High-Rise Residential Fire Risk Assessments.
Independent High-Rise Residential Fire Risk Assessment Specialists
225 Fire Solutions Ltd provides independent fire risk assessment services for residential buildings, including high-rise blocks of flats and complex multi-occupied premises across Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Taunton and the wider South West.
Our experienced fire risk assessors support managing agents, freeholders, resident management companies and housing providers in identifying fire hazards, reviewing existing precautions and understanding their responsibilities under current fire safety legislation.
High-rise residential buildings present additional fire safety considerations, including compartmentation, evacuation strategies, smoke control systems, firefighting facilities and fire safety management arrangements.
We provide comprehensive fire risk assessment reports, clear findings and prioritised recommendations, helping responsible persons make informed decisions about managing fire safety risks.
What Does a High-Rise Residential Fire Risk Assessment Include?
A high-rise residential fire risk assessment examines the fire safety arrangements within a building, identifying potential hazards, evaluating existing control measures and recommending improvements where required.
Depending on the building and the agreed assessment scope, our assessments consider:
-
Means of Escape: Protected stairways, communal corridors, final exits and evacuation arrangements.
-
Fire Doors & Compartmentation: Flat entrance doors, communal fire doors, service penetrations and the arrangements intended to restrict fire and smoke spread.
-
Smoke Control Systems: Smoke ventilation, automatic opening vents and relevant maintenance records.
-
Fire Detection & Alarm Systems: Existing installations, system suitability and relevant testing and maintenance records.
-
Firefighting Facilities: Dry or wet risers, firefighting lifts where provided, fire service access and associated facilities.
-
Emergency Lighting & Signage: Escape route illumination, directional signage and safety information.
-
External Wall Construction: Available information concerning external wall systems and any requirement for further specialist appraisal.
-
Fire Safety Management: Inspection records, contractor maintenance, resident information, emergency procedures and ongoing fire safety arrangements.
Following the assessment, we provide a detailed report identifying significant findings and a prioritised action plan to support ongoing fire safety management.
High-Rise Residential Fire Safety Legislation.
High-rise residential buildings in England are subject to additional fire safety duties due to their height, complexity and potential consequences of fire.
The principal legislation includes:
-
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – Requires suitable and sufficient fire risk assessments and appropriate fire safety precautions.
-
Fire Safety Act 2021 – Clarifies that the building's structure, external walls and flat entrance doors fall within the scope of the Fire Safety Order.
-
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 – Introduces additional duties covering fire doors, resident information, firefighting equipment and building information.
-
Building Safety Act 2022 – Establishes additional building safety requirements for higher-risk residential buildings.
-
Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 – Introduces further requirements concerning building evacuation plans and relevant residents who may need assistance evacuating.
In England, high-rise residential buildings containing at least two residential units and measuring 18 metres or more in height, or having at least seven storeys, are subject to additional regulatory requirements.
For residential buildings over 11 metres in height, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also require quarterly communal fire door checks and annual flat entrance door checks on a best-endeavours basis.
Our assessments can help identify fire safety issues, review relevant management arrangements and highlight where further specialist investigations may be required.
What Additional Fire Safety Requirements Apply to Residential Buildings Over 18 Metres?
In England, residential buildings that are 18 metres or more in height, or have at least seven storeys and contain two or more residential units, are classed as higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022.
These buildings are subject to enhanced fire safety and building management requirements in addition to the duties contained within the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
Additional requirements may include:
Registration with the Building Safety Regulator
Occupied higher-risk residential buildings must be registered with the Building Safety Regulator, which sits within the Health and Safety Executive.
Appointment of an Accountable Person
An Accountable Person must be identified and is legally responsible for managing and reducing building safety risks. Where multiple parties have responsibility, a Principal Accountable Person must be appointed.
Safety Case Report
A comprehensive Safety Case Report must be prepared and maintained, demonstrating how building safety risks, including fire spread and structural failure, are being identified, assessed and controlled.
Mandatory Occurrence Reporting
Certain structural and fire safety incidents and near misses must be reported to the Building Safety Regulator.
Resident Engagement Strategy
Building owners and managers must establish clear arrangements for sharing safety information with residents and enabling them to raise concerns.
Golden Thread of Information
Key building information, including design details, fire strategies, maintenance records and safety information, must be created, maintained digitally and kept up to date throughout the building's lifecycle.
Competence Requirements
Those responsible for managing building safety must ensure that individuals undertaking fire risk assessments, inspections and maintenance activities are suitably competent.
Enhanced Fire Door Inspections
In addition to the requirements for buildings over 11 metres, responsible persons must undertake:
-
Quarterly inspections of communal fire doors
-
Annual inspections of flat entrance doors, where access can be reasonably obtained
Wayfinding Signage
Buildings should have suitable floor and flat identification signage to assist attending fire and rescue services.
Secure Information Boxes
A secure information box containing up-to-date building plans and emergency information should be provided for use by the fire and rescue service.
Firefighting Equipment and Systems
Additional firefighting facilities may be required, depending on the building design, including:
-
Dry or wet risers
-
Firefighting lifts
-
Smoke control systems
-
Sprinkler systems
-
Evacuation alert systems
If you are responsible for a residential building approaching or exceeding 18 metres in height, it is essential to understand your legal duties and ensure that suitable fire risk assessments and management arrangements are in place.
Very helpful and responsive, giving logical, sound advice. Saved me a lot of money in the long run.
Excellent service from 225 Fire Solutions!
Ryan was professional, knowledgeable and very thorough during the fire safety audit
Fantastic service providing me with a comprehensive fire risk assessment. The team visited my property promptly and provided a really good value for money experience and made the minefield of fire safety easy to understand!
J. Underwood
Absolutely outstanding service! The team was professional, thorough, and incredibly knowledgeable.
David Hendy & Sons
Additional Requirements for High-Rise Buildings: Evacuation Plans and PEEPs.
What Additional Fire Safety Requirements Apply to Residential Buildings Over 18 Metres?
Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs)
Under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, responsible persons must take reasonable steps to identify residents who may have difficulty evacuating independently in an emergency.
Where required, responsible persons must:
-
Offer a person-centred fire risk assessment (PCFRA)
-
Prepare and maintain a Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (RPEEP)
-
Consider and implement reasonable and proportionate evacuation measures
-
Prepare and maintain a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP)
-
Share relevant evacuation information with the local fire and rescue service, subject to resident consent
-
Review evacuation arrangements regularly and whenever circumstances change
Independent High-Rise Residential Fire Risk Assessment Specialists.
At 225 Fire Solutions LTD, we provide comprehensive fire risk assessments for high-rise residential buildings across the South West.
Our experienced assessors support managing agents, freeholders, housing associations and resident management companies in meeting their legal obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Safety Act 2021, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025.
As independent fire risk assessment specialists, we deliver practical, proportionate and impartial advice to help protect residents, maintain compliance and provide peace of mind.
