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Fire Risk Assessments for Blocks of Flats

A Fire Risk Assessment is a systematic review of a building to identify fire hazards, assess the level of risk to occupants, and recommend appropriate mitigation measures. The FRA does not serve as a fire certificate; instead, you must review and update it regularly as a living document.

FireRiskQuote is a free comparison service that helps you find qualified fire risk assessors for your block of flats. Instead of searching for individual providers, you submit one request and we handle the rest — saving you time and money.

We cover all types of residential blocks, including purpose-built flats, converted houses, and mixed-use buildings with residential areas. For specialist requirements, see our cost guides or location-specific pages.

Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats vs Converted Premises

Fire safety requirements differ significantly between purpose-built blocks of flats and converted premises. Understanding these differences is essential for ensuring compliance and protecting residents.

Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats

Purpose-built blocks are designed and constructed as blocks of flats from the outset. They typically benefit from:

• Modern fire safety design: Built to current building regulations with appropriate compartmentation, fire doors, and escape routes.
• Stay Put policy: Many purpose-built blocks comply with modern building requirements and may operate a Stay Put policy, where residents are expected to remain in their flats unless the fire is in their own flat.
• Common parts: Shared staircases, corridors, lobbies, and external access walkways that must be assessed for fire risk.
• Type 1 assessment: A non-destructive review of the common areas, including examination of at least a sample of flat entrance doors and, so far as reasonably practicable, the separating construction between the flats and the common parts.

Converted Buildings

Converted buildings are houses or other premises that have been adapted into flats. These present unique challenges:

• Older construction: Many conversions predate modern building regulations and may not meet the 1991 Building Regulations standards.
• Fire separation: 30-minutes fire resistance between flats throughout is the ideal, but on risk assessment there may be no requirement for additional fire-resisting separation between units providing walls, floors and ceilings are of sound, traditional construction and additional compensatory detection is fitted.
• Section 257 licensing: Buildings converted into self-contained flats that do not meet the 1991 Building Regulations standards may be subject to additional licensing under Section 257 of the Housing Act 2004.
• Alarm systems: In converted flats, you would typically expect to find an alarm system for the building, as opposed to purpose-built blocks where a Stay Put policy may mean no communal alarm is required.
• Inner rooms: Converted buildings may have inner rooms where the only escape route passes through another room, posing a heightened risk to occupants.

Legal Framework

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) legally mandates fire risk assessments for blocks of flats. The Order applies to the common parts of blocks of flats, including:

• The external walls and attachments such as balconies
• Flat entrance doors
• Communal areas such as lobbies, corridors, staircases, and shared spaces
• Plant rooms and bin stores

The RRFSO does not apply inside individual flats, just to communal areas. However, this does include the front door of each flat.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the RRFSO applies to the structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors of multi-occupied residential buildings.

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced additional requirements for high-rise residential buildings.

BS 9792:2025 - The New Standard for Housing FRAs

BS 9792:2025 is a new British Standard setting out a code of practice for fire risk assessments in housing, including blocks of flats (purpose-built or converted), HMOs, sheltered and extra-care schemes, supported housing and student accommodation. It brings a rigorous, structured approach to how FRAs are planned, carried out, documented, reviewed and acted on.

The standard defines four types of FRA, scaling from non-intrusive to intrusive, which are described in the Local Government Guide, Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats:

• Type 1 — Common parts (non-intrusive): A non-destructive review of the common areas of a block of flats (corridors, stairways, plant rooms, bin stores etc, but not the flats themselves). Includes examination of at least a sample of flat entrance doors and, so far as reasonably practicable, the separating construction between the flats and the common parts without any opening up of construction.
• Type 2 — Common parts (intrusive): As Type 1 but with opening up to confirm fire separation and construction. Use where there's poor evidence of integrity or concerns about compartmentation.
• Type 3 — Common parts and dwellings (non-intrusive): Adds checks inside a sample of dwellings (e.g., smoke/heat alarms, sprinklers).
• Type 4 — Common parts and dwellings (intrusive): As Type 3 but with opening up inside dwellings.

Who is the "Responsible Person"?

In a block of flats, the responsible person could be:

• The freeholder of the building.
• A resident management company (RMC) or Right to Manage company (RTM).
• A managing agent appointed by the freeholder or RMC.
• A leaseholder landlord in control of the common areas.
• In some cases, a local authority or housing association.

If you control any part of the building where common areas are present, and people other than you live or work there, you are likely to be the Responsible Person. The responsible person can appoint a competent fire risk assessor to carry out the FRA, but they remain legally accountable for ensuring it is done and acted upon.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced additional obligations for multi-occupied residential buildings:

• High-rise buildings (18m+ or 7+ storeys): Secure information boxes, records of external wall materials, floor plans, monthly equipment checks, and wayfinding signage.
• All buildings with common parts: Annual fire safety instructions to residents, annual checks of flat entrance fire doors (for buildings over 11m), and quarterly inspections of communal fire doors.

Article 21A of the RRFSO also makes clear that the responsible person must communicate the risks identified in the fire risk assessment to residents (including whenever this is updated) as well as the precautions taken to address these risks.

How Much Does a Fire Risk Assessment for a Block of Flats Cost?

For a block of flats, you can expect costs to range from £200 to £1,200 or more. However, this is a broad estimate, and the price can vary significantly depending on:

• The size of the building (number of floors and flats).
• Whether the building is purpose-built or converted.
• The complexity of the building layout and any historic features.
• The type of assessment required (Type 1 to Type 4).

We provide free, no-obligation quotes so you can compare prices and choose the best option for your block.

Why Choose FireRiskQuote for Your Block of Flats?

• Free service: No hidden fees, no obligation.
• Specialist assessors: Professionals who understand the unique requirements of both purpose-built and converted residential blocks.
• Quick turnaround: Receive quotes within days, not weeks.
• Compare options: Choose from multiple quotes to get the best value.
• Peace of mind: All assessors are vetted and qualified, with up-to-date knowledge of BS 9792:2025.

Get Your Free Fire Risk Assessment Quote for Your Block of Flats Today

Don't leave fire safety to chance. Whether you manage a purpose-built block or a converted building, we can help. Click below to request your free, no-obligation quotes.

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Fire safety is a legal responsibility — protect your residents and stay compliant with a professional fire risk assessment.

This page was last reviewed to reflect current UK fire safety legislation, including the RRFSO 2005, Fire Safety Act 2021, Building Safety Act 2022, and BS 9792:2025.