Fire safety guides
Plain English explanations of the standards, laws and checks that apply to UK buildings. Written for the people who are responsible, not just the specialists.
Tools
- Higher-risk building checkerFour questions to find out whether your building falls under the Building Safety Act regime in England.
- HMO and rented home fire alarm finderFind the BS 5839-6 grade and category most likely to apply to your property.
- Fire safety glossaryPlain English definitions of the terms in UK fire safety law and standards.
Fire alarms
- BS 5839-1:2025: what changed and what it means for youA plain English summary of the 2025 revision of BS 5839-1 for fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises, and what building owners should do about it.2 minute read
- Conventional vs addressable fire alarms: which do you need?How conventional, addressable and wireless fire alarm systems work, what each costs to run, and how to choose for your building.2 minute read
- Fire alarm categories explained: L1 to L5, M, P1 and P2What the BS 5839-1 fire alarm categories mean, which buildings need which, and how to read the category on your fire risk assessment.3 minute read
- What affects the cost of a fire alarm installation?The factors that drive the price of a commercial or HMO fire alarm installation, and how to compare quotes fairly.2 minute read
- Fire alarm panel showing a fault: what to doWhat common fire alarm panel faults mean, what you can safely check yourself, and when to call an engineer and put interim measures in place.2 minute read
- What affects the cost of fire alarm servicing?The factors that set the price of a fire alarm maintenance contract, what a proper service includes, and how to compare quotes.2 minute read
- How often should a fire alarm be tested?Weekly user tests, six-monthly servicing and annual device testing explained, with a simple schedule you can follow for any UK building.2 minute read
- How to reduce false fire alarmsThe most common causes of false and unwanted fire alarms, and practical fixes that cut call-outs without reducing safety.2 minute read
- Smoke detectors vs heat detectors: where to use eachHow optical smoke, heat and multi-sensor detectors work, where each belongs, and how the right choice cuts false alarms.2 minute read
Testing and inspection
- EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FIWhat each EICR observation code means, why a report is satisfactory or unsatisfactory, and how landlords should respond within the legal deadlines.2 minute read
- Emergency lighting regulations in the UKThe law and standards behind emergency lighting: where it is needed, how bright and how long it must be, and what records to keep.2 minute read
- Emergency lighting testing: monthly and annual tests explainedHow to carry out monthly flick tests and annual full-duration emergency lighting tests, what to record, and when to call in an engineer.2 minute read
- Fire door inspection checklistA practical fire door checklist covering gaps, seals, closers, hinges, glazing and signage, plus the inspection frequencies required in blocks of flats in England.2 minute read
- Fire door ratings explained: FD30, FD30S, FD60 and FD60SWhat fire door ratings mean, where each is used, how to tell if a door is a genuine fire door, and why the S matters.2 minute read
- Fire extinguisher types and colours: which do you need?The colour codes and uses of water, foam, powder, CO2 and wet chemical extinguishers, with guidance on choosing the right ones for your premises.2 minute read
- Fire safety checklist for small businessesA practical fire safety checklist for small business owners in the UK: risk assessment, alarms, extinguishers, escape routes, training and records.2 minute read
Building safety
- Accountable Person duties under the Building Safety ActWho the Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person are for a higher-risk building, and the duties each must meet in occupation.2 minute read
- The building safety case: a practical guide for Accountable PersonsWhat a building safety case and safety case report are, who must prepare them, what evidence goes in, and how to get ready for a Building Safety Regulator assessment.3 minute read
- Registering a higher-risk building with the Building Safety RegulatorWhich buildings must be registered with the Building Safety Regulator, who registers, what information is needed and what happens after.2 minute read
- EWS1 forms: what affects the cost and who paysWhy EWS1 prices vary so much between buildings, who usually pays for the form, and how to avoid commissioning one you do not need.2 minute read
- The EWS1 form explainedWhat an EWS1 form is, the A1 to B2 ratings, who can sign one, how long it lasts, and how the 2026 RICS valuation standard changes when lenders ask for one.2 minute read
- What affects the cost of a fire risk assessment?The factors that drive the price of a fire risk assessment for a block of flats, HMO, office or shop, and how to compare quotes fairly.2 minute read
- Fire risk assessments: a guide for the Responsible PersonWho the Responsible Person is, what a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment must cover, how often to review it, and how to choose a competent assessor.2 minute read
- The Fire Safety Act 2021 and the 2022 Regulations explainedHow the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 changed duties for blocks of flats, including external walls, fire doors, wayfinding signs and information for residents.2 minute read
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 explainedA plain English summary of the Fire Safety Order: who it applies to, the duties of the Responsible Person, enforcement and penalties.2 minute read
- Fire stopping and compartmentation explainedWhat compartmentation and fire stopping are, why breaches are so common, how surveys work, and what good evidence of fire stopping looks like.2 minute read
- The golden thread of building information explainedWhat the golden thread is under the Building Safety Act, what information belongs in it, and practical ways to set one up for an existing building.2 minute read
- Is my building a higher-risk building?How to tell whether your block of flats is a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022, including how height and storeys are measured.2 minute read
- PAS 9980 vs EWS1: which do you need?The difference between a PAS 9980 fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW) and an EWS1 form, and how to decide which one your building needs.2 minute read
- Stay put and evacuation strategies in blocks of flatsHow stay put, simultaneous evacuation and evacuation alert systems work in blocks of flats, and when a building's strategy needs to change.2 minute read
- Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?What makes a fire risk assessor competent, which registers and certifications to look for, and when you can do the assessment yourself.2 minute read
Landlords and HMOs
- BS 5839-6 grades and categories explainedWhat Grade A, C, D1, D2, F1 and F2 mean, the LD1, LD2 and LD3 categories, and which system a house, flat or HMO needs.2 minute read
- HMO fire safety requirementsFire alarm grades, fire doors, emergency lighting and fire risk assessment requirements for houses in multiple occupation in the UK.2 minute read
- Fire safety checklist for landlordsA UK landlord fire safety checklist covering smoke and CO alarms, HMO fire alarms, EICRs, furniture, escape routes and fire doors, with the differences between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.2 minute read
- Scotland's interlinked fire alarm rulesWhat the Scottish interlinked fire alarm law requires in every home, for owners and landlords, including heat, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.2 minute read