Direct answer
The fire brigade cannot complete your FRA for you
GOV.UK states that a local fire and rescue authority may be able to give advice if you are unsure whether an assessment has been carried out properly, but it cannot carry out the assessment for you. London Fire Brigade explains that completing an FRA while also acting as the enforcing authority would create a conflict of interest.
The duty remains with the responsible person. That person may complete a simple assessment if competent or appoint a competent assessor, but must still make sure the assessment is suitable and sufficient and act on its findings.
Available support
What can a fire and rescue authority do?
Fire and rescue services commonly publish business-safety guidance, direct responsible persons to government assessment guides and explain their enforcement process. Some may answer general questions or advise whether an assessment appears incomplete.
The extent of assistance differs between authorities. Advice is not approval of the building, a design service or a transfer of responsibility. Record any material advice and decide how it affects the assessment and action plan.
Publish guidance
Explain the Fire Safety Order, assessment process and common precautions.
Inspect premises
Audit compliance using a risk-based programme or following information, complaints or incidents.
Identify deficiencies
Give advice or take enforcement action where the legal tests are met.
Respond to emergencies
Mobilise operational resources according to the incident—not assess routine legal compliance.
Enforcement visit
A fire-service inspection is not your fire risk assessment
An inspecting officer may examine the FRA, emergency arrangements, maintenance records, training and physical precautions. The visit tests compliance within its scope; it does not create or maintain the responsible person’s management system.
A satisfactory inspection outcome is not a permanent certificate. Conditions, occupancy, layouts and precautions can change, and the FRA must remain under regular review. Where deficiencies are identified, the responsible person should clarify the required outcome, priority and evidence of completion.
- Keep the current FRA and review history available
- Retain evidence for alarms, lighting, doors and other precautions
- Show the action plan and honest current status of every item
- Explain shared-building responsibilities and cooperation
- Record advice, documents supplied and agreed timescales
- Address urgent life-safety concerns without waiting for another visit
Professional assessment
Who should carry out the assessment instead?
The responsible person may assess a simple premises where they genuinely have sufficient competence, time and information. Sleeping accommodation, vulnerable occupants, complex buildings, unusual construction, dangerous substances or uncertainty about fire protection commonly justify professional assistance.
Check the named assessor as well as the organisation. BAFE SP205 can provide organisation-level evidence for life-safety FRA delivery, while NFRAR records individually assessed fire risk assessors and their competency level. Relevant experience with the actual premises remains essential.
- Define the buildings, areas and activities in scope
- Check experience with comparable premises
- Verify current BAFE and NFRAR evidence where relevant
- Confirm site attendance, report and action-plan deliverables
- Ask how assumptions, limitations and specialist referrals will be recorded
- Compare the same scope before comparing price