This is one of the most common questions we are asked, and one of the most misunderstood. Many landlords believe there is a legal 12 month rule for fire risk assessments in the same way there is for gas safety certificates. There is not. Below is what the law actually says, what triggers a review, and how to set a sensible schedule.

What the law actually requires

The duty sits in Article 9(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It states that the assessment:

must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date

and particularly if (a) there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid, or (b) there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates.

Two things follow from that wording. First, there is no number in the legislation. No 12 months, no 5 years. Second, the duty is continuous: the assessment is a live document that has to reflect the building as it is now, not as it was when the assessor visited.

The Order also makes clear that where a review shows changes are needed, the Responsible Person must make them. Reviewing and then filing the report away without acting on it does not discharge the duty.

So how often is “regularly”?

Because the law is performance based rather than prescriptive, the accepted approach across the fire safety industry, and what enforcing authorities generally expect to see, is:

• At least every 12 months for most residential and commercial premises, as a planned review.
• More frequently for higher risk premises, or buildings with complex evacuation arrangements.
• Immediately, whenever a trigger event occurs (see below).

It is worth being precise about the status of the annual figure: it is best practice and the practical benchmark, not a statutory deadline. But if a fire authority inspects and the last review was three years ago with no record of anything in between, “the law did not give me a date” is a weak position.

What triggers a review before the annual date

An assessment can stop being valid long before its review date. Arrange a review straight away if any of the following happen:

• Building work: structural alterations, extensions, conversions or a change of layout.
• Change of use or occupancy: a property becomes an HMO, occupancy increases, or the type of occupier changes.
• Changes to escape routes: corridors, stairwells, doors or exits altered or obstructed.
• Changes to fire safety equipment: alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors or extinguishers installed, removed or found faulty.
• A fire or near miss at the premises, however minor.
• New vulnerable occupants who may need assistance to evacuate.
• Enforcement contact: a visit, notice or recommendation from the fire and rescue authority.

Review or full reassessment?

Not every trigger needs a fresh assessment from scratch. In practice:

• A review is appropriate where the building is fundamentally unchanged. You are confirming the findings still hold, checking previous actions have been completed, and updating details.
• A full reassessment is appropriate where the premises, its use or its occupants have changed materially, for example after a conversion, a change of use, or significant building work.

If in doubt, a competent assessor will tell you which is needed after looking at what has changed.

Recording the review

Since October 2023, the fire risk assessment must be recorded in full, regardless of the size of the premises, under the current fire safety legislation guidance. That means the review needs to be documented too: what was reviewed, when, by whom, and what changed. An undocumented review is difficult to evidence to an inspector, an insurer, or a court.

Who is responsible?

The duty falls on the Responsible Person, usually the landlord, building owner or managing agent with control of the premises. Appointing a competent contractor to carry out the assessment does not transfer the legal duty. As a service provider, our role is to carry out the assessment and give you a clear, recorded report. The responsibility for keeping the property compliant, and for acting on the findings, remains with you.

Does this apply to your property?

The Fire Safety Order applies to non domestic premises and to the common parts of buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises. In practice that means:

• HMOs: covered.
• Blocks of flats and converted houses: the communal areas are covered.
• Commercial and mixed use premises: covered.
• A single home let to one family: not covered by the Order, though other landlord safety duties still apply.

Two further points have widened what an assessment must consider. The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that external walls, flat entrance doors and the building structure fall within scope. And from 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduced duties around resident evacuation plans, but only for buildings at least 18 metres tall or with 7 or more storeys, and buildings over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. Most smaller HMOs and low rise blocks sit outside those particular regulations, while still needing a standard fire risk assessment.

A practical schedule for London landlords

1. Diarise an annual review on the anniversary of the assessment.
2. Review on change, not just on date. Use the trigger list above.
3. Record every review, even where nothing has changed.
4. Close out the actions from the previous report before the next review.
5. Commission a full reassessment after any significant change, or every few years for a building that has been altered over time.

Arrange your fire risk assessment

Property Safety Ltd carries out fire risk assessments for HMOs, blocks of flats and commercial premises across London and the M25. Our assessors produce a clear, recorded report setting out exactly what, if anything, needs attention, so you can meet your duty as the Responsible Person with confidence.

Book your fire risk assessment online, or call us for a quote based on your property. Clear pricing, qualified assessors, no fuss.

Property Safety Ltd is a property safety SERVICE PROVIDER that carries out assessments and issues reports, never a regulator. Legal responsibility stays with the landlord (the “Responsible Person”). No NEBOSH/IFSM claims. No turnaround promises. M25 service area only.