Fire Risk Assessment Cost London 2026 — Honest Pricing

Across the UK an FRA typically costs £150–£600 depending on property type. A small HMO sits at the lower end (£150–£200), a small commercial unit £200–£280, a converted block £260–£500, and a complex multi-use or HRB-adjacent block £500+. London sits £40–£100 above the national average per property type.

Three reasons. First, travel and access time across the M25 ring — assessor time on site is a fraction of the day so the per-visit cost is higher. Second, London has a high density of communal-block work which carries longer on-site visits. Third, the concentration of Building Safety Act Higher-Risk Buildings means even non-HRB blocks are assessed with HRB methodology to future-proof the file.

PAS 79 is the BSI-published Publicly Available Specification for fire risk assessment methodology. PAS 79-1:2020 covers general premises (commercial, industrial, mixed-use). PAS 79-2:2020 covers housing (HMOs, communal blocks, sheltered housing). Both are 9-step methodologies and both are recognised by the Fire Industry Association as the benchmark for "competent person" under Article 9 of the RRO 2005.

Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to appoint a "competent person" to carry out the FRA. Competence is demonstrated by qualification (IFSM, IFE, NEBOSH Fire Cert), experience and current knowledge of the PAS 79 methodology. A landlord doing their own FRA without these qualifications is technically the responsible person but may struggle to demonstrate competence under enforcement.

Not strictly — the FSO 2005 does not name a specific methodology. But PAS 79 is the recognised industry benchmark, named in the Lord Bishop of London's review post-Grenfell, and adopted by most insurers as the minimum acceptable standard. Using a non-PAS 79 methodology raises questions on insurer claims and council enforcement files.

Reviewed annually as a minimum under Article 9(3) of the RRO 2005, and fully rewritten on any material change — new tenants, building works, change of use, change in occupancy. An FRA more than 12 months old without an annual review note is treated as out of date by enforcement officers and insurers.

PAS 79-1:2020 covers general premises — commercial, industrial, retail, mixed-use. It assesses the workplace and the people present in it. PAS 79-2:2020 covers housing — HMOs, converted blocks, sheltered housing. It assesses the dwelling, the communal parts and the residents. The two standards share the 9-step methodology but differ on emphasis and on the typical risk vectors.

No. The FRA is a written risk assessment of the whole premises — escape routes, detection, signage, fire-stopping, fire-loading. A fire alarm test verifies that the alarm system installed in the building works to BS 5839. Both are required: the FRA tells you what alarm grade the building needs; the alarm test verifies the system installed against that grade actually works.

A PAS 79 report has a standard structure: scope and premises description, methodology, premises walk-through findings, hazard identification, risk evaluation against the 5x5 risk matrix, action plan with prioritised remedials, signature and competent-person declaration, annexes with photographs and floor plans. A complete report runs 20–40 pages for a typical HMO or small commercial premises.

Three common failure modes. The report does not name PAS 79 explicitly on the cover page. The assessor cannot evidence IFSM or equivalent competence. The action plan lacks prioritised remedials with regulatory citations. Any of the three triggers a follow-up from the insurer or the council enforcement officer — and the cheap FRA is replaced at full cost. Pay for the recognised standard the first time.