Many landlords, property managers, and business owners commission a fire risk assessment and assume the work is complete. In reality, UK fire safety legislation makes clear that a fire risk assessment is not a one-time exercise. It is a “living document” that must evolve alongside the building, its occupants, and the risks within it.
Failing to review an assessment regularly can leave a business exposed to enforcement action, fines, and serious safety failures. Understanding the correct fire risk assessment review process is therefore essential for anyone responsible for a commercial or residential building.
What the law says about fire risk assessment reviews
The main legislation governing fire safety in England and Wales is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Under the Order, responsible persons must ensure their fire risk assessment is reviewed regularly and updated whenever there is reason to believe it is no longer valid.
The legislation deliberately avoids setting a fixed review period. Instead, the expectation is that review frequency should reflect the level of risk within the building. A small office with very few changes may not need the same level of oversight as a large residential block or complex commercial premises.
The important thing to understand is that a fire risk assessment is meant to be a working document. It should develop alongside the building itself, rather than sitting untouched for years after it was first completed.
Why annual fire risk assessment reviews are best practice
Although the law does not specifically state that reviews must happen every 12 months, annual reviews have become the accepted industry standard for most commercial properties.
Reviewing the assessment once a year gives responsible persons the opportunity to check that the document still accurately reflects the building, its occupants, and its fire precautions. It also helps ensure that any recommendations from the previous assessment have actually been acted upon.
For many organisations, building an annual review into their wider fire compliance schedule is the simplest way to stay on top of their responsibilities. It creates a regular checkpoint rather than relying on someone remembering to revisit the assessment after changes have already happened. If your building is already following an annual review cycle, that is generally considered good practice under current UK fire safety guidance.
What changes trigger an immediate fire risk assessment review?
There are certain situations where waiting until the next annual review would not be appropriate. If a significant change affects the building or the way it is used, the fire risk assessment should be reviewed straight away.
One of the clearest examples is a change to the building floor plans or escape routes. Even relatively straightforward refurbishment work can alter how people move through the premises during an evacuation. Moving walls, changing access routes, or converting rooms can all affect fire safety arrangements.
Changes to fire safety systems should also trigger a review. Installing a new fire alarm system, upgrading emergency lighting, or making changes to smoke detection may improve safety overall, but the assessment still needs updating so it accurately reflects those measures.
Occupancy changes are another major consideration. If a company expands significantly, for example, growing from 50 employees to 100, evacuation procedures that previously worked well may no longer be suitable. More occupants can affect escape route capacity, evacuation times, and staffing requirements for fire marshals.
A change in how the building is used is equally important. A unit previously used for storage may present very different fire risks once converted into office space, retail premises, or residential accommodation. Whenever the purpose of the building changes, the assessment should be reviewed to reflect the new risks involved.
How often should higher-risk buildings review fire risk assessments?
For higher-risk buildings, annual reviews may not be enough. Buildings with known fire safety concerns, more complex evacuation arrangements, or higher occupant vulnerability often benefit from reviews every six months or even quarterly in some cases.
This is particularly relevant for residential buildings that fall within the scope of the Building Safety Act 2022. In broad terms, buildings over 18 metres tall or more than seven storeys with multiple residential units are subject to increased scrutiny and stricter safety expectations.
In these environments, risks can change quickly and the consequences of outdated information are much more serious. More frequent reviews help ensure the assessment continues to reflect the reality of the building and the people living or working inside it.
Why an up-to-date fire risk assessment is legally important
One of the main legal tests for any fire risk assessment UK is whether it is considered “suitable and sufficient”. In practice, that means the assessment must accurately reflect the current condition of the premises and properly identify the relevant fire risks and control measures.
Problems often arise when a fire officer visits a building that has changed significantly since the assessment was completed. The layout may have been altered, occupancy levels may have increased, or fire safety systems may have been upgraded but none of those changes have been recorded within the assessment itself.
At that point, the document may no longer be viewed as suitable and sufficient. That can lead to enforcement notices requiring the responsible person to update the assessment and address any failings identified during the inspection. In more serious cases, failing to maintain a current assessment can result in prosecution, substantial fines, or even imprisonment.
What happens during a fire risk assessment review?
A fire risk assessment review involves much more than checking whether the original report is still on file. The assessor will normally revisit the building to identify whether anything has changed since the previous assessment. They will look at ignition sources, escape routes, compartmentation, alarm systems, emergency lighting, and general housekeeping standards throughout the premises. Particular attention is often paid to storage in escape routes, plant rooms, and service areas where combustible materials can create unnecessary fire loading.
Management procedures are also reviewed. This includes evacuation arrangements, staff training records, fire drills, and the provision of fire marshals where required. Documentation is another important part of the process. A well-maintained fire log book should include, but is not limited to, records of fire alarm testing, emergency lighting checks, fire extinguisher servicing, PAT testing, evacuation drills, fire door inspections, staff fire safety training, fire risk assessment reviews and resulting actions, maintenance or faults relating to fire safety systems, false alarms and corrective actions, sprinkler, smoke control or suppression system inspections (where installed), electrical installation condition reports (EICR), means of escape inspections, fire warden or responsible person details, visitor or contractor fire safety briefings, and any enforcement notices or correspondence from the fire authority.
The log book should be kept up to date, signed where appropriate, and made available for inspection by enforcing authorities or insurers.
Fire risk assessment advice for landlords and managing agents
For landlords and managing agents, the simplest approach is to treat fire risk assessment reviews as part of routine compliance management rather than something dealt with reactively.
Annual reviews should be diarised alongside other statutory inspections so they are not missed. It is also sensible to create internal trigger points so that major changes such as refurbishments, occupancy increases, or system upgrades, automatically prompt a reassessment.
The competency of the assessor matters too. Expectations around assessor qualifications are continuing to rise, particularly for higher-risk or more complex buildings. Responsible persons should ensure the assessor they appoint has the experience and accreditation appropriate for the premises involved.
What you should do now
Here’s a handy summary of the blog and checklist you can take away to ensure your building stays compliant:
- Schedule an annual review of your fire risk assessment and try to pair it with other compliance tasks so it isn’t missed.
- Put a trigger checklist in place so a review is carried out immediately if there are any changes to the building layout, occupancy levels, use of the premises, or fire safety systems.
- Keep your fire safety records up to date and on site in a fire logbook, including but not limited to fire alarm servicing, emergency lighting checks, PAT testing, extinguisher inspections, and evacuation drills.
- Increase review frequency where required. If your building is classed as higher risk under the Building Safety Act 2022, consider six-monthly reviews instead of annual ones.
- Always use a competent fire risk assessor who is appropriately qualified for your building type. For more complex premises, consider using a fire risk assessor who is Advanced Level (Tier 3) on the National Fire Risk Assessors Register (NFRAR), or another suitably competent and qualified professional able to demonstrate appropriate experience and expertise.
Final thoughts
A fire risk assessment should never be treated as a document that is completed once and forgotten about. Buildings change constantly, and fire safety arrangements need to keep pace with those changes.
For most premises, annual review is considered good practice, but significant changes should always trigger an immediate reassessment. In higher-risk buildings, more frequent reviews are often the safest and most practical option.
Need to carry out a fire risk assessment in your building? Contact our team and get a free, no-obligation quote.
