If you own or manage rental property in London, 2026 is a pivotal year for fire safety compliance. On 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force, introducing Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs) and imposing entirely new legal duties on landlords of multi-occupancy residential buildings. Just weeks later, on 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act took effect, abolishing Section 21 “no-fault” evictions and introducing assured periodic tenancies.
Against this backdrop of rapid regulatory change, a compliant fire risk assessment in London is no longer a box-ticking exercise. It is the foundation of tenant safety and the primary defence against unlimited fines, prohibition notices, and criminal prosecution. For landlords seeking professional support, working with a qualified provider such as Landlords Checks ensures your assessment meets both current standards and the demands of the 2026 regulatory landscape.
This guide provides London landlords with a comprehensive, practical roadmap to fire safety compliance in 2026.
1. The Legal Framework: What London Landlords Must Know
Fire safety obligations for London landlords sit across multiple layers of legislation, each reinforcing the others.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) is the cornerstone. It requires the “Responsible Person” to carry out a “suitable and sufficient” fire risk assessment, identify hazards, and implement reasonable precautions, with particular focus on shared spaces such as communal hallways, stairwells, and entrance areas.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the FSO’s scope extends further than many landlords assumed. The structure and external walls (including cladding and balconies) and individual flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings now fall squarely within the fire risk assessment’s remit.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced measurable obligations: quarterly checks on communal fire doors, annual checks on flat entrance doors, provision of fire safety information to residents, and a duty to share relevant information with the local fire and rescue service.
The Building Safety Act 2022 added a further layer for higher-risk buildings (at least 18 metres tall or seven or more storeys), requiring registration with the Building Safety Regulator, a named Principal Accountable Person, and a “golden thread” of building safety information.
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 — the most significant recent change — came into force on 6 April 2026. Qualifying residential buildings now require person-centred risk assessments and personalised evacuation plans for residents who may need additional support to evacuate safely.
2. What Is a Fire Risk Assessment and What Must It Cover?
A fire risk assessment (FRA) is a systematic document used to identify fire hazards, assess the risks they pose to occupants, and record the control measures in place to eliminate or reduce those risks. A professional provider will typically cover hazard identification, escape routes, fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, fire safety equipment maintenance, and a detailed action plan.
A “suitable and sufficient” FRA for a London residential property should cover:
Fire hazards present — electrical installations, kitchens, storage, heating sources
Who is at risk — including vulnerable residents who may need extra support to evacuate
Adequacy of existing precautions — alarms, detection, fire doors, signage, lighting, extinguishers, compartmentation
Escape routes — whether they remain clear and usable
A written record — findings, actions required, and a review date
Review frequency: There is no fixed legal interval, but the assessment must be revisited whenever something material changes — a change of use, refurbishment, new tenant population, or any reason to believe it no longer reflects current risk. In practice, an annual review is the sensible minimum for most rented properties. High-rise buildings (18 metres or seven storeys or more) should be assessed every year, while all other properties with communal areas should be assessed every one to three years.
3. The 2026 Game-Changer: Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs)
This is the most important new obligation facing London landlords. The RPEEPs regulations represent a fundamental shift from building-level fire safety to person-centred evacuation planning.
3.1 Which Buildings Are in Scope?
The RPEEPs regulations apply to residential buildings in England with two or more domestic premises that are:
18 metres or more in height, OR
Seven storeys or more, OR
Between 11 and 18 metres in height with a simultaneous evacuation strategy in place.
3.2 Who Is a “Relevant Resident”?
A “relevant resident” is someone for whom the dwelling is their only or principal residence and whose ability to evacuate the building without assistance in a fire is compromised due to a cognitive or physical impairment or condition.
The responsible person must use “reasonable endeavours” to identify such residents. This means proactive engagement — letters, phone calls, posters, and building visits — not passively waiting for residents to self-identify.
3.3 The Five Core Obligations
Once a relevant resident is identified, the responsible person must:
Step 1: Offer a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA). This is a short, friendly assessment with a trained officer that examines fire risks in the resident’s home, whether they might struggle to respond to a smoke alarm or evacuate, and what support or adjustments could help.
Step 2: Implement reasonable and proportionate mitigation measures. Following discussion with the resident, measures such as improved smoke alarms, grab rails, or other small adaptations may be implemented. There are three funding models: the responsible person pays, costs are shared by all residents (if the measure benefits the majority), or the specific resident pays.
Step 3: Agree an emergency evacuation statement. The responsible person must use “reasonable endeavours” to agree an evacuation approach with the resident and provide a written statement.
Step 4: Share essential information with the fire service. With the resident’s explicit consent, the responsible person must share the resident’s flat number, floor number, and a basic indication of the assistance they may need. No medical or detailed personal information is shared.
Step 5: Develop a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP). A building-wide plan must be produced and shared via the London Fire Brigade’s High-Rise Building Portal, with a copy placed in the building’s Secure Information Box.
3.4 How Information Reaches the Fire Brigade
The mechanism for sharing RPEEP information with the London Fire Brigade is the Secure Information Box (SIB) — a high-security document box attached to the building’s exterior wall or in the entrance lobby.
