{"id":3334,"date":"2026-08-06T16:34:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:34:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fire-risk-assessment-network.com\/blog\/?p=3334"},"modified":"2026-08-06T16:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:35:24","slug":"accountable-person-fire-safety-duties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fire-risk-assessment-network.com\/blog\/accountable-person-fire-safety-duties\/","title":{"rendered":"Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person Fire Safety Duties"},"content":{"rendered":"

Accountable Persons and Principal Accountable Persons have important duties for managing building safety risks in higher-risk residential buildings. For fire safety, this means understanding how fire and smoke spread risks are assessed, what evidence is held, how safety measures are maintained and how residents are kept informed.<\/p>\n

These duties are especially relevant to freeholders, building owners, housing associations, resident management companies and managing agents involved with high-rise residential buildings in England. The Principal Accountable Person is responsible for key whole-building duties, while other Accountable Persons may have duties for the parts of the building they are responsible for.<\/p>\n

This guide explains the fire safety side of Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person duties, including fire risk assessments, safety case reports, golden thread information, fire doors, external walls, resident information and evidence records.<\/p>\n

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Quick Answer: What Are Accountable Person Fire Safety Duties?<\/h2>\n

Accountable Persons must assess and manage building safety risks in the parts of the higher-risk building they are responsible for. Fire safety duties may include keeping fire safety information, managing fire and smoke spread risks, supporting the safety case report, maintaining golden thread records, cooperating with other duty holders, providing resident information and making sure fire safety actions are tracked and evidenced.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

What Is an Accountable Person?<\/h2>\n

An Accountable Person is an individual or organisation with legal duties for managing building safety risks in an occupied higher-risk residential building. Accountable Persons are usually organisations or individuals responsible for parts of the building, such as common parts, structure, exterior or areas used by residents.<\/p>\n

For fire safety, the practical question is: who has control, repair responsibility or management responsibility for the parts of the building where fire safety risks need to be assessed and controlled?<\/p>\n

Accountable Persons may include freeholders, landlords, resident management companies, housing associations, right-to-manage companies or other organisations with relevant repairing or management responsibilities.<\/p>\n

What Is a Principal Accountable Person?<\/h2>\n

The Principal Accountable Person, often shortened to PAP, has overall responsibility for key whole-building duties in an occupied higher-risk residential building. If there is only one Accountable Person for the building, that person or organisation is normally the Principal Accountable Person.<\/p>\n

Where there is more than one Accountable Person, the Principal Accountable Person has additional coordination and reporting duties. These may include registering the building, preparing and updating the safety case report, managing building safety information, operating complaints and mandatory occurrence reporting systems, and preparing a resident engagement strategy.<\/p>\n

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How AP and PAP Duties Relate to Fire Safety<\/h2>\n

Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person duties are not limited to general administration. They directly affect fire safety because building safety risks include the spread of fire and smoke.<\/p>\n

Fire safety duties may involve:<\/p>\n