Blocks of flats
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (the Regulations) require responsible persons (RPs) for buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises to provide information to residents
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
If a building is at least 18 metres or seven storeys in height, the responsible person (RP) will need to provide information to Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service.
What RPs need to do
RPs of multi-occupied residential buildings must take specific actions. The number of actions they need to take will depend on the height of the building.
Buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises
If your building has two or more sets of domestic premises you must provide:
Fire safety information to residents
The RP must provide fire safety information to their residents on how to report a fire and what a resident must do once a fire has occurred.
Fire door information
The RP must provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety.
For further information please see Fire door guidance and Fire doors checklist published by the government.
Small blocks of flats
The Home Office has produced specific guidance for small blocks of flats - A Guide to making your small block of flats safe from fire. This applies if your block of flats is:
- In England
- Three storeys or fewer
- Includes no more than ground, first and second floor
- Contains no more than six flats
Buildings over 11 metres tall
If your building is over 11 metres in height you must also provide:
Fire door checks
The RP should carry out annual checks of flat entrance doors. They must also undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts.
For further information please see Fire door guidance and Fire doors checklist published by the government.
Buildings over 18 metres or seven stories tall
If your building is at least 18 metres or seven stories in height you must provide the above, plus the following:
Wayfinding signage
The RP must install floor identification signs and flat indicator signs. The signage is intended to assist responding firefighters and should be visible in low light or smoky conditions.
Secure information boxes
The RP must install and maintain a secure information box in their building. This box must contain the name and contact details of the RP and hard copies of the building and floor plans.
External wall systems
The RP must prepare a record of the design of the external walls of the building including the materials used in their construction. The record must provide information on the level of fire risk associated with the externals and any mitigating steps that have been taken. The RP must share a copy of the record with the local fire and rescue service. Complete the online form to provide Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service with the necessary information required by the regulations.
Building plans
The RP must prepare up-to-date floor plans, alongside a single page building plan which identifies key firefighting equipment. The RP is required to electronically share copies of the plans with the local fire and rescue service as well as provide paper copies of the plans within the premises' secure information box.
Visit Building and floor plans for more information.
Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) information
The RP must provide Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service with Information about their Residential PEEPs (if the buildings are either a residential tall building or one that is over 11m tall with a simultaneous evacuation strategy).
You must provide full up to date details of these in a secure information box on site alongside the information supplied here. You must refresh this information annually. Send Residential PEEP Information to NFRS
Lifts and other key fire-fighting equipment
The RP must undertake routine monthly checks of lifts intended for use by firefighters, evacuation lifts, and other key pieces of firefighting equipment. Any faults identified with equipment that cannot be rectified within 24 hours should be reported to the local fire and rescue service via electronic means.
How to send your documents to NFRS
Your building's structure and external walls
As a result of the Fire Safety Act 2021, a building's structure and external walls (including windows, balconies, cladding, insulation, and fixings) must now be considered as part of the fire risk assessment for the premises. Fire risk assessments that do not consider these should be updated as quickly as practicable.
To help RPs update their fire risk assessment in line with the above, the government has developed the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool (the FRAPT).
Go to information about (FRAPT)
Further information
Video learning - Understanding the Fire Safety (England) Regulations
A helpful video by the National Fire Chiefs Council explaining what the Regulations mean for RPs
Government guidance
The Home Office has published a helpful short guide for those with duties under fire safety law. They have also produced a series of fact sheets to assist RPs.
If you would like further information or support about fire safety within the flats, please visit Home safety advice.
