Before booking
Confirm exactly what is being assessed
Give an accurate description of the premises and check that the quotation identifies all relevant buildings, floors, units, common areas and uses. Explain shared responsibilities and whether access to occupied or residential areas needs coordination.
Tell the assessor why the assessment is required, such as a routine new baseline, change of use, licence, insurer request, enforcement concern or review after works. This can affect scope and competence.
- Full address, use, floor area and number of storeys
- Units, bedrooms, basements, roofs, plant and outbuildings
- Normal and maximum occupancy, hours and sleeping risk
- Shared systems, landlord areas and other responsible persons
- Access restrictions and areas that require advance permission
- Report deadline, required format and follow-up arrangements
Evidence pack
Documents and records to gather
Do not delay an essential assessment simply because records are imperfect. Give the assessor what exists and identify gaps honestly. Missing or conflicting evidence can itself be a relevant finding.
Current documents are more useful than a large unstructured archive. Label files clearly and identify systems or areas they cover.
- Previous FRA, action plan and evidence of completed actions
- Floor plans, fire strategy and evacuation plan
- Fire-alarm, emergency-lighting and extinguisher records
- Fire-door, smoke-control, sprinkler and other system records
- Training, drill, induction and assistance arrangements
- Electrical, gas, dangerous-substance and hot-work information
- Alterations, approvals, compartmentation or external-wall information
- Enforcement correspondence, incidents, near misses and known defects
Site arrangements
Arrange safe and representative access
The assessor should be able to follow escape routes and inspect the agreed rooms, stairs, plant, storage, external areas and relevant fire precautions. Locked, occupied, hazardous or high-security areas need advance planning.
Normal housekeeping should continue. Do not temporarily clear or disguise problems solely for the visit; the assessment should understand real operating conditions.
- Keys, access cards, security permissions and escorts
- Flat, tenant, roof, riser, plant and service-cupboard access where agreed
- Safe access arrangements and required induction or PPE
- Representative operational conditions where practicable
- Notice to residents, staff or tenants without disrupting evacuation safety
- A method to record areas that remain inaccessible and arrange follow-up
Local knowledge
Have the right people available
The assessor benefits from speaking with somebody who understands the building, occupancy, systems and day-to-day problems. In larger or shared premises this may require input from facilities, security, HR, maintenance, tenants or care staff.
Provide facts rather than rehearsed answers. Explain informal practices, recurring faults, staffing constraints and changes not yet reflected in documents.
Responsible person
Legal duties, scope, other dutyholders and decisions.
Premises contact
Access, routines, occupancy and known building issues.
System or maintenance contact
Testing, faults, impairments and planned work.
People-support lead
Evacuation assistance, staffing and relevant occupant needs.
During the inspection
What to expect on the day
The assessor will normally hold an opening discussion, inspect the agreed premises, review records and ask questions. They may take notes, measurements and photographs, subject to agreed privacy and security controls.
Urgent life-safety concerns should be raised promptly rather than saved for the final report. The responsible person should understand any immediate interim control recommended.
- Confirm scope, changes and unavailable areas at the start
- Explain alarms, evacuation and assistance arrangements
- Make relevant records and contacts available
- Allow enough time without rushing the inspection
- Ask for immediate communication of urgent concerns
- Agree report delivery and clarification arrangements
Next steps
Prepare to receive and act on the report
Identify who will review the report, approve resources, allocate actions and retain evidence. If several responsible persons are involved, decide how findings will be shared and coordinated.
Check factual information and scope promptly after delivery. Questions should be resolved with the assessor, but actions should not be delayed merely because the report is being reformatted.