On arrival at a fire, firefighters check the SIB to identify:
Which addresses may need additional assistance
How many firefighters are needed
What assistance may be required
This saves valuable time in an emergency.
Critical operational point: The London Fire Brigade does not accept electronic sharing of this information. Paper copies placed in the SIB are the required method.
3.5 Review and Consent
PCFRAs, mitigation measures, and evacuation statements must be reviewed at least every 12 months, or when there is reason to believe they need amendment, or at the resident’s reasonable request.
Participation is entirely voluntary. Residents can withdraw consent at any time.
4. London-Specific Compliance Checklist for Landlords
4.1 Building-Level Checks
| Check Item | Requirement | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Fire risk assessment | Completed and recorded, with action plan | Annually for high-rise; every 1-3 years for others |
| Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP) | Produced and shared via portal | Reviewed at least every 12 months |
| Secure Information Box | Installed and maintained | Ongoing |
| Communal fire doors | Self-closing function, no damage, not wedged | Quarterly |
| Flat entrance doors | Condition checked | Annually (best endeavours) |
| Fire alarm system | Professional inspection | At least every 6 months |
| Emergency lighting | Tested | Monthly |
| Escape routes | Kept clear, no obstructions, no e-bikes | Ongoing |
4.2 Resident-Level Obligations
Smoke alarms: At least one on every storey with living accommodation
Carbon monoxide alarms: In rooms with fixed fuel-burning appliances
RPEEP identification: Proactively identify residents who may need evacuation assistance
PCFRA provision: Offer person-centred assessments to relevant residents
Information sharing: With consent, provide necessary information via the Secure Information Box
Resident communication: Ensure all residents know the building’s evacuation strategy
4.3 Documentation Requirements
Record the responsible person’s name and UK address
Keep electrical installation inspection reports (every five years)
Maintain fire equipment maintenance records
Keep fire door inspection records
Ensure personal data processing complies with data protection legislation
5. Common Compliance Pitfalls in London
Service riser and fire-stopping defects. When utility companies install new pipework, they often fail to properly reseal penetrations with fire-stopping materials, allowing fire and smoke to spread rapidly.
E-bikes and e-scooters in escape routes. Lithium battery fires have an explosive character. Charging or storing e-bikes/scooters in escape routes poses a serious risk.
Fire doors wedged open. Residents wedging fire doors open for convenience is a common cause of damage to self-closing devices. The London Fire Brigade recommends checking whether doors close with a “bang” to avoid residents wedging them due to noise.
Building external wall risk. The external wall construction of some London buildings cannot be assessed by visual inspection alone. If external wall materials are found to be at risk, a temporary simultaneous evacuation strategy may be required — which in turn triggers RPEEP obligations in buildings between 11 and 18 metres.
6. Choosing a Fire Risk Assessment Provider in London
Not all FRAs are of equal quality. The London Fire Brigade emphasises that an FRA must be completed by a competent person.
Certification: Look for providers holding BAFE SP205 certification, which qualifies them to issue certificates of conformity. Providers such as Landlords Checks hold full qualifications approved by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM), including Fire Technician (TIFSM) accreditation.
2026 regulatory knowledge: Ensure the provider understands RPEEPs requirements, can assess whether a building falls within scope, and can guide you through identifying “relevant residents” and preparing evacuation statements.
BS 9792:2025 alignment: The new British Standard for fire risk assessment in housing, effective from 31 August 2025, is now the benchmark for residential assessments. It provides a structured, risk-proportionate methodology with expanded evacuation guidance focused on people with specific evacuation needs.
London experience: London’s building stock is diverse — from Victorian conversions to modern towers. Local experience helps identify London-specific issues such as ageing service risers and particular external wall systems. For landlords seeking fast turnaround, Landlords Checks offers next-day service appointments and delivers detailed reports within 24 hours of inspection, covering HMOs, flats, apartment buildings, and commercial premises.
7. What Non-Compliance Actually Costs
Enforcement is not theoretical. The London Fire Brigade can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices restricting building use until issues are resolved, and prosecute for breaches. Penalties under the Fire Safety Order include unlimited fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
Beyond legal exposure, an inadequate fire risk assessment can undermine a landlord’s position with insurers if a fire occurs.
The Renters’ Rights Act adds further pressure. From late 2026, the Private Rented Sector Database will be rolled out, creating a register of all landlords and rental properties. Compliance records will become increasingly transparent.
8. The Bottom Line: Compliance as a Continuous Process
The regulatory changes of 2026 send a clear message: fire safety responsibility is deepening from “building compliance” to “people’s safety.” The RPEEPs regulations acknowledge a simple but important fact — not everyone can respond to a fire emergency in the same way.
For London landlords, this means a fire risk assessment in London must evolve from an annual document into a continuous, dynamic, person-centred safety management system. This requires:
Proactively identifying and engaging residents who may need additional support
Building trusting relationships so residents participate in assessments
Establishing systematic data management and update processes
Maintaining effective information sharing with the London Fire Brigade
The ultimate purpose of compliance is not to pass an inspection. It is to ensure that in a real emergency, everyone can get out safely.
Ready to arrange your fire risk assessment? Speak to the qualified team at Landlords Checks for expert advice and instant assistance. Call 020 8609 7777 for a free quote or book online.
