London is one of the most complex places in the country to manage fire safety. Old buildings sit alongside new towers, shops sit beneath flats, and offices, restaurants, hotels and shared housing are packed into tight streets. For anyone responsible for a building in the capital, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement and one of the most important tools for keeping people safe.
As a serving Watch Commander with more than 26 years in the UK Fire Service, I've seen first-hand what happens when fire safety is left to chance, and how often a proper assessment would have made the difference.
What is a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is a structured, written review of a building that identifies fire hazards, the people at risk, and the measures needed to reduce that risk to an acceptable level. It looks at how a fire could start, how it could spread, how people would be warned, and how they would escape.
It results in a clear action plan, prioritised so that the most serious issues are dealt with first.
Who needs one?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the "Responsible Person" for almost any non-domestic premises in England must make sure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is carried out and kept under review. The Responsible Person is usually the employer, owner, landlord, managing agent or anyone else in control of the premises.
In London, that covers:
- Offices, shops and warehouses
- Pubs, restaurants, bars and hotels
- Schools, nurseries, gyms and places of worship
- The common parts of blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
- Mixed-use buildings, such as flats above shops
- Care homes, hostels and short-term lets
If you're unsure whether your building is covered, it almost certainly is. Private single-family homes are the main exception.
Why London carries particular risk
Fire safety law applies across England, but London presents challenges that make getting it right especially important.
The building stock is old and heavily altered. Many London properties are Victorian or Edwardian buildings that have been converted, extended and subdivided over decades. Each alteration can create gaps in fire separation, compromise escape routes or hide problems behind new finishes.
Mixed use is everywhere. A takeaway kitchen with flats above, or a basement bar beneath offices, brings very different risks under one roof. A fire in one part of the building can quickly threaten people in another.
High-rise and high-density living. London has more tall residential buildings than anywhere else in the UK. When fire spreads in these buildings, the number of people affected can be very high.
Transient occupants. Hotels, hostels, short-term lets and student accommodation are full of people who don't know the building, can't find the exits quickly and may be asleep when a fire starts.
The legacy of Grenfell. The Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington in 2017, which claimed 72 lives, changed fire safety in this country for good. Much of the legislation that now applies to buildings across England came directly out of the lessons learned there.
What the law now requires
Since Grenfell, the law has been tightened in several important ways:
- The Fire Safety Act 2021 made clear that, in multi-occupied residential buildings, the assessment must cover the structure, external walls (including cladding and balconies) and flat entrance doors.
- The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced extra duties for residential buildings, including regular checks of communal fire doors in buildings over 11 metres, and further requirements for buildings over 18 metres, such as secure information boxes, wayfinding signage and sharing floor plans with the fire service.
- The Building Safety Act 2022 strengthened the Fire Safety Order so that all Responsible Persons must record their full fire risk assessment in writing, record who carried it out, and share fire safety information with others who have duties in the same building.
Competence is changing too
The law already requires that an assessment is carried out by a competent person, and the definition of "competent" is now becoming much clearer. The British Standards Institution has published BS 8674:2025, a code of practice setting out a framework for the competency of individual fire risk assessors, and this is a key step towards the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 recommendation for mandatory accreditation of fire risk assessors. Griffiths & ArmourGriffiths & Armour
The Government in England has confirmed that mandatory competence requirements for fire risk assessors will be introduced, and it has run a consultation on establishing consistent, mandatory competency requirements. The exact timeline has not yet been legislated, but the direction of travel is clear. For building owners and managers, the message is simple: check who is carrying out your assessment, and ask to see their qualifications and experience. Understanding The Framework For Fire Risk Assessor Competency - The Fire Safety Event 2026 +2
What happens if you don't comply?
In London, the Fire Safety Order is enforced by the London Fire Brigade, and it does not hesitate to act. The consequences of failing to have a suitable assessment can include:
- Enforcement, alteration or prohibition notices, which can restrict or close your premises
- Unlimited fines
- Up to two years' imprisonment in the most serious cases
- Problems with insurance claims after a fire
- Serious damage to your reputation
Far worse than any of these is the possibility that someone is hurt or killed in a fire that could have been prevented.
How often should it be reviewed?
A fire risk assessment must be kept under regular review. Most competent assessors recommend a review at least once a year, and sooner if:
- The building is altered, extended or refurbished
- The use of the building changes
- The number or type of people using it changes
- New equipment or processes are introduced
- There is a fire or near miss
An assessment that sits in a drawer for years is unlikely to satisfy an inspecting officer.
Can you do it yourself?
For a very small, simple premises, a Responsible Person with enough knowledge may be able to complete their own assessment. In London, where so many buildings are older, mixed-use or residential, the judgements involved around compartmentation, fire doors, alarm systems and escape routes are often technical. A professional assessment gives you a clear, defensible record that you have taken your legal duties seriously.
If you manage shared housing, see our guide: Do London HMOs Need a Fire Risk Assessment? What Every Landlord Must Know.
How Whale Fire can help
Whale Fire Ltd is based in the City of London and carries out fire risk assessments across the capital and nationally, for offices, residential blocks, HMOs, hotels, pubs, warehouses and more. Our reports are site-specific, easy to read and give you a clear, prioritised action plan, with no tie-in contracts.
To book a fire risk assessment or discuss your premises, call 0800 772 0738, email info@whalefire.co.uk, or get in touch here.
Whale Fire — Extinguish the Risk.
