Having a Fire Risk Assessment Does Not Automatically Mean a Building Is Compliant.

It is an understandable assumption. Once an assessment has been completed and the report received, it can be tempting to regard the task as finished. However, a fire risk assessment is not a certificate of compliance. It is a professional assessment that identifies fire hazards, evaluates existing fire safety measures and recommends actions where improvements may be required.

Its true value lies not in the report itself, but in the action taken afterwards.

For freeholders, managing agents, Resident Management Companies (RMCs), Right to Manage (RTM) companies and those acting as the Responsible Person, understanding this distinction is fundamental to maintaining a safe residential building.

A Fire Risk Assessment Is the Starting Point:

The purpose of a fire risk assessment is to identify fire hazards, assess the level of risk to occupants and determine whether the existing fire precautions are appropriate for the building.

It provides a snapshot of the building at the time of the inspection. The report highlights both areas of good practice and areas where improvements should be considered to reduce the risk from fire.

Importantly, the assessment itself does not make a building safer.

It does not repair defective fire doors, install missing fire stopping, service emergency lighting, clear escape routes or remove combustible materials from communal areas. Those improvements only happen when the recommendations are reviewed and acted upon.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires fire risks to be identified and managed. A fire risk assessment is therefore a vital management tool, but it is only one part of an ongoing process of protecting people from fire.

Why This Misunderstanding Exists:

Many building owners and managing agents invest considerable time and resources in arranging a fire risk assessment. Once the report has been received, it is understandable that there is a sense of reassurance.

Comments such as, “We’ve had our fire risk assessment completed,” or “We’ve got a current FRA,” are commonly heard.

While these statements reflect positive action, they can unintentionally create the impression that no further work is required.

In reality, many fire risk assessments identify recommendations that should be addressed over different timescales. Some actions may involve simple housekeeping improvements, while others require specialist contractors, planned maintenance or longer-term investment.

The assessment identifies what requires attention; it does not complete the work itself.

Fire Risks Can Develop Gradually:

One of the reasons fire risk assessments remain so important is that many fire hazards do not arise overnight. Instead, they develop gradually through everyday use of a building.

During one fire risk assessment, an electrical intake cupboard had gradually become a convenient storage area for cleaning materials, paint tins and other miscellaneous items. No one had intentionally created a fire risk; the storage had simply accumulated over time as contractors and building staff looked for somewhere convenient to leave equipment.

The fire risk assessment identified the issue, allowing the managing agent to arrange for the materials to be removed promptly and to remind contractors that electrical intake cupboards should never be used for storage.

This is a good example of how a fire risk assessment can identify developing risks before they become more serious. It also reinforces an important point: fire safety is rarely about a single event. More often, it is the gradual accumulation of small issues that can increase risk if they are not identified and addressed through effective management.

A useful comparison is the annual MOT test for a vehicle.

An MOT identifies defects that require attention, but it does not repair worn tyres, replace faulty brakes or fix defective lights.

Similarly, a fire risk assessment identifies deficiencies within a building’s fire safety arrangements.

It cannot repair fire doors, install fire stopping, rectify emergency lighting faults, remove combustible storage from protected escape routes or complete overdue servicing of fire alarm and smoke control systems.

Those actions remain the responsibility of those managing the building.

Fire Safety Requires ongoing management.

Fire safety is never static:

Buildings change over time. Contractors carry out refurbishment works, residents move in and out, equipment deteriorates through normal use and new risks emerge.

Current fire safety expectations place significant emphasis on continual management rather than one-off inspections. A well-managed building should have systems in place to review recommendations, complete maintenance, monitor servicing and regularly review fire safety arrangements.

A fire risk assessment should therefore be regarded as a living document that supports continual improvement rather than a report that is filed away until the next inspection.

What Should Happen After the Assessment?

The period immediately after receiving a fire risk assessment is often where the greatest value is gained.

Good practice includes:

• reviewing every recommendation within the report;

• prioritising actions according to the level of risk;

• allocating responsibility for each action;

• obtaining quotations where specialist works are required;

• recording completed actions;

• retaining servicing and maintenance records; and

• reviewing progress regularly.

This structured approach not only improves fire safety but also demonstrates effective management should compliance ever need to be evidenced.

Top Five Takeaways for Managing Agents:

1. View the fire risk assessment as the beginning of the process, not the end.

2. Review every recommendation and prioritise actions according to risk.

3. Keep accurate records of completed works, inspections and servicing.

4. Ensure identified defects are addressed within appropriate timescales.

5. Regularly review fire safety arrangements, particularly following building alterations or significant changes in occupation.

Conclusion:

A fire risk assessment is one of the most valuable tools available for improving fire safety within residential buildings. However, its value is realised only when the recommendations lead to meaningful action.

Effective fire safety management is demonstrated not simply by possessing a report, but by reviewing recommendations, completing appropriate remedial works, maintaining fire safety systems and continually monitoring the building’s fire safety arrangements.

Perhaps the most important question any Responsible Person can ask after receiving a fire risk assessment is not, “Do we have a fire risk assessment?” but rather, “What have we done since receiving it?”

he answer to that question is often the clearest indication that fire safety is being actively managed rather than simply documented.

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About the Author

Monica Y. Daniel, AIFSM, ATPI, LLB (Hons), PgDip Law, MA, is a fire risk assessor specialising in residential and commercial buildings.