Short answer
Can anyone carry out an FRA?
A responsible person can complete an assessment themselves or appoint somebody to assist, but they must ensure the result is suitable and sufficient. Official guidance says any person engaged should be competent for the particular premises and risk.
There is currently no single qualification or register that automatically authorises a person for every assessment. Government is developing a future mandatory certification regime for fire risk assessors; as at 21 July 2026, that work should not be described as an already operating universal certification requirement.
DIY or professional?
When might a responsible person assess their own premises?
Self-assessment may be realistic for a genuinely small, simple and low-risk premises where the person understands the building, activities, occupants and fire precautions and can recognise the limits of their knowledge.
Professional help becomes increasingly important as consequences, uncertainty or technical complexity increase. A cheap template does not make its user competent.
Potentially simpler
Small, straightforward premises with simple escape, familiar occupants and no unusual hazards.
Seek professional help
Sleeping risk, vulnerable people, dangerous substances, complex or high-rise construction, mixed use or fire engineering.
Stop and escalate
When construction is unknown, evidence conflicts, the evacuation strategy is uncertain or specialist appraisal is required.
What to verify
Competence must match the exact assignment
Competence combines knowledge, skills, experience and professional behaviours. The required level depends on the building, occupancy, systems and purpose of the work. Someone capable of assessing a small office may not be suitable for a high-rise block or care home.
Ask for direct evidence rather than accepting broad claims.
- Relevant qualifications, training and continuing professional development
- Recent experience with comparable premises and risk complexity
- Understanding of applicable law, guidance and assessment methodology
- Ability to recognise limitations and involve specialists
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance where relevant
- Clear report writing, risk prioritisation and quality assurance
Registers and certification
Use BAFE and NFRAR as complementary checks
BAFE SP205 is a third-party certification scheme for organisations delivering life-safety fire risk assessments. It includes management-system and validation requirements. NFRAR, administered by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers, records individually assessed fire risk assessors and their competency level.
Check both where relevant: the organisation’s current BAFE SP205 status and the named individual’s current NFRAR registration and level. Neither removes the need to confirm experience with the actual premises.
BAFE SP205
Evidence about the certified organisation, its management system and assessment validation process.
NFRAR
Evidence about the individually assessed assessor and the competency level shown on the register.
Direct experience
Evidence that the person can competently assess your property type, scale, occupants and unusual risks.
Compare like with like
What different competence evidence actually shows
A course certificate, professional membership, individual register entry and company certification are not interchangeable. Each can contribute evidence, but none should be used as a shortcut around checking the person, organisation and exact scope.
Ask who will attend, who will review or validate the report and which evidence applies to each person or organisation.
| Evidence | What it may demonstrate | What it does not prove by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant qualification | Structured learning and an assessed level of knowledge at a point in time. | Current competence for every building type or sufficient practical experience. |
| Individual registration | An individual has been assessed against the register’s criteria and stated competency level. | That their employer has an independently certified quality-management process. |
| Company certification | The organisation operates within the scope and quality controls of the certification scheme. | That every employee is suitable for every assignment without allocation and supervision checks. |
| Professional membership | Professional standing at a stated grade and, commonly, conduct and development obligations. | Automatic competence to carry out a particular FRA. |
| Comparable experience | The assessor has recently handled premises with similar occupancy, construction and risk. | Independent certification, complete technical knowledge or an adequate report process. |
Verification steps
How to verify registration, certification and insurance
Ask for the full legal name of the organisation, the name of the person who will inspect the premises, registration or certification numbers and current insurance details. Check credentials on the issuing body’s own register rather than relying only on a badge, screenshot or undated certificate.
For insurance, confirm that the policy is current, the insured name matches the contracting party and the work described is within scope. A certificate shows that cover was stated for a period; it does not decide whether the limit, exclusions or work are suitable for your appointment.
- Search the current BAFE register using the organisation’s legal or trading name and confirm SP205 is within scope
- Search NFRAR for the named individual and check the competency level displayed
- Confirm the person named in the quotation is the person expected to attend
- Ask for current professional indemnity and public liability evidence
- Check the insured entity, expiry date, relevant activity and any material exclusions
- Keep dated evidence of the checks with the quotation and appointment record
Proportionate selection
Match the assessor to the premises and purpose
Competence should increase with uncertainty and potential consequence. A review of a small, familiar office is not the same assignment as assessing sleeping accommodation, a complex mixed-use building or a residential block with an external-wall concern.
Describe the premises accurately when requesting a quotation so the provider can allocate an appropriate person and identify specialist work outside the FRA.
| Assignment features | Evidence worth testing |
|---|---|
| Small, simple workplace | Understanding of the Fire Safety Order, practical assessment experience, suitable reporting and proportionate insurance. |
| Sleeping or vulnerable occupants | Direct experience with the relevant occupancy, evacuation arrangements, management standards and applicable premises guidance. |
| Multi-occupied residential building | Experience with residential strategy, flat entrance doors, responsible-person coordination and the Fire Safety Act and Regulations. |
| Complex, tall or fire-engineered building | Appropriate higher-level competence, comparable projects, ability to interpret strategy and construction, and access to specialists. |
| Intrusive or specialist investigation | A separately defined survey scope and specialist competence; an ordinary FRA credential alone may not be enough. |
Before appointment
Questions to ask an assessor
A useful quotation should define the premises, areas included, expected site time, documents required, report and action-plan format, limitations, price basis and follow-up. Clarify who will visit and who will validate or sign off the assessment.
- Who will carry out the site inspection?
- What comparable premises have they assessed?
- Which areas, systems and documents are included?
- Will the report include photographs and a prioritised action plan?
- How are limitations and specialist recommendations handled?
- Is post-report clarification included?
- Can registrations and insurance be verified directly?
Quality warning signs
Red flags when comparing assessors
Price alone cannot show whether an assessment is suitable. Compare scope, competence, site time, evidence and reporting as well as the fee.
- No physical inspection without a clear, exceptional justification
- Unwillingness to identify the assessor or verify credentials
- No questions about occupancy, use, construction or existing records
- A generic checklist presented as a compliance certificate
- No clear limitations or prioritised action plan
- Claims that one qualification makes the person suitable for every building
- Guarantees of a “pass” before the premises has been assessed