PEEPs & Fire Safety Regulations 2025 - What Landlords and Housing Providers Must Know

From 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 come into force. These new UK fire safety laws change how residential buildings are managed, especially for residents who cannot evacuate without assistance.

This regulation means new legal fire safety duties for landlords, property managers, housing associations, and building owners.

This blog explains the regulations in practice, with real case studies from housing providers already being prepared.

Note: Statutory guidance is due in late 2025. We will update this blog as official details are released.

Why have new fire safety regulations been introduced?

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry revealed a significant gap: residents with disabilities, mobility issues, or cognitive conditions had no evacuation support.

The 2025 regulations:

• Require Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for vulnerable residents.

• Ensure resident information is shared securely with Fire and Rescue Services.

• Mandate building-wide evacuation plans for higher-risk residential buildings.

The above points mark a shift from general fire risk assessments to person-centred evacuation planning.

What is a residential PEEP?

A Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is for residents who cannot safely self-evacuate.

The process includes:

• The Responsible Person (landlord, housing provider, or building manager) identifies relevant residents.

• Offering a person-centred fire risk assessment (PCFRA).

• Recording an evacuation statement was agreed with the resident.

• Sharing key details with the local Fire and Rescue Service, with resident consent.

• Review plans annually or when circumstances change.

Who do the 2025 Fire Safety Regulations apply to?

From April 2026, the Regulations apply in England to:

• All residential buildings 18m+ in height (or 7+ storeys).

• Residential buildings over 11m that operate a simultaneous evacuation strategy.

The regulation covers:

• High-rise blocks of flats

• Social housing towers

• Retirement housing schemes

• Certain medium-rise buildings with higher risks

Legal duties for Landlords, Housing Associations, and Property Managers

The Responsible Person (RP) must:

• Identify residents needing evacuation support.

• Offer person-centred fire risk assessments.

• Record individual evacuation statements.

• Share prescribed data with Fire and Rescue Services (with consent).

• Review PEEPs every 12 months.

• Maintain a building-wide evacuation plan.

For housing providers and property managers: this requires resident engagement, secure record-keeping, and closer Fire and Rescue Service collaboration.

Case studies: How Housing Providers are already preparing

The government’s Responsible Person Toolkit highlights best practice:

1) Hammersmith and Fulham Council

Housing officers carry out PCFRAs in high-rise blocks and store key details in secure info boxes for fire crews.

Lesson: Conversations uncover risks missed by general building assessments.

2) Orbit Housing

Provides equipment such as specialist smoke alarms, vibrating pillows, and suppression systems in supported housing.

Lesson: Practical, low-cost interventions can significantly reduce risk.

3) Newcastle City Council

Runs a structured PCFRA process and installs monitored alarms linked to Fire and Rescue.

Lesson: Joint working between housing teams and Fire Services creates a stronger safety net.

4) Salix Homes (Salford)

Conducts annual Home Safety Checks in high-rise blocks, updating resident information regularly.

Lesson: Ongoing monitoring captures changing needs, not just one-time assessments.

5) Camden Council

A borough-wide campaign encouraged residents to declare support needs, leading to misting systems, fire-resistant bedding, and extra alarms.

Lesson: Outreach drives higher engagement than waiting for residents to self-identify.

Consent and Data Protection

Participation is voluntary. Residents must provide explicit consent to share information with Fire and Rescue Services.

Landlords and housing providers must handle resident data in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Enforcement

Compliance sits with the Responsible Person. Fire and Rescue Authorities can enforce under the Fire Safety Order.

For buildings 18m+, residents can also escalate complaints to the Building Safety Regulator.

What the fire safety residential evacuation plan means for Housing Providers and Property Managers

The Regulations impose clear legal duties, requiring:

• Annual PEEP reviews.

• Updated resident records.

• Documented evacuation statements.

• Secure Fire and Rescue Service communication.

Acting early avoids compliance risks and builds resident trust.

Explore how Ecosafe supports compliance: Fire Safety Services, Voids & Property Management.

Conclusion

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 protect residents with additional needs by ensuring they receive evacuation support in an emergency.

Compliance is not optional for landlords, housing associations, and property managers, it is a legal duty from April 2026.

Case studies show that practical solutions already exist. Ecosafe partners with housing providers across the UK to prepare buildings, residents, and managers for these changes.

Contact Ecosafe to discuss how these regulations affect your housing stock and how we can support your compliance journey.

• Email: liam@ecosafegroup.co.uk

• Complete a contact form on our website

FAQs: Fire Safety Regulations 2025

Q1: Who do the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 apply to?

They apply to residential buildings in England that are 18m+ (or 7+ storeys) and to some medium-rise buildings with simultaneous evacuation strategies.

Q2: What is a Residential PEEP?

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan tailored to residents who cannot self-evacuate, including agreed steps, support measures, and shared information with Fire and Rescue.

Q3: When will the new regulations come into effect?

They come into force on 6 April 2026.

Q4: Who is responsible for compliance?

The Responsible Person: usually the building owner, landlord, or property manager.

Q5: What happens if a landlord does not comply?

Fire and rescue authorities can enforce this under the existing fire safety law. Residents in high-rise buildings can also complain to the Building Safety Regulator.