Commercial Fire Risk Assessment
Every business premises in the UK needs a fire risk assessment, whatever its size. In England and Wales the duty comes from the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005; anyone who employs five or more people, or whose premises are licensed, must have it in writing, and in England every finding must now be recorded whatever the size of the business.
Typical fees run from about £200 for a small shop or office to well over £1,000 for a large warehouse or factory, before VAT. Below are the figures, what the assessment should cover, and how to compare quotes.
- Small unit, up to 100 m²
- £200 to £450Council fee £415
- 100 to 500 m²
- £350 to £650Council fee £510
- 500 to 1,000 m²
- £500 to £950Council fee £709
- Over 1,000 m²
- From £800Priced after a look at plans
Does my business need one?
Yes, if you run or control non-domestic premises. The duty falls on the "responsible person": the employer, and anyone else with control, such as the owner, a landlord or a facilities manager.
- Offices, shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs and salons, including a single room above a shop.
- Factories, warehouses, workshops and yards, where storage, processes and hot work raise the stakes.
- Schools, nurseries, surgeries, places of worship and community halls.
- Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering holiday lets with paying guests: the law treats them as businesses.
- Shared buildings: each business has its own duty, and the landlord or managing agent covers the common parts. You must co-operate with each other.
Fire and rescue services enforce the Order and can issue alteration, enforcement or prohibition notices. Serious failures can be prosecuted: on indictment, an unlimited fine, up to two years in prison, or both (article 32).
What does a commercial assessment cost?
Bands are our reading of published price guides, anchored on a council fire safety team’s fee list (April 2026). Size drives the fee, then complexity: storage, processes, sleeping, and how many floors and stairs. Use the fee calculator for your premises.
| Item | Typical fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 100 m² Small shop, café, salon, small office | £200 to £450 |
| 100 to 500 m² Restaurant, pub, surgery, office floor | £350 to £650 |
| 500 to 1,000 m² Primary school, small hotel, workshop | £500 to £950 |
| 1,000 to 2,500 m² Secondary school, warehouse, care home | £800 to £1,500 |
| Over 2,500 m² Factory, large office, multi-building site | £1,300 to £3,000 |
| Fire safety advice By the hour, council rate | £110 an hour |
What should the assessment cover?
Ask each assessor to quote against the same scope, and check the report includes these.
- Who did it, recorded
- The assessor’s full name and organisation on the report. Since section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 took effect in England on 1 October 2023 the responsible person must record this.
- A named method
- The standard the assessor works to, usually PAS 79-1:2020 for non-housing premises or BS 9792:2025 for housing, and the type of assessment.
- Scope and limits
- Which areas, floors and doors were inspected, what was not accessible, and whether any part was intrusive (opening up walls or ceilings) or non-intrusive.
- Every finding, not just the big ones
- All findings recorded, with the hazard, who is at risk and what is already in place, rather than a tick-box checklist.
- A prioritised action plan
- Each action with a priority and a target date, and a clear owner. This is the part you will use most.
- A review date and triggers
- When the assessment should next be reviewed, and what changes (building work, new use, more people, a fire) should prompt an earlier one.
Tell us the premises, the size and the date you need it by, and get written fees from a competent assessor.
Get assessor quotesHow does it run?
Agree the scope
before bookingFloor area, storeys, who uses the building and when, which areas are in scope, and whether doors, flats or the external wall need looking at. A clear scope is what makes quotes comparable.
Send what you have
a week beforeFloor plans, the last assessment, fire alarm and emergency lighting test records, fire door checks, electrical certificates and any fire strategy or building control papers.
The site visit
hours, not daysThe assessor walks every area in scope, checks escape routes, doors, alarms, lighting, signs, sources of ignition and how the building is managed, and talks to whoever runs it day to day.
The written report
often within two weeksEvery finding recorded (a legal requirement in England since October 2023), each risk rated, and a dated action plan with priorities you can hand to contractors.
Act and keep records
ongoingWork through the actions in priority order, keep evidence that each is done, share the relevant findings with staff or residents, and set the review date.
Which sectors ask for what?
The same law covers them all, but assessors look harder at different things.
| Premises | What the assessor focuses on |
|---|---|
| Office | Escape routes and travel distances, fire doors held open, alarm cause and effect, shared stairs with other tenants. |
| Shop | Stock blocking exits, storage in back rooms and on escape routes, the flat or offices above. |
| Restaurant or pub | Kitchen extract and grease, gas and cooking equipment, upper floors and staff accommodation, late-night numbers. |
| Factory or warehouse | High racking, combustible stock, processes and hot work, compartment walls, large open floors and long travel distances. |
| Holiday let or B&B | Sleeping risk: detection in every room, a protected route out, fire doors, and clear information for guests. |
What responsible persons ask
Can I do my own fire risk assessment?
For small, simple premises the law allows it, and GOV.UK publishes guides by premises type. You remain responsible either way. Once the building is larger, has sleeping risk, processes or shared escape routes, most businesses use a competent assessor.
Does a small business need it in writing?
Where five or more people are employed, or the premises are licensed or have an alterations notice, the significant findings have long had to be written down. Since 1 October 2023, in England, all findings must be recorded whatever the size of the business.
How long does the visit take?
A small shop or office is often an hour or two on site. A large warehouse, school or hotel can take most of a day. The report usually follows within a week or two.
Who is responsible in a rented unit?
You are, for the parts you control, as the employer and occupier. The landlord or managing agent is responsible for common parts such as shared stairs and corridors. The law expects you to share information and co-operate.
What happens if the fire service inspects?
Fire safety officers ask to see the assessment and the records that back it up: alarm tests, emergency lighting tests, training and door checks. Failing to produce the assessment when asked can now lead to an unlimited fine.
Where our information comes from
Fee bands are our own reading of published UK assessor price guides, checked against the council fee list below.
- legislation.gov.uk: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (read 2 November 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Fire Safety Order, article 32 (offences) (read 2 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: Workplace fire safety, your responsibilities (read 2 November 2026)
- London Fire Brigade: Changes to fire safety law, how it affects you (read 2 November 2026)
- Adur and Worthing Councils: fire safety price guide, April 2026 (read 2 November 2026)
Ask for quotes for your premises
Three short steps: where the premises are, what they are like, and how to reach you. About two minutes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- We will email or call to tell you which fire risk assessor covers your area and type of premises.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They agree the scope with you and give you a written fee. No marketing from us, ever.