Short answer
The law allows self-assessment, but not guesswork
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places the duty on the responsible person to ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is made. It does not say that every assessment must be bought from an external consultant.
Government guidance says a responsible person can carry out the assessment where they are competent to do so. If expertise or time is insufficient, a competent person should be appointed to help. The required competence increases with the nature of the building, its occupants and the fire risks.
Proportionate approach
When doing it yourself may be reasonable
Self-assessment may be reasonable for a small, low-risk premises with a simple layout, familiar activities, straightforward escape and no unusual construction or vulnerable sleeping occupants. The person completing it must understand the premises and be able to recognise when specialist advice is needed.
The assessment still has to cover hazards, people at risk, preventive and protective measures, emergency arrangements and an action plan. Since October 2023, Responsible Persons in England must record the assessment in full, not only selected findings.
- A small and uncomplicated layout
- Low-risk activities and limited combustible or dangerous substances
- No sleeping accommodation or unusually vulnerable occupancy
- Clear escape routes and conventional fire precautions
- Reliable plans, maintenance records and access to all relevant areas
- Confidence to explain the reasoning and limitations to an inspector
Complexity test
When a professional assessor is the safer choice
Professional help is normally appropriate where errors could have serious consequences or the assessment depends on specialist fire-safety knowledge. Government research and guidance recommend competent professional assistance for anything beyond simple premises.
Choose competence for the exact building and scope. BAFE SP205 can provide organisation-level evidence for life-safety FRA delivery, while NFRAR records individually assessed fire risk assessors and their competency level. Neither removes the need to check relevant experience.
Sleeping risk
Hotels, care settings, HMOs, blocks of flats and other premises where occupants may be asleep.
People needing assistance
Premises with children, patients, residents or others who may not evacuate independently.
Complex buildings
High-rise, mixed-use, multi-occupied, historic, unusual or fire-engineered premises.
Special hazards
Dangerous substances, industrial processes, high fire loads or unusual ignition risks.
Uncertain protection
Questions about compartmentation, external walls, smoke control, fire doors or evacuation strategy.
Enforcement or change
Notices, serious deficiencies, major refurbishment, conversion or a recent fire.
Before you begin
Test competence honestly
Competence is more than attending a course. It combines relevant training, skills, knowledge, experience and the ability to apply them. You must be able to recognise significant hazards, judge whether precautions are adequate, prioritise action and understand the limits of your own knowledge.
A useful test is whether you could explain your evidence and conclusions to an enforcing officer. If you cannot confidently assess escape capacity, alarm coverage, fire-resisting construction or the effect of occupant vulnerability, seek competent help.
- Can you apply the Fire Safety Order and relevant government guide?
- Can you identify people requiring assistance and evaluate evacuation?
- Can you recognise defects in escape routes and fire-resisting construction?
- Can you distinguish maintenance evidence from proof of overall adequacy?
- Can you record limitations and arrange specialist investigation?
- Can you produce and manage a risk-prioritised action plan?
A defensible process
How to approach a simple self-assessment
Use the government guide that matches the premises, inspect the whole scope, consult staff and other dutyholders, and collect current maintenance and occupancy information. Record what you examined, the evidence used, limitations, conclusions and every required action.
Do not treat the document as finished when the form is complete. Put interim controls in place for urgent risks, assign actions, retain completion evidence and review the FRA whenever relevant circumstances change.
Define scope
Identify every area, activity and person covered, including shared responsibilities.
Gather evidence
Use plans, previous reports, testing records, incident history and staff knowledge.
Inspect and evaluate
Follow the five-step process and challenge assumptions against the actual premises.
Record in full
Keep all findings, fire-safety arrangements, assessor identity and an action plan.
Escalate uncertainty
Commission competent advice or specialist surveys where your knowledge or access is insufficient.
Review and close
Track actions to verified completion and keep the assessment current.