Five years on from the enactment of the Fire Safety Act 2021, a government-commissioned review has found that while compliance has improved significantly in the wake of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, a substantial number of high-rise residential buildings still have outstanding fire safety deficiencies.

Background: The Fire Safety Act 2021

The Fire Safety Act 2021 amended the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to clarify that the external walls, flat entrance doors, and anything attached to or forming part of the external walls of multi-occupied residential buildings fall within the scope of fire safety assessments. This was a direct response to the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017, which killed 72 people.

12,500 High-rise residential buildings requiring updated fire risk assessments under the Act

Key Findings of the Five-Year Review

The review, conducted by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) in partnership with the Home Office, found that:

  • Approximately 23% of high-rise residential buildings had not yet had their fire risk assessment updated to reflect the requirements of the Act
  • Many responsible persons lacked sufficient competence to commission or evaluate adequate fire risk assessments
  • The market for competent fire risk assessors remained constrained, with demand outstripping supply
  • Enforcement activity by Fire and Rescue Services had increased substantially but remained uneven across regions
"The pace of remediation is still not fast enough. Residents in some buildings continue to live with unacceptable fire safety risks five years after the Act came into force." — NFCC Fire Safety Review, 2026

Obligations for Responsible Persons

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as amended, the responsible person for any non-domestic premises (including the common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings) must:

  • Carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
  • Implement and maintain appropriate fire safety measures
  • Ensure that the fire risk assessment is reviewed regularly and whenever significant changes occur
  • Maintain records of the fire risk assessment and the fire safety arrangements

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What Happens if You Fail to Comply?

Fire and Rescue Services have powers to issue Enforcement Notices, Prohibition Notices, and Alterations Notices. They can also prosecute responsible persons for serious breaches. Courts have imposed fines of up to £800,000 on organisations that have failed to meet their fire safety obligations, and individuals can face personal prosecution and imprisonment.