Is fire safety a legal requirement in commercial properties?

Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety Act 2021 require commercial properties to implement and maintain fire safety measures including risk assessments, emergency plans, and safety equipment.

How often should a Fire Risk Assessment be carried out?

Fire Risk Assessments should be reviewed annually and updated immediately if the building layout, occupancy, or fire risks change significantly. A new FRA should be completed every 3–4 years by a competent person.

What happens if my property doesn’t meet fire safety regulations?

Failure to comply can lead to enforcement notices, fines of unlimited value, or even imprisonment for serious breaches. Fire authorities have the right to inspect and restrict access to unsafe premises.

Who is responsible for fire safety in a commercial building?

The ‘responsible person’ may be the employer, landlord, building manager, or any designated individual in control of the premises. This person must ensure compliance and proper safety practices are in place.

What equipment is legally required for fire safety in the UK?

Commercial properties must have appropriate fire alarms, extinguishers, emergency lighting, fire signage, and well-maintained fire doors. These systems must be tested and serviced regularly.

Fire Safety Regulations For Commercial Properties

Ecosafe
Jun 5
4 min read

Fire safety protects you and others. It is a legal responsibility for housing officers, social housing providers, and developers. Navigating fire safety legislation can feel complex, but the cost of getting it wrong is far more.

According to government figures, fire and rescue services in England attended over 600,000 incidents in 2024, with nearly a quarter involving actual fires. That’s a 20% increase in incidents over the last 10 years, proof that fire risk remains very real.

Home Office Fire Statistics - Dec 2024

Fire safety regulations and laws for commercial properties

Three core regulations define your fire safety responsibilities:

1. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Regulatory Reform Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises and shared parts of residential buildings.

Assess fire risks.
Put fire precautions in place.
Maintain escape routes and equipment.

View Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order legislation here

For example, inspectors can fine a housing association if emergency lighting and fire doors have not been checked for over 18 months, especially when the fire risk assessment is not up to date after a significant layout change.

2. Fire Safety Act 2021

Fire Safety Act 2021 expands legal responsibilities to include cladding, balconies, and flat entrance doors.

If fire could spread via the exterior or through poor door compartmentation, you must reduce that risk.

Fire Safety Act Overview

3. Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

Fire safety regulations apply mainly to high-rise and multi-occupied residential buildings in England.

The fundamental requirements include:

Monthly fire door checks.
Clear fire escape signage.
Resident safety information.
Floorplans submitted to local fire services.

Fire Safety Regulations 2022 Guidance

Close-up of a tradesperson measuring and marking a wall next to copper pipework using a tape measure and pencil.

Who is the ‘responsible person’?

If you are a:

Landlord or housing provider.
Building or facilities manager.
Property developer or employer.

Then, you are the responsible person under the law.

Know your workplace fire safety responsibilities.

What is a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)?

A FRA is required for any building with five or more staff or residents.

The risk assessment must include:

Actions to reduce risk.
Emergency procedures.
Fire hazards and people at risk.
Record keeping and review schedule.

How to do a fire risk assessment in 5 steps

Identify hazards:
Look for anything that could cause a fire, such as electrical equipment, heaters, smoking areas, or combustible waste.
Identify people at risk:
Think about staff, residents, visitors, lone workers, children, older people, or anyone with mobility issues.
Evaluate and act:
Consider whether you have enough escape routes, emergency lighting, signage, fire extinguishers, and ignition sources safely separate from flammables.
Record, plan and train:
Write down your findings. Make an action plan. Ensure everyone knows what to do in a fire. Schedule regular training and drills.
Review regularly:
Review your fire risk assessment at least annually or whenever the building layout, use, or occupancy changes.

Want the complete fire safety checklist? Download it here.

Need help with fire compliance?

Ecosafe Group can support the following:

Fire risk assessments.
Passive fire protection.
Ongoing maintenance.
Fire door installation and upgrades.

FRA types: Know which applies to you

This is a table showing the four types of Fire Risk Assessments, with columns for type, what it covers, and when to use it. Types range from non-destructive assessments to full destructive inspections.

Fire safety systems you should have in place

Being a housing officer, social housing provider, or developer, you must ensure:

You test alarms weekly.
Have extinguishers serviced.
Maintain emergency lighting.
Fire doors have seals and closers.
Escape routes are clear and signed.
Annual drills and training have been recorded.

Client highlight: Fire barrier works at Torfield

“Over the last couple of months, Ecosafe has been doing all the fire barrier works in the loft spaces at Torfield. The fire barrier works had to contain the fire and separate individual flats. Working with Ecosafe has been great from start to finish. They were very informative to residents, letters went out, they attended coffee mornings, and they’ve been great to liaise with. Any issues were dealt with straight away. The quality of the work has been excellent. The guys have worked hard, and, of course, I would recommend Ecosafe.”

- Liz Bolingbroke, Scheme Housing Officer, Southern Housing

Watch the full testimonial here:

Fire safety compliance tasks

Check fire doors regularly.
Sign and keep all escape routes clear.
Test emergency lighting every month.
Carry out and log fire drills and staff training.
Service all fire safety equipment and keep it up-to-date.
Complete a Fire Risk Assessment at least every 12 months.
Document the FRA if there are five or more staff/residents.

Renovating? Fire safety starts at the design stage

Under The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) regulations, developers must:

Eliminate fire risks at the design stage.
Build with compartmentation in mind.
Use fire-safe materials and accredited contractors.

Understanding CDM Regulations

Client spotlight: The Beacon, Plymouth Community Homes

“Ecosafe is delivering important fire-stopping works in our riser cupboards. The team has been excellent on-site, and we’re pleased with the work. At PCH, we’re committed to ensuring our buildings meet the highest possible fire safety standards.”

- Beth Valentine, Commercial Premises Manager, Plymouth Community Homes

To find out more about this project, please watch the testimonial below:

Ecosafe Group: Helping you stay compliant

We provide fire protection services for:

Local authorities.
Housing associations.
Developers and commercial landlords.

Including:

FRA support.
Fire door installation.
Passive fire protection.
Maintenance packages.

Serving the South West, London, Sussex & the UK.

Download your free fire risk assessment template

Our free FRA checklist template ensures your properties are safe, compliant, and protected.

Assign actions.
Identify hazards.
Keep track of your legal duties.

Download here:

Ready to book a compliance check?

If you are looking for a fire specialists who understands your priorities, safety, turnaround, compliance, and tenant wellbeing, we are ready to help. Whether it is a one-off survey or long-term fire safety support.

Contact: liam@ecosafegroup.co.uk | 01202 017917 | www.ecosafegroup.co.uk