Fire risk assessments in Norwich

From medieval lanes to shared student houses, Norwich has a wide mix of premises, and each needs its own fire risk assessment.

Fire risk assessments in Norwich

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to almost every non-domestic building in the city, and to the common parts of flats and shared houses. The responsible person must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, recorded in full since October 2023.

Steve Milligan spent 26 years with the fire service, retiring as a Watch Manager in 2021, and is now an NFRAR Advanced Level fire risk assessor. He visits your premises himself, writes the report himself and answers your questions afterwards.

Premises Steve assesses in Norwich

• Shops, cafés and restaurants in the city centre, many in old or listed buildings
• Pubs and bars with commercial kitchens, cellars and late opening
• Offices from single floors to whole buildings shared by several tenants
• HMOs and shared student houses near the University of East Anglia and the city centre
• Blocks of flats where fire doors and shared escape routes need regular checks
• Churches, halls and community buildings run by trustees and volunteers

Where a building is shared by several businesses or flats, there can be more than one responsible person. The law expects them to co-operate and share information, and the assessment should say who is responsible for what.

Who enforces fire safety in Norwich

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service enforces the Fire Safety Order in Norwich. Its Safety in your business pages explain the responsible person’s duties and offer a free basic fire safety webinar for small businesses in Norfolk.

Norwich City Council enforces housing standards and HMO licensing. An HMO let to 5 or more people forming more than one household needs a licence from the council.

What you get

• A visit by Steve and an electronic written report with an overall risk level
• An action plan graded High, Medium and Low, plus a For Information section of advisory points
• The full findings and the assessor’s details recorded, as the law requires
• Free follow-up advice by phone or email while you work through the actions

Fire risk assessments start at £250, with a fixed quote before you book and nothing to pay until your report is ready. See all services and prices, or read what affects the price.

Training for teams in Norwich

Fire warden training runs at your premises for up to 12 people for £400, with a certificate valid for 3 years. Fire safety awareness training raises your staff’s awareness of how fires start, how to prevent them and what to do if one breaks out, from £120.

Questions from Norwich

Does a shared student house need a fire risk assessment?

Yes. The Fire Safety Order covers the shared parts of an HMO, and the council will also expect suitable alarms, fire doors and escape routes. See fire safety in flats and HMOs.

Can you assess a listed building?

Yes. The duties are the same, but changes to a listed building can need listed building consent, so Steve’s recommendations take the building’s character into account.

Do you cover the rest of Norfolk?

Yes. Steve covers Norfolk alongside Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and North Essex, including Great Yarmouth and the Broads.

Related reading: Fire safety in flats and HMOs: what landlords must do and Gas interlock systems.