In short: a fire risk assessment looks at your premises, what goes on there and who uses it, then decides whether the existing fire safety measures are adequate and what needs to change. In Scotland it is required by Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 for most non-domestic premises, licensed HMOs and short-term lets. Our assessments cost from £225 + VAT and the report is issued within 48 hours of the visit.
What the assessment looks at
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service describes a fire safety risk assessment as a look at your premises, the activities carried out there, and the potential for a fire to occur. The Scottish Government's guidance sets out the process: identify the people at risk, identify potential causes of fire, evaluate the risk, decide whether fire safety measures are adequate, make an improvement plan, record the findings and review them.
Select a point on the building to see what Raj checks there.
Select a point on the building to see what we check there.
Fire detection and warning
We check the type and coverage of smoke and heat detection against what the premises needs, whether alarms are interlinked where required, and whether testing and servicing are recorded. Since February 2022 every home in Scotland must have interlinked smoke and heat alarms. HMOs, hotels and workplaces usually need more.
Emergency lighting
Would the escape routes still be lit if the power failed? We check fittings are in the right places and working, and look for records of monthly function tests and annual full-duration tests.
Compartmentation and fire stopping
Visual checks for gaps where pipes and cables pass through fire-resisting walls and floors, missing ceiling tiles, and alterations that could let fire and smoke spread. Assessments are non-destructive unless intrusive inspection is agreed in advance.
Fire doors
Self-closers, gaps around the leaf, intumescent strips and smoke seals, hinges, glazing and signage. Fire doors wedged open or damaged are among the most common findings in Scottish premises.
Escape routes
Travel distances, whether stairs and corridors are protected and kept clear of storage and ignition sources, alternative routes, and how people with limited mobility would get out.
Ignition sources
Cooking, heating, electrical installations and appliances, charging of e-bikes and scooters, smoking, and deliberate fire setting, including bins stored against the building.
Firefighting equipment
Whether extinguishers and fire blankets suit the risks, are in the right places and are serviced, and whether staff know when, and when not, to use them.
Final exits and signage
Exit doors that open easily without a key, fire exit signs where they are needed, and a safe route away from the building to a place of safety.
The people at risk
An assessment starts with people, not equipment. We identify everyone who could be affected by a fire in or near the premises: employees, residents, guests, customers, contractors and neighbours. Then we single out anyone who is especially at risk. The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 require the record to identify them.
People who are asleep
Residents, guests and tenants take longer to notice a fire and react to it at night.
Limited mobility or hearing
People who may need help or a different warning to get out safely.
People unfamiliar with the building
Visitors, holiday guests and new staff who do not know the escape routes.
Lone and out-of-hours workers
Cleaners, security staff and anyone working where no one else would raise the alarm.
How the site visit works
Before the visit
We ask for the basics: how the building is used, how many people are in it, and any existing fire alarm, emergency lighting and extinguisher service records. Floor plans help but are not essential.
Walk-through
Raj inspects every accessible part of the building, including stairs, corridors, plant rooms, roof spaces where safe to enter, bin stores and the outside of the building. Photographs are taken of anything that needs action.
Management conversation
We talk through how fire safety is managed day to day: who tests the alarm, what happens when it sounds, how staff are trained, and how contractors and hot work are controlled.
Feedback on the day
If something cannot wait for the report, such as a locked final exit or an alarm that does not work, you hear about it before Raj leaves.
Most small and medium premises take between one and three hours on site. Large or complex buildings take longer, and we tell you how long when we quote.
What is in your report
The report is written for your premises. The Scottish Government's practical fire safety guidance states plainly that a generic risk assessment will not be sufficient. Every report contains:
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Premises and occupancy | Construction, layout, number of floors, use, occupancy at different times, and the people especially at risk. |
| Fire hazards | Ignition sources, fuel and oxygen sources, arson risk, and how hazards are controlled. |
| Fire protection | Means of escape, travel distances, fire doors, compartmentation, detection and warning, emergency lighting, signage and firefighting equipment. |
| Management | Evacuation procedures, staff training and fire drills, testing and maintenance records, housekeeping and liaison with others who share the building. |
| Risk rating | An overall rating from trivial to intolerable, explained in plain language. |
| Action plan | Each finding, the action needed, who should do it and how quickly, ranked by priority. |
| Review date | When the assessment should next be reviewed, and what changes would trigger an earlier review. |
How the risk rating works
We weigh how likely a fire is to start against how badly people could be hurt if one did. The combination gives one of five ratings, which sets the urgency of the action plan. Select a box to see what each rating means.
