Who Can Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment?
Updated: 2 days ago
Fire safety is a legal responsibility for many property owners, landlords and property management companies. If you manage a building with shared spaces or operate a commercial premises, you will likely need a fire risk assessment. One of the most common questions people ask when researching this requirement is simple: Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?
The answer may surprise you. Legally, almost anyone can carry out a fire risk assessment. However, that does not mean it is always the right choice.
Fire safety legislation requires the “responsible person” for a building to ensure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed. In some situations, the responsible person may choose to complete the assessment themselves. In many cases, however, property owners and managing agents choose to appoint a competent fire risk assessor instead.
Understanding the difference between what is legally allowed and what is practically advisable can help you make the right decision for your property and the people who occupy it.
What the Law Says About Who Can Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment
Under UK fire safety legislation, the duty to manage fire safety sits with the responsible person. This is typically the employer, landlord, property owner, or managing agent responsible for the building.
The responsible person must ensure that a fire risk assessment is carried out and kept up to date.
Technically, the law does not state that the assessment must always be completed by a third-party professional. Instead, it requires that the assessment is completed by someone competent.
Competence is the key factor.
This means the person carrying out the fire risk assessment must have enough knowledge, experience, and understanding of fire safety to identify hazards, assess risks, and recommend appropriate safety measures.
For smaller and straightforward premises, the responsible person may feel confident carrying out this task themselves. For more complex buildings, this can become far more challenging.
That is where professional fire risk assessors are often brought in.
Why “Anyone Can Do It” Doesn’t Mean Anyone Should
When people search for who can carry out a fire risk assessment, they often discover that the law technically allows them to do it themselves.
While that may sound appealing, especially when managing costs, there are important considerations.
A fire risk assessment is not simply a checklist. It involves evaluating how a building is used, understanding fire behaviour, identifying potential hazards, and assessing whether existing safety measures are appropriate.
The assessor must consider factors such as:
Building layout and construction
Escape routes and evacuation procedures
Fire detection and alarm systems
Emergency lighting
Fire doors and compartmentation
Fire safety signage
Occupancy levels and resident behaviour
Maintenance records for safety systems
Each of these elements plays a role in protecting people if a fire occurs.
If an assessment fails to identify key risks, the consequences can be serious. Fire safety failures can put residents, visitors, and staff at risk and may also expose the responsible person to legal action if something goes wrong.
For that reason, many property managers choose to appoint a professional assessor who deals with these risks on a daily basis.
Understanding the Legal Responsibility
One important point often misunderstood is where responsibility sits if something goes wrong.
If a fire risk assessment is questioned following an incident or inspection, the burden of proof sits with the responsible person. This means the responsible person must demonstrate that the assessment was suitable and completed by someone competent.
In practice, this can be difficult to prove without recognised experience or professional training.
Regulators and enforcement authorities may ask questions such as:
What qualifications does the assessor hold?
What experience do they have with similar buildings?
How was the assessment conducted?
What standards or guidance were followed?
If the responsible person completed the assessment themselves, they must be able to justify their decisions and demonstrate their competence.
This is one of the main reasons why many property managers prefer to appoint a professional fire risk assessor. A competent third-party assessor provides reassurance that the assessment has been carried out to recognised standards.
When Property Owners Choose to Hire a Professional
For many property owners and property managing agents looking for fire risk assessments, appointing a professional fire risk assessor is the most straightforward and reliable option.
Professional assessors bring experience, technical knowledge, and a structured approach to fire safety assessments.
They also stay up to date with fire safety guidance and evolving regulations, something that can be difficult for property managers juggling multiple responsibilities.
Hiring a professional assessor can also help demonstrate due diligence. If questions are ever raised about fire safety management within a building, having an independent assessment carried out by a qualified professional can provide valuable reassurance.
This is particularly important for:
Property management companies overseeing residential buildings
Landlords responsible for HMOs or multiple properties
Buildings with complex layouts or higher occupancy
Mixed-use buildings with both residential and commercial spaces
In these situations, professional guidance can help ensure that fire safety measures are appropriate and effective.
How Professional Fire Risk Assessments Work
Professional fire risk assessments follow a structured process designed to identify hazards, evaluate risk, and recommend practical safety improvements.
The process usually involves a detailed inspection of the building and its communal areas. During the site visit, the assessor will examine escape routes, fire protection systems, fire doors, signage, lighting, and other safety measures.
They will also consider how the building is used, who occupies it, and whether existing safety arrangements are appropriate.
Following the inspection, the assessor prepares a fire risk assessment report outlining findings and recommendations.
The report typically includes:
Identified fire hazards
Evaluation of people at risk
Assessment of existing safety measures
Recommendations for improvement where required
This document provides property managers with a clear understanding of fire safety within the building and helps demonstrate compliance with fire safety legislation.
Why Property Managers Choose Purbeck Safety Ltd
Property managers and landlords often want more than just a compliance document. They want clear advice and practical recommendations that genuinely improve safety.
Purbeck Safety Ltd provides professional fire risk assessments across the South of England for residential and commercial properties. As a family-run business, Purbeck focuses on delivering assessments that are practical, proportionate, and easy to understand.
Rather than producing overly complex reports filled with unnecessary recommendations, the goal is to provide clear guidance that helps clients manage risk responsibly.
Purbeck Safety works with landlords, managing agents, and property owners responsible for buildings such as:
Residential blocks with communal areas
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
Mixed-use buildings
Commercial premises
Each assessment considers how the building is actually used and what safety measures will genuinely make a difference.
The result is a professional fire risk assessment that supports compliance while remaining practical for property managers responsible for maintaining buildings and budgets.
Choosing the Right Approach to Fire Risk Assessments
When asking who can carry out a fire risk assessment, the legal answer may appear straightforward. In reality, the better question is often who should carry out the assessment.
While responsible persons may legally complete their own assessment, the complexity of many buildings means that professional expertise is often the safest and most reliable option.
A competent fire risk assessor brings knowledge, experience, and independence to the process. This can help property managers identify risks they may not have considered and provide reassurance that the building is being managed responsibly. Fire safety is ultimately about protecting people and ensuring that buildings are safe places to live, work, and visit. For many property managers, appointing a professional assessor is simply the most practical way to achieve that.
FAQs
Who can legally carry out a fire risk assessment?
The key requirement is that the person completing the assessment must have sufficient knowledge and experience to identify fire hazards and assess risks properly. For many property owners, appointing a professional fire risk assessor provides reassurance that the assessment meets recognised standards.
Do landlords need a professional fire risk assessment?
Landlords are responsible for ensuring that fire safety risks are assessed within properties they manage, particularly where communal areas exist. While landlords may technically carry out the assessment themselves, many choose to appoint a professional assessor to ensure the assessment is suitable and compliant. Professional fire risk assessments can be particularly helpful for HMOs, residential blocks, and larger buildings.
What makes someone competent to carry out a fire risk assessment?
Competence usually involves a combination of knowledge, training, and experience in fire safety and risk assessment. This may include professional qualifications, membership of relevant organisations, and practical experience assessing buildings similar to the one being reviewed. If an assessment is questioned, the responsible person must be able to demonstrate that the assessor was competent to carry out the work.
Why should I hire a professional fire risk assessor?
Hiring a professional fire risk assessor can help ensure that risks are identified accurately and that recommendations are appropriate for the building. Professional assessors understand fire safety regulations and building risk factors and can provide clear guidance that helps property owners maintain compliance. For many landlords and property managers, appointing a professional assessor is the most reliable way to ensure that fire safety responsibilities are being properly managed.