# Fire safety duties for a block of flats > A block of flats must have a fire risk assessment covering its common parts, structure, external walls and flat entrance doors, and the company that manages the common parts is usually the responsible person who must carry it out, record it in full and act on it. Residents must be given fire safety instructions and information about fire doors when they move in and every 12 months. The law doesn't fix how often to review the assessment; review it regularly and after any significant change. **Key facts** - The Fire Safety Order applies to the common parts, structure, external walls and flat entrance doors of blocks of flats. - The company in control of the common parts is usually the responsible person, even if run by volunteers. - Since 1 October 2023 every fire risk assessment must be recorded in full. - Fire safety instructions and fire door information go to residents on moving in and every 12 months. - Buildings over 11 metres need quarterly checks of communal fire doors; taller buildings have extra duties. - When management changes, the outgoing responsible person must hand over the fire safety information. ## Who is responsible Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the [responsible person](https://runyourblock.co.uk/glossary/responsible-person) is whoever has control of the premises in connection with a business or other undertaking, **for profit or not**. In a block of flats, that is usually the company that manages the common parts: the freeholder, a residents' management company, or an RTM company from its acquisition date. The Order covers the **common parts**, the building's **structure and external walls**, and the **doors between the flats and the common parts** (art 6). It doesn't cover inside each flat. ## The fire risk assessment - **Do it.** Make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the fire risks and what's needed to keep people safe (art 9). - **Record it in full.** Since 1 October 2023, every responsible person must record the whole assessment and its findings. - **Act on it.** Keep an action list with who is doing each item and when it was done. - **Review it** regularly, and whenever something significant changes (building works, a change in who lives there, a fire or near miss). - **Use a competent assessor** unless the building is very simple. Record the assessor's name. > **Note** > > The government's guide **Making your small block of flats safe from fire** is written for blocks of up to three storeys and is a good starting point for volunteer directors. ## Information residents must get Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, in any building with two or more flats and common parts used for escape: - **Fire safety instructions** (what to do if there's a fire, how to report one, and the evacuation strategy) must be displayed in the common parts and given to every resident when they move in and every 12 months (reg 9). - **Fire door information**: that flat entrance doors should be kept closed when not in use, shouldn't be tampered with (for example by removing self-closers) and that faults must be reported. Again on moving in and every 12 months (reg 10). The Order also requires residents to be told about the fire risks and the safety measures in place, including the name of the responsible person and a UK address for notices (art 21A). ## Taller buildings - **Over 11 metres:** communal fire doors must be checked at least every 3 months, and flat entrance doors checked annually on a best-endeavours basis (reg 10). - **18 metres or 7 storeys and above:** further duties apply, including information for the fire service and wayfinding signage, and the Building Safety Act 2022's higher-risk building regime. Get specialist advice. ## Other safety duties in the common parts - **Asbestos:** the duty to manage asbestos applies to the common parts of blocks of flats. It matters most for buildings constructed before 2000, which may contain asbestos. - **Electrical safety:** keep the communal electrics safe; follow the electrician's recommended inspection interval (statutory every five years if the building is a licensed HMO). See [EICR](https://runyourblock.co.uk/glossary/eicr). - **Emergency lighting and fire alarms**, where fitted: regular tests and servicing, with records. - **Escape routes:** keep corridors and stairs clear of bikes, prams and rubbish. ## When management changes The outgoing responsible person must give the new one the **relevant fire safety information**, including the assessment (art 22A). Ask for it as part of the handover, and commission a new assessment if it doesn't arrive. --- This is general information, not legal advice. Every building and lease is different. For free initial advice, contact LEASE (The Leasehold Advisory Service): ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a block of flats need a fire risk assessment? Yes. The Fire Safety Order requires the responsible person to assess the fire risks in the common parts of a block of flats, including the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors, and to act on the findings. ### How often should a fire risk assessment be carried out on a block of flats? The law says it must be reviewed regularly and whenever there's reason to think it's out of date, such as after building works or a fire. It doesn't set a fixed interval; many small blocks review it every year and get a full reassessment every few years. ### Do we need a fire alarm in the common parts? Not always. Many purpose-built blocks have a 'stay put' strategy with no communal alarm. Your fire risk assessment should say what's needed for your building. ### Can a director do the fire risk assessment? The law requires the assessment to be suitable and sufficient. For a very simple small block, a director following official guidance may manage it; for anything more complex, use a competent assessor. Record who carried it out. ## Sources - [Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, art 3 (responsible person)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/3) - [Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, art 6 (application to premises)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/6) - [Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, art 9 (risk assessment)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/9) - [Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, art 22A (information to a new responsible person)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/22A) - [Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, reg 9 (fire safety instructions)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/547/regulation/9) - [Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, reg 10 (fire door information and checks)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/547/regulation/10) - [GOV.UK: Making your small block of flats safe from fire](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-your-small-block-of-flats-safe-from-fire) - [GOV.UK: Check your fire safety responsibilities under section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/check-your-fire-safety-responsibilities-under-section-156-of-the-building-safety-act-2022) - [HSE: The duty to manage asbestos](https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/duty/index.htm) ## Related guides - [Your first 90 days running the block](https://runyourblock.co.uk/guides/running-your-block/first-90-days) - [RTM handover: getting information, contracts and money from the old manager](https://runyourblock.co.uk/guides/right-to-manage/handover-from-the-old-manager) - [Directors' duties in an RTM company, RMC or freehold company](https://runyourblock.co.uk/guides/your-company/directors-duties) --- Last reviewed 22 October 2026 by Phil, founder. This is general information, not legal advice. For free, independent advice on leasehold law, contact LEASE: https://www.lease-advice.org/ Source: https://runyourblock.co.uk/guides/running-your-block/fire-safety