Fire Risk Assessment in Birmingham
Birmingham’s fire risk assessment work splits two ways: a large stock of shared rented housing that the city council licenses more tightly than most, and a broad base of workshops, warehouses and light industry across the city and the wider West Midlands.
West Midlands Fire Service enforces the Fire Safety Order here. Typical fees are £200 to £450 for small premises and £500 to £950 for a 500 to 1,000 m² workshop or school, before VAT.
- Enforcer
- West Midlands Fire Service
- HMO licensing
- Every HMOAdditional licensing since 5 June 2023
- Selective licensing
- 25 wardsFrom 5 June 2023
- Workshop, 500 to 1,000 m²
- £500 to £950Ex VAT
Who enforces fire safety in Birmingham?
West Midlands Fire Service enforces the Fire Safety Order for businesses, public buildings and the common parts of flats and HMOs. Its fire safety officers audit premises, give advice and serve notices where needed.
Birmingham City Council enforces housing standards in rented homes, including fire hazards inside HMOs and licence conditions. In practice landlords deal with both, and a fire risk assessment is the document both will ask to see.
What makes Birmingham different?
Licensing is the big local factor. In June 2023 the council brought in additional HMO licensing across all wards and selective licensing in 25 of its 69 wards, both running for five years.
- Every HMO in Birmingham, however small, needs a licence, and licence applications ask about fire safety. A current fire risk assessment answers most of those questions.
- Selective licensing covers single-household lets in 25 wards. Those homes do not usually need a fire risk assessment, but houses converted to flats with shared parts do.
- Industrial premises in areas such as Tyseley, Aston and Witton, where storage, processes and hot work make a full PAS 79-1 assessment worth paying for.
- Large student HMO areas, where layouts change from year to year and assessments go out of date quickly.
Landlords, agents and businesses in Birmingham: get written fees from a competent assessor.
Get assessor quotesWhat does it cost in Birmingham?
Typical UK fees from a council fire safety team’s 2026 fee list and published price guides we reviewed, November 2026. Fees follow the building more than the postcode; central sites can add a little for travel and parking.
| Premises | 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 |
| Flats, Type 1 Common parts | £350 to £1,000 |
| HMO Common parts and escape route | £250 to £600 |
Questions from Birmingham
How much does a fire risk assessment cost in Birmingham?
Fees follow floor area and complexity more than postcode. Typical UK bands are £200 to £450 up to 100 m², £350 to £650 for 100 to 500 m² and £500 to £950 for 500 to 1,000 m², before VAT. Try the fee calculator for your premises.
Does a fire risk assessment have to be redone every year?
The law says it must be reviewed regularly and whenever something significant changes. Many organisations review yearly and commission a fresh assessment every few years, or after building work or a change of use.
Does my Birmingham HMO licence need a fire risk assessment?
The council sets fire safety conditions on HMO licences, and applications ask about alarms, doors and escape routes. A current fire risk assessment of the common parts is the clearest evidence and is a legal duty under the Fire Safety Order in any case.
Is a two-storey shared house in Birmingham an HMO?
If three or more people from two or more households share a kitchen or bathroom, it is an HMO, and in Birmingham every HMO needs a licence under the additional scheme.
Will West Midlands Fire Service do the assessment?
No. The fire service enforces and advises; the responsible person arranges the assessment.
Where our information comes from
- Birmingham City Council: privately rented property licensing (read 2 November 2026)
- National Residential Landlords Association: new schemes launch in Birmingham, June 2023 (read 2 November 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (read 2 November 2026)
- Adur and Worthing Councils: fire safety price guide, April 2026 (read 2 November 2026)
Ask for fire risk assessment quotes in Birmingham
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.