Fire Safety Compliance

Fire safety is not simply good practice; for many premises it is a legal responsibility. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended), responsibility rests with the Responsible Person. Depending on the premises, this may be the employer, building owner, landlord, managing agent or another person who has control of the building. The Fire Safety Order applies to non-domestic premises and the relevant common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings.

The Responsible Person must ensure that a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment is completed, fire risks are reduced so far as reasonably practicable, appropriate fire precautions are provided and fire safety systems and equipment are properly maintained. Following changes introduced through Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, Responsible Persons must also record their Fire Risk Assessment in full and record their fire safety arrangements.

Importantly, appointing a contractor or fire safety professional to assist with these duties does not remove the Responsible Person's legal responsibility. The Responsible Person remains accountable for ensuring the Fire Risk Assessment is suitable and sufficient and that appropriate fire safety arrangements are implemented and maintained.

For residential blocks, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduce further requirements. For example, in multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres, Responsible Persons must undertake quarterly checks of communal fire doors and use best endeavours to check flat entrance fire doors at least annually. Additional requirements apply to higher-rise residential buildings.

How Mission Ready Developments Can Support You

Mission Ready Developments Ltd provides practical fire safety compliance support to landlords, letting agents, block managers and other Responsible Persons, helping you establish and maintain a clear evidence trail of how fire safety is being managed.

Our services can include:

• Fire Risk Assessments
• Fire safety asset register creation and management
• Fire door inspections
• Fire door installation and remedial works
• Weekly and monthly fire safety checks, where applicable
• Fire alarm user testing and recording
• Emergency lighting functional checks
• Fire extinguisher and fire blanket visual checks
• Escape route and communal area inspections
• Fire safety signage checks
• Defect reporting and maintenance prioritisation
• Fire safety logbook and compliance record management

Routine inspection, testing and maintenance are an important part of maintaining effective fire precautions. Government guidance for purpose-built blocks of flats specifically identifies arrangements for routine inspection, testing, servicing and maintenance, including monthly functional testing of emergency lighting where appropriate.

Where applicable, our approach also considers recognised industry standards such as BS 5839-1:2025 for fire detection and alarm systems and BS 5266-1:2025 for emergency lighting. British Standards are generally codes of practice rather than legislation themselves, but they provide recognised benchmarks for demonstrating appropriate fire safety management and system maintenance.

Protecting People, Property and Your Responsibilities

If a serious fire occurs, the management of fire safety before the incident may be examined by the enforcing authority. Failures to comply with the Fire Safety Order can result in enforcement action and, where offences are established, prosecution and significant financial penalties. Courts may also take compliance or non-compliance with relevant government fire safety guidance into account when considering offences under the Fire Safety Order.

Our aim is to take the day-to-day burden of fire safety management away from property owners and managing agents while providing clear records, identified actions and a planned approach to maintaining fire precautions.