How often should a Fire Risk Assessment be reviewed?

The legal position

Under Article 9(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Risk Assessment must be reviewed by the Responsible Person "regularly so as to keep it up to date" and reviewed immediately if there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change.

Practical review frequency

• Annual review — the accepted minimum across virtually all premises. Re-walks the building, checks each action item, updates anything that has changed.
• Full re-assessment every 3–5 years — most assessors recommend a fresh FRA at this interval even if no major changes have occurred, simply because cumulative small changes add up.
• Higher-risk premises — sleeping risk (HMOs, care homes, hotels), large or complex sites, or premises with vulnerable occupants warrant more frequent reviews.

Triggers for immediate review

Don't wait for the annual date if any of these happen:

• Building works, layout changes or new compartmentation
• Change of use or change of tenant
• Material change in occupant numbers or type
• New equipment, processes or storage that change the fire load
• Any fire, near-miss or false-alarm trend
• Changes in legislation or applicable guidance

Document the review even if nothing's changed

A signed and dated review note on the FRA itself is enough — it shows the document hasn't been left to drift. Enforcement officers and licensing authorities will ask to see this.

How we work with clients on review

Every Fire Risk Assessment we issue includes a calendar reminder ahead of the annual review date, with an option for an in-person walk-round or a remote review where appropriate.