Who is responsible?
Responsibility depends on control of the premises. In a multi-occupied commercial building, the business occupier, landlord and possibly a managing agent can have different responsibilities. Identify those responsibilities rather than assuming that the landlord's report automatically covers everything inside a tenant's unit. [2]
Responsible persons must take reasonably practicable steps to identify others sharing duties for the premises, exchange the relevant details and cooperate. A shop's escape arrangements and those for the remainder of the building need to work together. [2]
Appointing an assessor does not transfer away the responsible person's duty to ensure that the assessment is suitable and sufficient. The government's guidance recommends checking the assessor's competence, including relevant training, experience and knowledge. [2]
What the assessment does
A fire risk assessment considers the premises and its actual operation, not only whether a drawing shows an exit. GOV.UK describes a process of identifying hazards, identifying people at risk, evaluating and reducing the risks, recording findings and preparing an emergency plan, and reviewing the assessment. [1]
The assessment should address matters such as escape arrangements, warning systems, firefighting equipment, maintenance and the needs of people who may require help. Training and the management of the premises are part of fire safety, not substitutes for an adequate physical layout. [1]
For a new fit-out, consider fire safety during design and check the completed arrangement before relying on the premises for the intended operation. Building regulations approval deals with controlled building work; the operational assessment needs to reflect the building as used. [3][1]
What must be recorded?
The change on 1 October 2023 removed the old limitations under which recording depended on matters such as having five or more employees. Record the full assessment, the fire safety arrangements and the identity of the person or organisation engaged to undertake or review the assessment. [2]
Keep the record useful: identify actions, who is dealing with them and how the arrangements will be maintained. When responsibility changes hands, relevant fire safety information must be passed to the incoming responsible person. [1][2]
When should it be reviewed?
Review the assessment regularly and when relevant changes occur. A revised layout, change in use or altered operation can require reconsideration of the risks. The government guidance does not reduce this duty to buying a generic annual certificate; the assessment must remain appropriate to the premises. [1]
Proposed regulation of assessors
The consultation on the fire risk assessor profession closed on 18 June 2026. It proposed a regulatory approach to competence and certification, with implementation requiring further government decisions and legislation. Check the final scheme and commencement before treating consultation proposals as operative requirements. [4]
Do not treat that proposal as an existing universal licensing requirement for assessors, or as a reason to postpone the current duty to assess and manage fire risk. [4][2]