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 »
A Retrospective Fire Strategy is a comprehensive, expert-led assessment that reviews and documents the fire safety design and provisions for an existing building — particularly where original fire strategy documentation required under Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations is missing, outdated, or no longer aligned with current UK fire safety standards. At Fire Risk Assessment Read more »
BS 8414 is the British Standard fire test method used to assess the fire performance of complete external wall and cladding systems on buildings. It is a large-scale, real-world fire test that evaluates how fire spreads vertically and laterally on a facade rather than just small material samples. Since the introduction of PAS 9980, which Read more »
A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) carried out in accordance with PAS 9980:2022 is a structured, risk-based assessment of the fire performance of a building’s external wall systems. One of the most common concerns building owners and Responsible Persons have is: What happens if the FRAEW identifies a high or elevated fire risk? Read more »
A common question from building owners, managing agents and Responsible Persons is: How long does a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) actually take? A FRAEW is a structured, PAS 9980:2022-aligned appraisal used to assess whether a building’s external wall systems — including cladding, insulation, balconies and façade details — present a life safety Read more »
One of the biggest questions building owners and Responsible Persons ask when considering a fire risk appraisal of external walls is: how much will this actually cost? A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) is a specialist, technical assessment carried out in accordance with PAS 9980:2022 to evaluate whether a building’s external wall systems Read more »
PAS 9980:2022 is the UK’s recognised methodology for assessing fire risk in the external wall construction of existing multi-occupied residential buildings. Since the Grenfell Tower fire and subsequent legislative change, it has become central to how duty holders evaluate façade fire risk in a life-safety context. This article explains what PAS 9980 is, what it’s Read more »
