If you've never had a Fire Risk Assessment before, it can feel like a daunting prospect. It shouldn't be. Here is exactly what to expect — from the moment you get in touch to the day your report arrives.
When you contact us, we'll ask a few straightforward questions: what type of building it is, roughly how large, how it is used, and whether there are any specific concerns you already have. This lets us give you an accurate fixed-price quote and allocate the right amount of time for the visit — usually between one and three hours depending on the premises.
You don't need to prepare anything elaborate. However, it is helpful if you can have the following available on the day if you have them:
If you don't have any of these, that's fine. Their absence is itself part of the picture.
The assessor will arrive at the agreed time and will want to carry out a full walkthrough of the building — all areas, including plant rooms, storage areas, roof spaces where accessible, and any outbuildings that form part of the premises.
The walkthrough is structured around identifying fire hazards and assessing how well they are controlled. In practice, this means examining:
A good Fire Risk Assessment is not just a physical inspection — it involves understanding how the building is actually used. We will ask about your activities, your typical occupancy, how staff or volunteers are trained, and whether you have any existing emergency procedures. This conversation often surfaces important information that the physical inspection alone would miss.
You know your building. We always encourage clients to share concerns, even if they seem minor. The thing that has been bothering you for months — the fire door that doesn't quite close, the alarm that keeps false-triggering — is exactly the kind of information that helps us produce a useful report rather than a generic one.
Your written Fire Risk Assessment report will be sent to you within seven days of the visit. It will include:
The report is written in plain English. It is designed to be usable by someone who is not a fire safety specialist — which, for most of our clients, is exactly the case.
Once you have the report, the main work is implementing the recommended actions. Many of these will be straightforward and low-cost — clearing a blocked escape route, replacing a fire extinguisher, arranging a fire drill, updating an evacuation plan. Others may require more investment, such as upgrading an alarm system or replacing fire doors.
We are always happy to discuss the findings with you after the report is delivered. If you need us to return to sign off that actions have been completed — for example, if your insurer or a regulatory body requires evidence — we can arrange a follow-up visit.
There is no fixed legal renewal period, but the law requires your assessment to be kept under review. Most assessors recommend a full review every one to three years, and an annual check of the key findings. You should also review it after any significant change to the building, its use, or the people within it.
We cover Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas. Fixed price, plain English report within 7 days.
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