Who Is Responsible for Fire Safety in a Residential Block?
“Who is actually responsible for fire safety here?” is one of the most common — and most anxious — questions we hear from block directors. The answer matters, because getting it wrong leaves gaps that nobody is managing. Here is how responsibility is allocated in a residential block.
The law names a “Responsible Person”
Fire safety in the common parts of a residential building is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, strengthened by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. The law places duties on the Responsible Person — defined, in essence, as whoever has control of the premises or the relevant common parts.
In a block of flats that usually means one or more of:
- the freeholder or building owner;
- the RMC or RTM company that manages the block on behalf of leaseholders;
- a managing agent appointed to act on their behalf;
- in some cases a head lessee or other party with control of part of the building.
The Order recognises that there can be more than one Responsible Person in the same building, each responsible for the parts they control. Where duties overlap, the law expects those parties to co-operate and co-ordinate.
What the Responsible Person has to do
Whoever holds the duty must, for the common parts:
- carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep it up to date;
- act on its findings and maintain general fire precautions — detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, fire doors, escape routes and signage;
- carry out the recurring checks introduced by the 2022 Regulations, which for blocks include routine fire door checks and, for taller buildings, wayfinding signage, secure information boxes and sharing information with the fire and rescue service;
- keep records and provide fire safety information to residents.
These are continuing duties. A fire risk assessment from three years ago that has never been reviewed, or remedial actions that were identified but never completed, are exactly the kind of gap enforcement action targets. Managing that recurring list is the heart of our compliance service.
Delegation shares the work, not the accountability
Most boards appoint a managing agent or specialist contractor to handle fire safety in practice — and that is sensible. But appointing help does not make the RMC or RTM company’s own duty disappear. The company still needs to be able to demonstrate that the assessment is current, that actions are closed out, and that the building’s precautions are maintained.
This is why we give directors a live view of every fire-related obligation — assessment dates, remedial actions, door checks — rather than a folder that only surfaces at renewal. If you are unsure who holds what in your building, our related guide on RMC and RTM director responsibilities sets out the wider picture.
Individual flats vs the building
A quick but important distinction: fire safety law here is mainly about the common parts and the building as a whole. Fire safety inside an individual flat is generally the leaseholder’s own responsibility — including keeping their flat entrance door and its self-closing device in good order, since those doors are a critical part of the building’s compartmentation.
If your block needs a clear picture of who is responsible for what — and a plan to close the gaps — a compliance review is the fastest way to get it.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Verify responsibilities against current fire safety legislation and take professional advice for your building.