•  Services · Blocks of flats  ——

Fire Risk Assessments for
Blocks of Flats.

A fire risk assessment for a block of flats is a written evaluation of the fire risks in the building’s shared areas, structure and flat entrance doors. The responsible person must carry it out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It does not normally cover the inside of individual flats. Assessments follow BS 9792:2025 and are carried out personally by Ray Amoah (ABBE Level 4, DipFRA, MIFSM, FPA).

Fixed fees from £225  ·  Reports from 48 hours

What we assess in your block

  • Structure and compartmentation
  • Flat entrance and communal fire doors
  • Escape routes and stay-put or evacuation strategy
  • Common-parts detection and smoke ventilation
  • Emergency lighting and signage
  • Stored items, e-bike and scooter charging
  • Resident fire safety information
  • Prioritised action plan you can evidence

Named assessor

Fixed fees from £225

Reports from 48 hours

BS 9792:2025

Converted & purpose-built

MK, Bedford & London

•  Responsibility  ——

Who is the
responsible person?

The responsible person is whoever has control of the building’s shared parts. That is usually the freeholder or landlord, a residents’ management or right to manage company, or a managing agent acting on their behalf.

This applies to purpose-built blocks and to houses converted into flats. If more than one party shares control, agree the split of duties in writing so that the assessment is commissioned, acted on and reviewed.

The report gives managing agents and freeholders a prioritised action plan they can work through and evidence.

Page last reviewed: 1 October 2026.

Modern residential building with large glazed frontage

•  Your legal duties  ——

What the law
requires.

Four pieces of legislation shape fire safety duties in blocks of flats. A good assessment reflects all of them, so the responsible person knows exactly what applies to their building.

01

Fire Safety Order 2005

The responsible person for a block of flats must assess fire risk in the common parts, act on the findings and keep the assessment under review. Serious breaches can lead to an unlimited fine and up to two years’ imprisonment.

02

Fire Safety Act 2021

Confirms that the building structure, external walls (including cladding) and flat entrance doors are within the scope of the Fire Safety Order for multi-occupied residential buildings.

03

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

Require resident fire safety instructions and fire door information in all multi-occupied residential buildings, with regular fire door checks in buildings over 11 metres, and further duties in taller buildings.

04

Building Safety Act 2022

Higher-risk buildings (18 metres or seven storeys and above, with two or more residential units) fall under a separate, stricter regime with an accountable person. Tell us at enquiry if your building is in this category.

•  Scope  ——

What a block of flats assessment covers.

Structure and compartmentation

Fire-resisting walls, floors and service penetrations that stop fire and smoke spreading between flats and through the building.

Fire doors

Flat entrance doors and communal fire doors, including closers, seals, gaps and condition.

Escape routes and strategy

Stairs, corridors and exits, and whether the building’s stay-put or evacuation strategy suits its construction.

Detection and ventilation

Common-parts detection and alarms, smoke ventilation systems and their testing and maintenance.

Emergency lighting and signs

Escape route lighting, signage and firefighter information where required.

Management and residents

Items stored in common areas, mobility scooter and e-bike charging, waste, resident information and inspection records.

•  External walls  ——

Assessment or
wall appraisal?

A fire risk assessment looks at the building as a whole, mainly its common parts and how fire safety is managed. An external wall appraisal under PAS 9980 is a separate, specialist assessment of the fire risk from the building’s external wall construction. Many taller or clad buildings need both.

Vigilance Fire Safety also prepares fire strategy reports, including PAS 9980 and high-rise strategy work.

•  Cost & process  ——

Fixed fee.
No surprises.

Block of flats fire risk assessments from Vigilance Fire Safety start from £225. The price depends on the number of storeys and flats, the building’s construction and the size of its common areas. Send us the building details and we will confirm a fixed fee before we visit.

01

Quote

Send us the address, number of storeys and flats. We confirm a fixed fee before we visit.

02

Site visit

Ray Amoah walks the common parts, checking structure, fire doors, escape routes, detection, ventilation and management arrangements.

03

Written report

You receive a clear report with a prioritised action plan, from 48 hours after the visit.

04

Review

Review at least once a year, and again after building works, a change of use or occupants, or a fire incident.

•  Credentials & memberships  ——

Qualified. Insured. Accountable.

ABBE L4

Level 4 Diploma, fire risk assessment

DipFRA

Diploma in fire risk assessment

IFSM member

Institute of Fire Safety Managers

Fire Protection Association member

Fire Protection Association

Fire Industry Association member

Fire Industry Association

PAS 79-1

Assessments to PAS 79-1:2020

Trustpilot

5-star rated on Trustpilot & Google

PI

Professional indemnity insured

•  Client feedback  ——

What clients
say.

Excellent rapid response to my initial enquiry. Ray Amoah was able to provide well informed professional information and advise on providing a fire risk assessment for a flat in a small property development. He carried out the assessment expeditiously and efficiently, and provide the report immediately after his visit. Finally and importantly he was friendly and competent, and it was a pleasure to commission him to carry out the assessment.

Paul Sallon  ·  Trustpilot review

•  FAQs  ——

Block of flats
questions.

Can’t see your question? Call Ray directly on 07922 690085.

Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for a block of flats must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the building’s common parts, act on its findings and keep it under review. The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirms that the building’s structure, external walls and flat entrance doors fall within the Order.

The responsible person is whoever has control of the building’s shared parts. That is usually the freeholder or landlord, a residents’ management or right to manage company, or a managing agent acting for them. If control is shared, the duties should be agreed and recorded in writing.

No. A block of flats assessment covers the shared areas, such as stairwells, corridors, lobbies, plant rooms and bin stores, plus the structure and flat entrance doors. The inside of a private flat is domestic premises, which the Fire Safety Order does not cover.

There is no fixed legal interval, but the assessment must stay current. Review it at least once a year as good practice, and again after building works, changes to the building’s use or occupants, a fire incident, or a change in fire safety measures.

Block of flats fire risk assessments from Vigilance Fire Safety start from £225. The price depends on the number of storeys and flats, the building’s construction and the size of its common areas. Send us the building details for a fixed-fee quote.

They apply to multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises. Responsible persons must give residents fire safety instructions and information about fire doors, and in buildings over 11 metres must also carry out regular checks of fire doors, quarterly in common parts and annually for flat entrance doors. Taller buildings face additional duties, such as floor plans and signage for the fire and rescue service.

A fire risk assessment looks at the fire safety of the building as a whole, mainly its common parts and management. An external wall appraisal (PAS 9980) is a separate, specialist assessment of the fire risk from the building’s external wall construction, and it is often needed alongside the fire risk assessment for taller or clad buildings.

Yes. Vigilance Fire Safety assesses everything from a house converted into a few flats to larger purpose-built blocks, across Milton Keynes, Bedford, London and the Home Counties. Buildings of 18 metres or seven storeys and above fall under the separate higher-risk building regime, so tell us at enquiry if yours is in that category.

•  Related services  ——

How else we can help

HMO landlords

Licence-ready assessments for shared houses, written to BS 9792:2025.

Commercial properties

Offices, shops, warehouses and mixed-use premises, assessed to PAS 79-1.

Fire strategy reports

Bespoke strategies for complex, new or refurbished buildings, with tailored pricing.

Also see care home fire risk assessments. Also covering: Milton Keynes · Bedford · St Albans · Aylesbury · Northampton · Luton. New to this? Read our plain-English guide to fire risk assessments.

Managing a block?
Let’s get it compliant.

Send us the building details and we will confirm a fixed fee before we visit.