Company directors in the UK can carry personal responsibility for fire safety compliance within the organisations they lead. While the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 primarily places duties on the “Responsible Person”, directors may face criminal liability where offences are committed with their consent, connivance or neglect. Fire safety is therefore not merely an Read more »
Housing associations in the UK have significant legal responsibilities under fire safety legislation. Where you own or manage multi-occupied residential buildings, duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 will usually apply. Many housing associations operate as Registered Providers of Social Housing and are subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny in relation to resident safety. Read more »
If you are a property manager in the UK, you may have legal responsibilities under fire safety legislation — particularly where you manage or control commercial buildings, residential blocks, or mixed-use premises. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the person with control of premises — or control of common parts — may be Read more »
If you are a managing agent in the UK, you are often responsible for day-to-day fire safety compliance in residential blocks and mixed-use buildings — and in many cases you may also be treated as the Responsible Person for the common parts. Where the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies, it covers the common Read more »
If you are a landlord in the UK, you may have legal responsibilities under fire safety legislation — even if you only let out a single property. Where the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies, the landlord is often the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in Read more »
If your premises legally require a Fire Risk Assessment but none has been carried out, you are not simply missing a piece of paperwork — you are in breach of fire safety law. Under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient Fire Read more »
For many Responsible Persons and duty holders under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, an inspection by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) can feel daunting. Unlike an internal review or consultancy check, an FRS audit is a formal fire safety inspection carried out under statutory powers to assess compliance with the Regulatory Reform Read more »
For Responsible Persons overseeing multi-occupied residential buildings — including housing associations, managing agents, freeholders, supported housing providers and local authorities — evacuation compliance is becoming an increasingly critical area of focus. From 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduce new legal duties designed to improve the safety of residents Read more »
For Responsible Persons and Accountable Persons overseeing higher-risk residential buildings — including housing associations, managing agents, freeholders and local authorities — understanding how Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) and Building Safety Case Reports work together is essential. Under the Building Safety Act 2022, higher-risk residential buildings must demonstrate that building safety risks are identified, assessed and Read more »
Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) and traditional fire risk assessments (FRA) are related but distinct components of fire safety management in the UK. Following the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the introduction of PAS 9980:2022, the assessment of external wall systems has become a clearer and more defined regulatory responsibility for Responsible Persons. Read more »
