Fire Risk Assessment Frequency — UK Legal Guide

How often does a fire
risk assessment need reviewing?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 does not specify a fixed review interval but requires assessments to be kept up to date. In practice, most qualified assessors recommend annual reviews for commercial premises and HMOs. Here is what the law actually requires.

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Annual review recommended for most premises
Review required after any material change
Out-of-date assessment treated as no assessment
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The Legal Position

The Fire Safety Order requires the assessment to be reviewed whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid.

Annual Reviews

Most qualified assessors recommend annual reviews for commercial premises and HMOs as best practice.

Trigger Events

Change of premises, change of use, change of occupancy, new hazards, or any fire safety incident all trigger a review.

Enforcement Risk

An out-of-date assessment may be treated as no assessment at all by enforcement officers.

Fire Risk Assessment Review Requirements

What the law says about
review frequency.

The Fire Safety Order does not say "review every 12 months." What it actually says is more nuanced — and understanding it is important for every responsible person.

The Legal Requirement — Article 9(3)
"The responsible person must review the assessment made under paragraph (1) regularly to keep it up to date and, in particular, where there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates."

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Article 9(3). The word "regularly" is not defined in the legislation. In practice, enforcement officers expect annual reviews as a minimum for most premises.

When a review is definitely required

Regardless of when the last review was, a fire risk assessment must be reviewed immediately if any of the following occur: the premises are extended or altered, occupancy increases significantly, new processes or activities are introduced, new hazards are identified, a fire or near-miss occurs, the responsible person changes, or any enforcement action is taken or threatened.

What "no longer valid" means in practice

An enforcement officer visiting your premises can decide that your assessment is no longer valid if the current conditions differ materially from those described in the assessment. This includes changes as simple as new furniture arrangements, new equipment, or changes to the number of people regularly on the premises.

01
Annual reviewThe standard expectation for most commercial premises and HMOs. Best practice supported by all major fire safety professional bodies.
02
Change of premisesAny extension, alteration or refurbishment of the building or its fire safety systems triggers an immediate review.
03
Change of occupancy or useNew tenants, increased headcount, change of business activity or change of use all trigger a review.
04
New hazardsNew equipment, processes, materials or substances introduced to the premises trigger a review.
05
After a fire or near-missAny fire, near-miss or fire alarm activation should trigger a review of the assessment to identify whether any deficiencies contributed to the incident.
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Common Questions

Questions answered.

Does the law require an annual fire risk assessment?+
The Fire Safety Order does not specify an annual review period. It requires the assessment to be reviewed regularly and specifically whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or a significant change has occurred. In practice, enforcement officers and professional bodies treat annual reviews as the minimum acceptable standard for most commercial premises and HMOs.
How long is a fire risk assessment valid for?+
There is no fixed validity period in the legislation. An assessment remains valid as long as it accurately reflects the current state of the premises and the risks involved. Any material change to premises, occupancy or use makes a review necessary. In practice, an assessment older than 12 months is increasingly likely to be challenged by enforcement officers.
Does my HMO fire risk assessment need an annual review?+
Yes. All professional bodies and local authority guidance recommends annual reviews for HMO fire risk assessments. Given the high turnover of tenants in HMOs and the regular changes in occupancy and condition that result, annual reviews are particularly important. A fire risk assessment that has not been reviewed in more than 12 months may be rejected for HMO licence renewals.
What happens if my fire risk assessment is out of date?+
An enforcement officer can treat an out-of-date assessment as no assessment at all. This may result in an improvement notice requiring you to produce a current assessment, or in more serious cases a prohibition notice restricting use of the premises. For HMO licensing, an out-of-date assessment will typically cause a licence application or renewal to fail.
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