
No. Your assessment covers the premises you control and records where they meet the residential parts, such as a shared wall, ceiling or exit. The flats' shared hallway and stairs need a separate communal assessment by the freeholder or managing agent. If you are responsible for both, for example as owner of the whole building, we can assess both on one visit.
Sources and official guidance
Written and checked by the BritCertify technical team. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.