Fire Risk Assessments (FRA) — Type 1–4, UK-wide

Who Needs One

A legal duty — and a practical tool

If you are the Responsible Person for a building — a freeholder, managing agent, residents' management company, housing provider or employer — the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires you to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of fire risk, and to record it in full.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed that external walls and flat entrance doors are within scope for multi-occupied residential buildings, and the Building Safety Act 2022 raised the bar on competence and record-keeping.

A good FRA is more than compliance paperwork. Done properly, it tells you what genuinely needs doing, in what order, and what can wait — so budgets go where risk actually is.

Ours are carried out to BS 9792:2025 for residential buildings and PAS 79-1:2020 elsewhere, by assessors with real operational fire and rescue experience.

Type 1 – 4 Explained

Which type of FRA does your building need?

Type 1 — common parts, non-destructive — the default assessment for most blocks of flats. Covers the communal areas, escape routes and building systems without opening up construction.
Type 2 — common parts, destructive — as Type 1, plus targeted opening-up where concealed construction (such as compartmentation) needs verifying. Usually prompted by specific concerns.
Type 3 — common parts & flats, non-destructive — extends the assessment into a sample of flats: entrance doors, compartmentation and detection within dwellings.
Type 4 — common parts & flats, destructive — the fullest scope: flat sampling with destructive inspection, typically where serious defects are suspected or following incidents.

What You Get

From assessment to close-out

Fire risk assessments (Type 1–4) — residential, mixed-use and commercial premises, to PAS 79-1 and BS 9792:2025, with a clear, prioritised action plan.
Fire safety management plans — building-specific management arrangements, policies and procedures.
Fire door inspection — competent inspection of communal and flat entrance fire doors.
Action tracking & close-out support — managing remedial actions through to completion, not just identifying them.

Related reading: if your building has cladding or external wall concerns, see our FRAEW & EWS1 assessments. For buildings without a documented fire strategy, see retrospective fire strategies.

FRA Questions

Fire risk assessment FAQs

Do I legally need a fire risk assessment?+

Yes, in almost all non-domestic premises and the common parts of residential buildings. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of fire risk, and since the Building Safety Act 2022 the assessment must be recorded in full. The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed that external walls and flat entrance doors are within scope for multi-occupied residential buildings.

What is the difference between Type 1, 2, 3 and 4 fire risk assessments?+

Type 1 is a non-destructive assessment of the common parts only — the default for most blocks of flats. Type 2 is the same scope but with destructive inspection where concealed construction needs verifying. Type 3 extends a non-destructive assessment into a sample of flats, and Type 4 combines flat sampling with destructive inspection. We advise which type is proportionate for your building at the point of enquiry.

How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?+

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order requires review regularly and after any material change — a fire, building alterations, or changes in occupancy. In practice, this generally translates to an annual review and a new assessment every three years, or sooner for higher-risk buildings. This will be discussed as part of the FRA process.

What standard are your fire risk assessments carried out to?+

Residential assessments follow BS 9792:2025, the current code of practice for fire risk assessment of housing. Non-residential and mixed-use premises follow PAS 79-1:2020. Every report sets out a prioritised, risk-based action plan.

What happens after the assessment?+

You receive a clear report with a prioritised action plan. Unlike many providers, we also offer action tracking and close-out support, helping you manage remedial actions through to completion and keep evidence that duties have been discharged.