Fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is a structured safety review of a property carried out to identify fire hazards, determine who is at risk, and establish what measures are needed to reduce the likelihood of a fire and protect occupants if one occurs. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the person responsible for a building, typically the landlord or managing agent, must ensure a "suitable and sufficient" fire risk assessment is completed and kept under regular review for any premises that are not a single private dwelling.
What a fire risk assessment covers
A suitable assessment will examine ignition sources such as electrical equipment, cooking appliances, and heating systems; combustible materials and how they are stored; the placement and condition of smoke alarms, heat detectors, and emergency lighting; the accessibility and adequacy of escape routes; and the fire resistance of internal doors. It also considers the specific vulnerability of occupants, including anyone with limited mobility, and the layout of the building. The assessment produces a written record of findings and an action plan setting out any remedial works required.
Which properties require one
The legal duty to carry out a fire risk assessment applies to the common parts of all buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises. In practice, this means:
Blocks of flats: The responsible person for the building, usually the freeholder, right-to-manage company, or their managing agent, must assess all common areas including stairwells, corridors, lobbies, and flat entrance doors.
HMOs: Houses in multiple occupation are subject to the requirement as a matter of law, and HMO licence conditions typically impose additional specific obligations on top of the baseline assessment duty.
Single-let properties: There is no statutory obligation to carry out a formal assessment for a single dwelling let to one household. However, the fit for human habitation duty and general landlord obligations make it best practice to document fire safety checks regardless.
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, which came into force on 1 October 2023, extended the duties of responsible persons to include sharing fire safety information with residents and undertaking regular checks of fire doors in buildings above 11 metres in height.
Who carries out the assessment
The responsible person must ensure the assessment is carried out by a "competent person", someone with sufficient training, experience, and knowledge to identify fire hazards and evaluate risks accurately. Landlords of straightforward single-let properties may carry out their own assessment using published guidance, but for HMOs, blocks of flats, or any property with complex layouts or higher occupancy, a professional fire risk assessor with third-party accreditation is strongly advisable. From working with self-managing landlords across the UK, we find that landlords who instruct a professional assessor for the first time often discover hazards, particularly around fire door integrity and compartmentation, that they had not identified through their own checks.
How often to review it
The law does not specify a fixed review interval. It requires the assessment to be reviewed "regularly" and whenever significant changes occur, including alterations to the building's layout, changes in occupancy, a fire incident, or new legislation coming into force. For standard properties, annual review is widely regarded as best practice. For older buildings or those of three or more storeys, the NRLA recommends annual review with a full update every three years. Landlords should keep a written record of findings, review dates, and any remedial works completed. August's compliance checklist and document storage tools are designed to support this record-keeping process.
HMO-specific requirements
HMOs present a higher fire risk than single-let properties because they house multiple unrelated occupants who are less likely to raise the alarm or assist each other in an emergency. As a result, HMO licence conditions impose specific fire safety standards that go beyond the baseline assessment duty, covering alarm grades, fire door specifications, emergency lighting, and in some cases sprinkler systems. The required standard varies by property size and the number of storeys. For a full breakdown of what applies at each level, see the guide to HMO fire safety requirements.
Statutory context
The primary legislation governing the fire risk assessment duty in England is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (SI 2005/1541), as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022. The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that external walls, flat entrance doors, and the structure of multi-occupied buildings all fall within the scope of the Order and must be accounted for in the assessment. Breach of the duty is a criminal offence carrying a fine or up to two years' imprisonment, as well as potential civil liability and insurance consequences. Landlords using August consistently tell us that enforcement activity by local housing authorities and fire and rescue services has become more consistent since the reforms came into force, and that documented assessments are increasingly requested during licensing inspections.
One output of most assessments is confirming that smoke alarm regulations are met across the property; the legal requirements for smoke and heat alarms vary by property type and are covered in full in the linked guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a single-let property?
There is no statutory obligation to carry out a formal fire risk assessment for a property let to one household that is not a flat in a building with communal areas. However, the general duty to keep the property safe and fit for habitation, combined with increasing enforcement focus on fire safety, means that documenting fire safety checks is advisable for any rental property.
What happens if I don't have a fire risk assessment?
Failure to carry out a required fire risk assessment is a criminal offence under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Enforcement can result in a fine, up to two years' imprisonment, and a banning order. Local housing authorities can also factor non-compliance into HMO licensing decisions and use their powers under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
Can I carry out the fire risk assessment myself?
Yes, if you have the competence to identify fire hazards and evaluate risks accurately. For straightforward properties, self-assessment using published government guidance is permissible. For HMOs, blocks of flats, or properties with multiple storeys, instructing an accredited professional assessor is strongly advisable. The responsible person remains legally accountable for the assessment's adequacy regardless of who carries it out.
How often should I review the assessment?
Review it whenever the building, its occupancy, or the relevant legislation changes. Annual review is accepted best practice. A full update, rather than just a review of the existing document, is recommended every three years for most properties, and annually for older buildings or those of three or more storeys.
