What Happens During a Fire Risk Assessment?

Short answer: the assessor agrees the scope with you, walks the premises looking at fire hazards, the people at risk, escape routes, fire doors, alarms, emergency lighting and how the building is managed, checks your records and asks you some questions. You then get a written report with the findings and a prioritised action plan. The process follows the five steps in the GOV.UK checklist.

Before the visit

Agreeing the scope

A good assessment starts with a clear scope: which building, which parts of it, and what the assessment will and will not cover. For a block of flats, that usually means the common parts, the structure and external walls (visually), and the flat entrance doors, but not the inside of the flats^[3][5]. For a mixed-use building, it means agreeing which areas you control. Getting this right at quote stage avoids gaps later.

Documents to have ready

• The previous fire risk assessment and action plan, with notes on what has been done.
• Fire alarm test records and service certificates.
• Emergency lighting test records and service certificates.
• Fire door check records, and AOV or smoke ventilation service records if fitted.
• Fire extinguisher service records, if provided.
• The electrical installation condition report and gas safety records where relevant.
• Floor plans and any fire safety information from the developer or previous owner.
• Staff fire training and fire drill records (workplaces).
• For blocks in England, any records kept under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, such as resident information and door checks^[10].

Access

Arrange keys or codes for plant rooms, riser and meter cupboards, roof access, bin stores, car parks and any locked stores. Let residents or staff know someone will be walking round.

On the day: the five steps

GOV.UK sets out a fire risk assessment in five steps^[1]. Here is what each looks like on site.

1. Identify fire hazards

The assessor looks for sources of ignition (electrical equipment, heaters, cooking, smoking, hot works), fuel (stored rubbish, furniture, packaging, flammable liquids) and anything that could help a fire spread.

2. Identify people at risk

Who is in the building, when, and how quickly they could get out: residents, staff, visitors, contractors, people who are asleep, lone workers and anyone who would need help to escape.

3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk

This is the bulk of the walk-round. The assessor judges whether existing precautions are adequate for the risk: escape routes, fire doors, compartmentation, detection and warning, emergency lighting, signage and firefighting equipment.

4. Record, plan, inform, instruct and train

The assessor looks at what is written down, what residents or staff are told, the evacuation arrangements and training, and then records the findings.

5. Review

The report should say when and in what circumstances the assessment should be reviewed. The law requires regular review and review after significant change^[2].

What the assessor will look at

• Escape routes: whether corridors and stairs are clear, the travel distances, final exits and how doors on the escape route open.
• Fire doors: self-closers, seals, gaps, damage, signage and whether doors are wedged open. For detailed door surveys, see our fire door inspection service.
• Compartmentation: visible holes around pipes and cables, missing fire stopping, and damaged walls or ceilings. In blocks of flats, checking the structure means a visual inspection unless there are serious concerns^[3].
• Fire detection and alarm: the type of system, coverage, panel condition and test records.
• Emergency lighting: coverage of escape routes and test records.
• Smoke control: AOVs and vents, their condition and service records.
• Signage and information: fire action notices and wayfinding.
• Housekeeping and storage: rubbish, mobility scooters, bikes and combustible storage in common areas.
• External walls: what can be seen of the cladding, balconies and windows.

The assessor does not test the alarm or emergency lighting during the assessment. They look at the records of those tests. If you need testing or servicing, see our fire alarm, emergency lighting and AOV servicing pages.

Questions you are likely to be asked

• Who lives or works here, and is anyone likely to need help to get out?
• What is the evacuation strategy: stay put, or simultaneous evacuation?
• Who tests the alarm and emergency lighting, and how often?
• Have there been any fires, false alarms or near misses?
• Has any building work been done since the last assessment?
• Are there any other responsible persons in the building, such as a commercial tenant?
• How do residents or staff get fire safety information?

After the visit: the report

Since 1 October 2023 the written record must cover all the findings, and it must identify who carried out the assessment, by the name of the individual and/or organisation^[4]. A useful report includes:

• a description of the premises, its use and the people at risk;
• the scope, including any areas not inspected and why;
• the findings for each area, with photographs where they help;
• an overall risk rating; and
• a prioritised action plan, so you know what to fix first.

For housing, BSI’s BS 9792:2025 code of practice for fire risk assessment replaced PAS 79-2:2020; PAS 79-1:2020 remains the reference for other premises^[6][7].

Your responsibilities afterwards

The report is the start, not the end. You remain legally responsible for fire safety even when someone else carries out the assessment^[8]. You need to work through the action plan in order of priority, keep records of what is done, share the required information (in England, responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings must share their name and UK address with residents^[9]), and review the assessment regularly and after any significant change. Our guide on how often to review covers that, and our fire risk assessment page explains how to book.

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