How your premises is rated
Every report ends with an overall risk rating: how likely a fire is, against how badly people could be hurt. Select a box to see what it means for you.
Rows show how likely a fire is to start. Columns show how badly people could be hurt.
- TrivialNo action needed beyond keeping current measures in place.
- TolerableNo major additional controls; minor improvements may be recommended.
- ModerateAction needed to reduce the risk within a set timescale.
- SubstantialConsiderable action needed urgently.
- IntolerableThe premises or area should not be used until the risk is reduced.
Standards we work to
There is no single prescribed format for a fire risk assessment in Scotland, but there are recognised methods. We follow the one that fits your building:
PAS 79-1:2020
The British Standards Institution code of practice for fire risk assessment of premises other than housing: workplaces, shops, hotels and mixed-use buildings.
BS 9792:2025
The housing code of practice for HMOs and blocks of flats. It replaced PAS 79-2:2020 and came into effect on 31 August 2025.
Scottish Government guidance
The Practical Fire Safety Guidance series, which is written for Scottish law and gives benchmarks for each type of premises.
What a fire risk assessment is not
Being clear about scope avoids paying for the wrong thing.
- It is not a fire alarm or emergency lighting service. We check that systems are suitable, appear to work and are being tested, but servicing is carried out by a specialist contractor.
- It is not intrusive by default. Assessments are visual and non-destructive. Opening up walls, ceilings or fire doors to check what is behind them can be agreed separately where it is needed.
- It is not an external wall or cladding appraisal. Assessing external wall systems on taller residential buildings is a specialist process carried out by fire engineers. If we see a concern, we will say so and recommend the next step.
- It does not transfer your legal duty. The duty holder remains responsible for fire safety and for acting on the findings.
When you need a new assessment or a review
The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 require an assessment to be reviewed regularly so it stays up to date, and whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change. In practice that means reviewing it after:
Building work
Alterations, new partitions, a change in layout or work affecting escape routes or fire doors.
A change in use or occupants
More staff, a new tenant, an extra bedroom, or people with different needs moving in.
A fire or near miss
Any incident, including false alarms that point to a problem with the system or how it is managed.
The review date
Most duty holders review at least annually. Higher-risk premises often review more frequently.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally need a fire risk assessment in Scotland?
If you are an employer, or you have control of non-domestic premises, yes. Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 requires an assessment of the risk from fire for "relevant premises", which covers most non-domestic premises plus licensed HMOs, short-term lets and premises providing a care home service. Private dwellings are generally excluded.
Does my fire risk assessment have to be written down?
Under regulation 8 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, the significant findings must be recorded if you employ five or more people, if a licence or registration is required for the premises, or if an alterations notice requiring it is in force. Even where it is not required, a written record is the only practical way to show the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, your insurer or your licensing authority what you have done.
Can I do my own fire risk assessment?
Yes. Scottish law does not require a specialist, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service accepts that some duty holders have the knowledge to do it themselves for simple premises. If you use an outside assessor, SFRS advises checking that they are competent, for example by choosing someone on a professional register. Licensing authorities often ask for an assessment carried out by a competent person.
How long does a fire risk assessment take?
Most small and medium premises take between one and three hours on site. Larger buildings, hotels, care homes and blocks with many common areas take longer. The written report follows within 48 hours of the visit.
How long is a fire risk assessment valid for?
There is no fixed expiry date in Scottish law. The assessment must be kept under regular review and updated whenever it may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change. Most duty holders review annually, and your report states a recommended review date.
What happens if the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service inspects my premises?
An enforcement officer will usually ask to see your fire risk assessment and the records behind it. If they find serious failings they can serve an enforcement notice requiring improvements, or a prohibition notice restricting use of the premises. Failing to comply with a notice is an offence.
Sources
- Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, Part 3, legislation.gov.uk
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, legislation.gov.uk
- Fire risk assessment, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
- Practical fire safety guidance for existing non-residential premises, Scottish Government
- Fire safety risk assessment: forms and guidance, Scottish Government
- BS 9792:2025 Fire risk assessment. Housing, BSI
Written and reviewed by Raj Chall BSc, lead fire risk assessor at Fire Risk Scotland, listed on the Institution of Fire Engineers fire risk assessor register. Last reviewed 12 November 2026. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.