Who is responsible for servicing hired extinguishers?

On most hire arrangements the supplier looks after servicing and replacement for the length of the hire. You are still responsible for keeping them in place, visible and reported if used or damaged.

Is hiring extinguishers cheaper than buying?

For short periods — a single event, a building site phase or a temporary unit — hire is usually cheaper and simpler. For a permanent building occupied for years, owning the extinguishers and paying for annual servicing normally costs less overall.

Can I hire extinguishers for a one-day event?

Yes. Event hire is one of the most common uses. Tell us the type of event, the venue and any cooking, generators or marquees so the right types and numbers are supplied.

Do hired extinguishers come with signs?

They should. Each extinguisher needs an identification sign showing what it is for, and brackets or stands so it is kept off the floor and in a consistent place.

Fire Extinguisher Hire vs Buying: Which Is Better?

Short answer

Hire makes sense when you need extinguishers for a limited time — an event, a construction phase, a pop-up or a short lease — because delivery, servicing and collection are handled for you. If you occupy a building long-term, buying the extinguishers and having them serviced once a year is usually the better-value route.

How extinguisher hire works

With hire, a supplier assesses what you need, delivers the extinguishers with stands or brackets and signs, and collects them at the end. For longer rentals the supplier also carries out the routine checks that an owner would otherwise pay for. You pay a rental charge rather than buying the equipment, and if an extinguisher is discharged or damaged it is replaced, usually at a charge.

When hiring is the obvious choice

Events and shows. Festivals, fairs, weddings in marquees and outdoor markets need cover for days, not years.
Construction and refurbishment sites. Cover changes as the build progresses, and site welfare units and hot works areas need their own provision.
Temporary premises. Pop-up shops, site offices and short-term lets where buying equipment you will not keep makes little sense.
Covering a gap. When your own extinguishers are away for overhaul or have been used, hire keeps you protected in the meantime.

When buying works out better

For an office, shop, HMO, school or workshop that you will occupy for years, ownership nearly always wins. A quality extinguisher lasts many years with correct maintenance. Under BS 5306-3 it needs a basic service every year, an extended service at five years for most stored-pressure types, and overhaul or replacement at ten. Spread over its life, owning plus annual servicing is typically cheaper than paying rent year after year.

What doesn't change either way

Whether you rent or own, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 still expects the responsible person to provide suitable equipment, keep it maintained and make sure people know how to use it. That means the right extinguisher types for the risks present — water or foam for general combustibles, CO2 near electrical equipment, wet chemical where there is deep-fat cooking — placed on escape routes and near specific hazards, with clear signs. Your fire risk assessment should set out what is needed.

Questions to ask a hire supplier

Does the price include delivery, set-up, signs and collection?
Who carries out routine checks during a long hire?
What is charged if an extinguisher is used, lost or damaged?
Can numbers be increased at short notice if the event or site grows?
Will they advise on types, or just supply what you ask for?

A middle route for landlords and small businesses

Some owners buy their extinguishers but place them on an annual servicing arrangement, so the provider tracks service dates and swaps out units reaching the end of their life. This gives most of the convenience of hire without paying rent indefinitely.

Talk to us

We supply hired extinguishers for events and sites and service owned extinguishers across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. See our fire extinguisher hire service or ask for a price for either option.

Checking extinguishers between services

Whichever route you choose, someone on site should carry out a quick monthly visual check: each extinguisher is in its usual place, the safety pin and tamper seal are intact, the pressure gauge (where fitted) sits in the green, there is no visible damage or corrosion, and the instructions face outwards. Record the check in your fire log book. On hired equipment, report any problem to the supplier straight away so a replacement can be sent; on owned equipment, arrange a recharge or swap before the unit is relied on again. These checks take minutes and catch most problems long before the annual visit.

Fire extinguisher hire vs buying: which suits you?

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