Fire Risk Assessments

Identify who uses the building, whether anyone sleeps there and whether people may need assistance in an emergency. Those details influence the assessment expertise and scope. Shared areas and tenant-controlled spaces also need clear responsibility boundaries.

The agreed assessment considers hazards, people at risk, existing fire precautions and management arrangements. The site inspection and available records inform findings about escape, warning, protection and the way the property is used.

The owner or responsible person receives a documented assessment and prioritised actions. The report identifies the areas examined, information used and further investigation needed. Recommendations should be sufficiently clear to scope work and allocate responsibility, rather than leaving the property manager with a list of unexplained observations.

A fire risk assessment does not automatically include testing each alarm device, an intrusive survey of concealed construction or a detailed inspection of every door. It can identify the need for those tasks, which are then defined separately.

Government guidance explains the process and need for appropriate assistance. The assessment arrangement must suit the property and complexity. Commissioning professional help supports the responsible person's decisions; it does not transfer their legal responsibilities to the report's author.

Provide the current assessment, floor plans, available fire strategy, maintenance records and previous action status. Confirm the owner, managing agent and other parties with responsibilities. Explain occupancy, use and any planned building work or tenant alterations.

We agree access to shared and occupied areas, keys or escorts and contact with tenants. Where responsibility is divided, the information needed from each party is identified. Missing records or unavailable areas remain visible so the completed report is not mistaken for a review of spaces that were never accessed.

The assessment examines the agreed areas and relevant records. Significant concerns are communicated to the nominated contact, with the report setting out priorities and required next steps. Findings distinguish work that can be specified directly from matters needing specialist investigation.

At handover, the responsible person can allocate actions to the owner, agent or relevant contractor. The property record should retain evidence of completed work and unresolved items. Occupier communication and access for repairs are planned separately. A completed assessment is the starting point for managing its findings, not proof that every recommended improvement has already happened.

Cost depends on property size, use, complexity, occupancy and the quality of existing information. Several tenanted areas or shared responsibilities can require more coordination than a single occupied unit. Intrusive surveys and specialist tests are separately scoped where needed.

Access should be arranged around occupiers and sensitive areas. The programme includes reviewing records and preparing findings as well as the inspection. Repeat visits, missing information or restricted access can affect completion. A clear quotation identifies the assessment boundary so owners can compare the same work across proposals.

Managed commercial premises and retail units need assessments that reflect both shared and occupied areas. Residential blocks have distinct responsibility and fire-arrangement considerations. Hospitality, education and care properties need particular attention to people at risk and assistance needs.

Industrial, warehouse and specialist properties bring different hazards and layouts. The assessment follows the actual property rather than a generic report applied across every sector. View all sectors.

We cover Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley, including Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick, Morpeth, Hexham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Redcar and Cleveland. Include owner or agent contact details. View all locations.

Yes. The responsible parties, access and report recipient need identifying. The assessment should reflect the areas and responsibilities actually being reviewed.

The current assessment needs review against the new use, occupancy and changes. That review establishes the work needed rather than relying only on the tenancy date.

They are separate unless expressly included. Findings support a defined repair scope, with access and completion evidence agreed for the subsequent work.

Provide the records you hold and identify the gap. The assessment scope establishes the current property information and any further investigation needed.

Read who can conduct a fire risk assessment and what a fire logbook should contain. Browse the Knowledge Centre.

Explore Fire and Life Safety, Fire-Safety Management, Fire Compartmentation Surveys and Evacuation Safety. Plan actions through Statutory Maintenance and Compliance Remedial Works.

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