Fire Risk Assessment London

Who needs a fire risk assessment in London?

Anyone who is the ‘responsible person’ for non-domestic premises. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that covers every workplace and shop, and also the common parts of blocks of flats, converted houses and HMOs.

In practice, the people who book fire risk assessments with us are:

• Freeholders, RTM companies and managing agents responsible for shared hallways, stairs and flat entrance doors.
• HMO landlords, whose licence and council housing team will expect a current assessment.
• Business owners and commercial tenants who control a shop, office, restaurant, salon or warehouse.
• Landlords of individual flats who want documented evidence that the flat itself is safe to let.

The inside of a single flat or house let on a standard tenancy usually sits outside the Fire Safety Order. The smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules still apply there, and our fire safety certificate provides that evidence.

Which type of fire risk assessment do I need?

Choose the assessment that matches how the building is used, not just its size. A five-bedroom shared house and a five-flat conversion can look identical from the street but carry very different duties.

If a building mixes uses, such as a restaurant with flats above, each part normally needs its own assessment and the responsible persons must cooperate with each other. We can assess both parts on one visit.

What does the law require from the responsible person?

The responsible person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, put the necessary precautions in place and keep the assessment under regular review. Three newer pieces of legislation have added detail to that duty.

You can read the Order itself on legislation.gov.uk and the 2023 changes in the government guidance. In London, London Fire Brigade enforces the Order and can ask to see your assessment.

How is a fire risk assessment carried out?

Our assessors follow a structured methodology: the same logical sequence on every job, so nothing is missed and this year’s findings can be compared with last year’s.

1. Identify fire hazards: sources of ignition such as cooking, heaters, electrics and smoking, and the materials that would burn.
2. Identify people at risk: residents, staff, visitors, people asleep, lone workers and anyone who might need help to escape.
3. Evaluate the precautions: detection and alarms, escape routes, fire doors, separation between areas, emergency lighting, signage, firefighting equipment and day-to-day management.
4. Record the findings: a written risk rating and the evidence behind it.
5. Set out an action plan: what to fix, in what order and by when.
6. Set a review date so the assessment stays current.

On site, the assessor walks the escape route from the furthest point to the final exit, checks that doors close on their own from fully open, opens meter and riser cupboards, reads the alarm and emergency lighting logbooks and talks to whoever manages the building. Our standard assessment is non-destructive: we do not open up walls or ceilings, and the report says so if a more intrusive inspection would be sensible.

What do assessors typically find in London buildings?

Most of the problems we record are about day-to-day management rather than the building itself, which is good news, because they are usually quick and inexpensive to put right.

• Fire doors wedged open, or self-closers disconnected because residents or staff find them heavy.
• Bikes, buggies, mattresses and recycling stored on the only escape route.
• E-bikes and scooters charging in hallways and under stairs.
• Holes around pipes and cables through fire-resisting walls, left after broadband, boiler or plumbing work.
• Alarm panels showing a fault that everyone has stopped noticing.
• Rear exits from shops blocked with stock, or locked with a key nobody can find.
• Missing or out-of-date fire action notices.

How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?

The law does not set a fixed interval. The Fire Safety Order requires regular review, and a review whenever there is reason to think the assessment is no longer valid or something significant has changed. This is the approach we recommend:

Your HMO licence, lease or insurance policy may set its own interval, so check those documents too.

What happens after the assessment?

You receive the full written report with the assessor’s name, an overall risk rating and a prioritised action plan. Each action is marked by priority, so you know what must be done now and what can be planned and budgeted.

Work through the actions, then keep dated evidence of what was done: invoices, photographs, test records and inspection reports. When London Fire Brigade, a licensing officer or an insurer asks, that record shows the assessment is a working document rather than a file in a drawer. Typical follow-ups include fire door inspections, alarm servicing and emergency lighting tests, and we can quote for these at the same time.

What does a fire risk assessment cost in London?

The price depends on the type and size of the building. A studio flat is £79, communal areas start at £119, HMOs and rental homes at £149 and commercial premises at £159, all inc. VAT. Larger or more complex buildings are priced after a short call; request a quote with the address and number of 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. Our engineers have been certifying London properties since 2018.