It’s really important you stay up to date with any changes or updates to relevant fire safety legislation and where relevant implement these in your premises.
What is the fire safety order (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005)?
If you own, manage or operate a business, you need to comply with fire safety law. The main legislation that sets out the legal responsibilities is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended) or "the Fire Safety Order". It applies across England and Wales and came into force on 1 October 2006.
Building Safety Act 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced significant changes to improve building and fire safety standards, particularly in higher-risk buildings. It increases oversight and introduces clearer duties for those responsible for managing building safety. These changes work alongside existing fire safety legislation, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 aims to improve fire safety in blocks of flats.
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025
Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEP) are intended to make sure that individuals who would struggle to evacuate from their home are given the support needed.
Where does it apply?
The Fire Safety Order applies to almost all workplaces, commercial properties, public buildings, and shared areas of multi-occupied residential premises. This includes areas such as stairways, corridors, shared lounge areas of blocks of flats and houses of multiple occupation.
It does not cover private individual homes such as single occupation houses and behind the front door of a flat.
What are your responsibilities?
You need to make sure that all relevant people are protected from fire and in the event of fire, are notified of the fire and have a safe means of escape. You can achieve this by ensuring:
- You complete a Fire Risk Assessment
- Employees are provided with adequate fire safety training.
- Firefighting equipment, general fire precautions and equipment are maintained and tested regularly.
- You take additional measures to ensure fire safety where flammable or explosive materials are used or stored.
- You create an emergency escape plan, ensure staff are aware of the plan and that this is practised regularly
Where will I find guidance about the required standards for my building?
It depends on the building in question. The best place to start is the GOV.UK website – it provides guidance for most circumstances.
If you are responsible for specialised housing – for example, sheltered housing, extra care housing, or supported housing for people with common characteristics, such as learning disabilities and mental health problems – NFCC Specialised Housing Guidance is helpful.
If you need information about requirements for purpose-built dwellings such as blocks of flats, the Government provides useful information in their downloadable publication Fire safety in purpose-built flats.
If you are looking for more information about shared houses, bedsits and HMOs, please see this LACoRS guidance.
Enforcement – our legal responsibilities
London Fire Brigade has a responsibility to keep the people of London safe. An important part of this duty is making sure that people responsible for commercial premises are following the rules. We enforce various legislation, chiefly around fire safety, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
Inspections
We can visit your premises at any time to make sure you are following the rules and keeping employees and members of the public safe. We generally make appointments, though can visit your premises at any time if we believe that an unannounced visit will better determine whether the law is being complied with. Of course, we are committed to being consistent, fair, transparent, proportional, competent, respectful and polite.
What to expect if we visit?
- Our officers will explain the reason and purpose of the visit and provide identification on request.
- They will exercise discretion and have regard to your approach to compliance.
- They will support you in meeting your statutory obligations – we provide useful tools on the Fire Risk Assessment page and the emergency plan page.
- We will act on an assessment of risk and minimise our impact on your business.
What happens if you aren't compliant?
If we find something wrong we could take action ranging from providing information and advice to prosecuting those responsible in a court of law. For serious offences, you could be fined and/or imprisoned.
If you receive an Enforcement Notice or are prosecuted for failing to meet your responsibilities, we will publish details on our Public Notices page. The information will also be shared in the National Chief Fire Officers website.