If you are the Responsible Person (or duty holder in Scotland), you are legally responsible for ensuring that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out for your premises. This legal responsibility remains with you — not the fire risk assessor — regardless of who you appoint.
To help Responsible Persons demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to appoint a competent fire risk assessment provider, many organisations choose to use a company certified to the BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme.
This article explains what BAFE SP205 is, what it does (and does not) cover, and how it fits into modern UK fire safety law.
Contents
- 1 What Is BAFE?
- 2 What Is the BAFE SP205 Scheme?
- 3 What Does BAFE SP205 Certify?
- 4 What BAFE SP205 Does Not Do
- 5 Who Is Responsible for the Fire Risk Assessment?
- 6 BAFE SP205 and Modern Fire Safety Law
- 7 Is BAFE SP205 a Legal Requirement?
- 8 Why Organisations Choose BAFE SP205-Certified Providers
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Frequently Asked Questions
- 11 Does BAFE SP205 Apply to All Building Types?
What Is BAFE?
British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE) is an independent third-party certification registration body that develops competence and quality schemes for fire protection services.
BAFE schemes are:
- Developed by industry experts
- Independently assessed
- Third-party certificated via UKAS-accredited certification bodies
BAFE does not carry out fire risk assessments itself. Instead, it certifies companies that meet defined competence, management, and quality criteria.
What Is the BAFE SP205 Scheme?
The BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment Scheme is a certification scheme specifically for companies that provide fire risk assessment services.
Introduced in 2012, SP205 was developed to:
- Improve consistency and quality in fire risk assessments
- Provide assurance to organisations commissioning assessments
- Support Responsible Persons in meeting legal duties under UK fire safety law
SP205 applies to companies carrying out life safety fire risk assessments for other organisations — not to individual assessors acting independently.
What Does BAFE SP205 Certify?
BAFE SP205 certifies that a company:
- Has appropriate management systems in place
- Uses competent fire risk assessors
- Operates defined assessment methodologies
- Maintains quality control, supervision, and review processes
- Produces fire risk assessments aligned with legal and guidance requirements
Certification is subject to:
- Initial assessment
- Ongoing surveillance audits
- Periodic re-certification
This provides an independent, auditable benchmark of organisational competence.
What BAFE SP205 Does Not Do
It is important to understand the limits of SP205.
BAFE SP205:
- Does not transfer legal responsibility away from the Responsible Person
- Does not guarantee compliance on its own
- Does not replace the need for proper fire safety management
The legal duty to ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment remains with the Responsible Person, even when a certified company is appointed.
Who Is Responsible for the Fire Risk Assessment?
Under UK fire safety legislation, responsibility sits with the Responsible Person (or duty holder in Scotland), not the assessor.
This applies under:
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England & Wales)
- Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
- Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
If a Responsible Person can demonstrate that they took reasonable steps to appoint a competent provider — for example, by selecting a BAFE SP205-certified company — this may be relevant in enforcement or legal proceedings.
However, accountability cannot be delegated.
BAFE SP205 and Modern Fire Safety Law
While BAFE SP205 predates recent legislative changes, it aligns closely with the direction of travel in UK fire safety enforcement.
Recent legislation has increased emphasis on:
- Competence
- Evidence
- Documented decision-making
This includes:
- The Fire Safety Act 2021, which clarified that fire risk assessments for blocks of flats must consider external walls, flat entrance doors, and structure
- Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, which strengthened requirements for written fire risk assessments and documented fire safety arrangements
Although BAFE SP205 is not a legal requirement, these changes reinforce the importance of appointing demonstrably competent fire risk assessment providers.
Is BAFE SP205 a Legal Requirement?
No.
There is no legal requirement to use a BAFE SP205-certified company.
However, enforcement authorities increasingly expect Responsible Persons to:
- Evidence assessor competence
- Demonstrate due diligence
- Justify how providers were selected
BAFE SP205 is widely recognised as one way of demonstrating this.
Why Organisations Choose BAFE SP205-Certified Providers
Organisations commonly choose SP205-certified companies because it helps to:
- Demonstrate due diligence
- Reduce competence risk
- Support defensible compliance decisions
- Improve consistency and quality of assessments
- Align with insurer, client, or stakeholder expectations
For higher-risk, complex, or multi-occupied buildings, third-party certification is often viewed as best practice.
Conclusion
BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment is a third-party certification scheme designed to improve the quality, consistency, and competence of fire risk assessment providers.
While certification does not remove legal responsibility from the Responsible Person, it provides strong evidence that reasonable steps have been taken to appoint a competent organisation — particularly important under today’s more robust fire safety enforcement environment.
Understanding what SP205 does — and what it does not do — allows duty holders to make informed, defensible decisions when commissioning fire risk assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is BAFE SP205 Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment?
BAFE SP205 is a third-party certification scheme for organisations that carry out life safety fire risk assessments. It provides independent assurance that a company has the systems, competence, and quality controls in place to deliver fire risk assessments in line with UK fire safety legislation.
Is BAFE SP205 a Legal Requirement?
No. BAFE SP205 certification is not a legal requirement, but UK fire safety law requires the Responsible Person to appoint a competent fire risk assessor. Using a BAFE SP205-certified company is widely recognised as a robust way to demonstrate due diligence and compliance.
Who Is Responsible for Fire Risk Assessment Compliance?
The Responsible Person (or duty holder in Scotland) remains legally responsible for fire safety compliance, including the adequacy of the fire risk assessment. This responsibility does not transfer to the fire risk assessor, even if they are BAFE SP205 certified.
What Legislation Does BAFE SP205 Support Compliance With?
BAFE SP205 supports compliance with:
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England & Wales)
- The Fire Safety Act 2021
- Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
- The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
- The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
What Does BAFE SP205 Certification Cover?
BAFE SP205 assesses an organisation’s:
- Management systems
- Assessor competence and training
- Quality assurance processes
- Consistency and review of assessments
- Record-keeping and documentation
It applies to the company, not just individual assessors.
Does BAFE SP205 Apply to All Building Types?
Yes. BAFE SP205 covers fire risk assessments for a wide range of premises, including:
- Commercial buildings
- Residential blocks of flats
- HMOs
- Care homes
- Educational buildings
- Industrial and mixed-use premises
Can Legal Action Be Taken Against a Fire Risk Assessor?
Yes. If a Responsible Person can demonstrate they took reasonable steps to appoint a competent assessor, and that assessor is later found to be negligent or incompetent, enforcement action may be taken against the assessor or their organisation.
How Can I Check If a Company Is BAFE SP205 Certified?
BAFE maintains a public register of SP205-certified organisations. Responsible Persons should always verify certification status before commissioning a fire risk assessment.
