How Long Does a Fire Risk Assessment Take?

Short answer: there is no legal or official duration for a fire risk assessment. A small single-unit premises is often under an hour on site; a larger or more complex building takes longer, sometimes a full day or more. The written report is prepared after the visit, and we confirm timings when we quote.

Why there is no fixed time

The law does not set a duration. It requires the responsible person to make a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the fire risks^[1]. The GOV.UK five-step checklist describes what the assessment has to do: identify fire hazards, identify people at risk, evaluate and reduce the risk, record and plan, and review^[2]. How long that takes depends on how much building there is to look at, how it is used and how easy it is to get round.

So when someone quotes you a time without asking about your building, treat it as a guess.

Typical site time by property type

The ranges below are typical from practice. They are not guaranteed and they are not set by any regulation. Your quote will give a time for your building.

These figures assume reasonable access and a building in normal use. They do not include travel or report writing.

Then comes the report

The site visit is only part of the job. Since 1 October 2023, the written record has to cover all the findings, not just the significant ones, and it must identify who carried out the assessment^[3]. A proper report sets out what was found, who is at risk, what is already in place and a prioritised list of actions. Writing that up carefully takes time after the visit. We give you a delivery date when we quote, and if you are working to a deadline from a council, fire service or insurer, tell us at the start.

What makes an assessment take longer

• Size and layout. More floors, rooms, stairs and plant areas means more walking and more to record.
• Use and sleeping risk. Buildings where people sleep, such as HMOs, hotels and care homes, need closer attention to escape routes, detection and night-time arrangements.
• Who is at risk. Residents or staff who would need help to escape, lone workers or members of the public all add questions.
• Fire safety systems. A building with a fire alarm, emergency lighting, smoke ventilation, sprinklers and a firefighting lift has more to check than one with smoke alarms and a single stair.
• Blocks of flats. The assessment covers the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors as well as the common parts. Checking the structure means a visual inspection, with intrusive inspection only if the assessor has serious concerns^[4]. Looking at a sample of flat entrance doors needs access to the landings and, sometimes, co-operation from residents.
• Access problems. Locked plant rooms, riser cupboards, roof access or bin stores with no key on site are the most common cause of delay.
• Missing records. If nobody can say when the alarm was last serviced, the assessor has to record that as a gap and may need to follow it up.
• First assessment or review. A first assessment, or one replacing a poor previous report, takes longer than reviewing a sound, recent one.

How to make the visit quicker

Most of the time saved comes from preparation. Before the visit, gather what you have:

1. The previous fire risk assessment and any action plan, with notes on what has been done.
2. Fire alarm test logs and service records. If you need a service, see our fire alarm servicing page.
3. Emergency lighting test logs and service certificates (emergency lighting servicing).
4. Fire door check records, and smoke ventilation or AOV service records if the building has them.
5. Floor plans, if you have them, and any fire safety information handed over by the developer.
6. The electrical installation report and any records of contractor work, such as hot works.
7. Names and contact details of anyone else with responsibility for the building, such as a commercial tenant.

On the day, make sure keys are available for every area, warn residents or staff that someone will be walking round, and have someone available for a few minutes at the start and end to answer questions. In blocks of flats, letting residents know in advance makes sampling flat entrance doors much easier.

Be wary of very quick assessments

A ten-minute walk-through of a block of flats, or an assessment done entirely from photos and a questionnaire, is unlikely to be “suitable and sufficient” for anything but the simplest premises^[1]. If the report later turns out to be inadequate, the responsibility stays with you, not the assessor: GOV.UK is clear that you remain legally responsible even when someone else does the assessment^[5]. A realistic time on site is part of what you are paying for. For more on that, read our guide to what a fire risk assessment costs.

Will it disrupt the building?

Usually very little. The assessor walks the building, opens doors and cupboards, looks at the alarm panel and fittings, takes photographs and makes notes. The assessment does not involve testing the fire alarm or emergency lighting; the assessor looks at the records of those tests instead. Residents and staff can carry on as normal. To see the visit step by step, read what happens during a fire risk assessment, or book through our fire risk assessment service.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current legislation for your premises, or ask us.