Fire Risk Assessment — Forest Hill
Fire Risk Assessment in Forest Hill
RRO 2005 compliant fire risk assessments for HMOs and commercial premises in Forest Hill, Lewisham. Written report and prioritised action plan on completion.
Legal basis — Forest Hill
Who needs a fire risk assessment?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO 2005) requires a fire risk assessment for all non-domestic premises and for the common parts of residential buildings containing two or more dwellings. This means every HMO landlord, every owner or manager of a block of flats, every commercial property occupier, and every operator of a care home, school, or office is legally required to have a current fire risk assessment.
Private single-let dwellings — a house or flat let to a single household — are exempt from the RRO 2005. However, the landlord still has obligations under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 to install smoke alarms on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance.
London has a particularly high proportion of converted Victorian properties let as HMOs. These buildings — originally designed as single-family homes with open staircases, timber floors, and thin partition walls — present specific fire separation challenges. Many London HMO landlords require structural fire separation works as a result of their FRA, including fire-rated ceilings, fire doors, and additional means of escape.
HMO landlords
Mandatory — required for HMO licence and RRO 2005
Blocks of flats
Required for common parts by the responsible person
Commercial premises
Required for all non-domestic premises
Offices and care homes
Required — higher risk means more frequent review
Single-let dwellings
Exempt from RRO 2005 — but smoke alarm rules apply
Penalty for non-compliance
Unlimited fine and up to 2 years imprisonment
What is assessed in Forest Hill
What a fire risk assessment covers
Our fire risk assessments follow the five-step process required by the RRO 2005 and cover all aspects of fire safety relevant to the premises.
HMO fire safety requirements
HMO fire safety in London
Smoke alarm requirements (2022 regulations)
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 require a smoke alarm in every room used as sleeping accommodation in an HMO — not just on each storey. This extended the previous requirement and applies to all HMOs from 1 October 2022. All smoke alarms in HMOs must be interlinked so that an alarm on any floor triggers all alarms throughout the property.
A heat detector is required in the kitchen in addition to a smoke alarm, as cooking activity can cause false activations from smoke alarms in this location. The heat detector must also be interlinked to the alarm system.
Fire doors in HMOs
Fire doors (FD30 — 30 minutes fire resistance) are required to bedroom doors and to the kitchen door in HMOs. The door must carry a BS 476 Part 22 or BS EN 1634-1 certification label, have intumescent strips and cold smoke seals, and be fitted with a self-closing device. Maximum gap tolerances are 3mm at the sides and top and 8mm at the bottom.
London HMOs in converted Victorian properties frequently require fire door upgrades as part of the FRA action plan. Original Victorian internal doors — typically ledged-and-braced 4-panel doors — do not provide adequate fire separation. Replacement with compliant FD30 doors is usually required.
Emergency lighting
Larger HMOs — typically those with three or more storeys or a total floor area over 200 square metres — are required to have emergency lighting in all escape routes and communal areas. Emergency lighting must be tested monthly (a brief function test) and annually (a full 3-hour duration discharge test). Records must be maintained. Emergency lighting failure in an HMO is both an HMO licensing breach and a fire safety offence.
London-specific challenges
The majority of London HMOs are in converted Victorian terraced houses with open timber staircases, original lath-and-plaster ceilings, and thin internal partitions. These buildings require specific fire separation measures — fire-resisting plasterboard linings to ceilings and staircases, intumescent paint on structural timbers, and fire-rated boarding to understairs cupboards. A thorough FRA will identify all of these and prioritise them in the action plan.
Assessment outcomes
Fire risk assessment outcomes explained
Satisfactory
The premises are adequately protected against fire risk. No immediate action is required, though recommendations for improvement may still be included. The responsible person should review the assessment after any significant change to the building or its use.
Action required
Specific improvements are needed to bring the premises to an adequate standard. The report will list actions with a recommended timescale — some may be immediately required; others may be scheduled. The FRA is re-issued as satisfactory once actions are completed.
Unsatisfactory
Immediate action is required. The premises present an unacceptable fire risk. The responsible person must take urgent steps to reduce the risk — which may include prohibiting use of part or all of the premises until remedial works are complete. The fire authority may issue an Enforcement Notice.
Our services in Forest Hill
Fire risk assessment services
HMO fire risk assessment
Mandatory assessment for Houses in Multiple Occupation. Covers all fire hazards, means of escape, detection, suppression, signage, fire doors, and emergency lighting.
Flat common area FRA
Fire risk assessment for the common parts of blocks of flats — required of the responsible person under the RRO 2005. Covers escape routes, fire doors, and communal detection systems.
Commercial fire risk assessment
FRA for offices, retail premises, care homes, and other non-domestic buildings. Covers all five steps of the fire risk assessment process.
Smoke alarm installation
Installation of interlinked smoke alarms, heat detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms to meet HMO licensing and RRO 2005 requirements.
Fire door inspection
Inspection of fire doors for certification, intumescent strips, cold smoke seals, self-closing devices, and gap tolerances. Required in all HMOs and flat block common areas.
Emergency lighting test
Monthly functional tests and annual full duration (3-hour) discharge tests for emergency lighting systems. Records maintained in fire safety log book.
Pricing
Fire risk assessment costs in London
Small HMO (3–4 beds)
£150–£300
Three to four bedroom HMO. Covers all five RRO steps, fire door inspection, alarm system check, emergency lighting (where present), and written report with prioritised action plan.
Larger HMO (5+ beds)
£300–£600
Five or more bedroom HMO or properties with more complex fire safety systems. Enhanced assessment covering all floors, communal areas, and full structural fire separation review.
Commercial premises
£250 upwards
Offices, retail premises, care homes, and other non-domestic buildings. Price depends on the size and complexity of the premises and the number of people at risk.
All fire risk assessments include a written report, prioritised action plan, and re-assessment after remedial works. Block of flats (common area) FRA from £200. Re-assessment after completed actions from £100.
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Common questions
Fire risk assessment Forest Hill: frequently asked
Who needs a fire risk assessment in Forest Hill?
HMO landlords, owners of blocks of flats (for common areas), and commercial property occupiers in Forest Hill, Lewisham are required to have a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Private single-let dwellings are exempt but must comply with smoke alarm regulations.
How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed in Forest Hill?
A fire risk assessment for HMOs and commercial premises in Forest Hill should be reviewed annually and whenever there is a significant change to the building or its use. Forest Hill is within Lewisham — same-week appointments available.
How much does a fire risk assessment cost in Forest Hill?
A fire risk assessment for an HMO in Forest Hill, Lewisham costs £150 to £300 for a 3-4 bed property. Larger HMOs £300 to £600. Commercial premises from £250. Written report and action plan included.