What a Fire and Rescue Service Audit Actually Looks Like — and How to Prepare
Most responsible persons have never been through a Fire and Rescue Service audit. Many assume it is something that happens to other buildings, to less well-managed portfolios, to premises they are not responsible for. The data says otherwise. With inspection activity at its highest level since 2011 and 42% of audits returning an unsatisfactory result, knowing what to expect — and being prepared before the inspector arrives — has never mattered more.
A Fire Safety Officer arrives at your building. They are in uniform, carrying a warrant and an identification card. They may have booked the visit in advance — although they do not need to, and can attend unannounced if they have reason to. They want to see the responsible person or their representative. They are there to audit your compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The visit will take between one and five hours depending on the size and complexity of your premises.
This is not an unusual scenario. Fire and Rescue Services across England carried out 51,020 fire safety audits in the year ending March 2025 — a 2.4% increase on the previous year, and the highest level of activity in over a decade. As we covered in our analysis of the latest government audit data, 42% of those audits returned an unsatisfactory result. For residential premises — particularly houses converted to flats — the failure rate is considerably higher still.
Audits in 2024–25
51,020
Highest level in over a decade
Unsatisfactory results
42%
Of all audits carried out nationally
Residential block audits
+61%
Increase in purpose-built flat inspections 2024–25
Year-on-year increase
+2.4%
In total audit activity
Understanding what an audit involves, what the inspector is looking for, and what happens if things go wrong is not abstract risk management. For anyone responsible for a building in 2026, it is essential practical knowledge. This article covers the full audit process from beginning to end — how buildings are selected, what happens on the day, what the inspector examines, what outcomes are possible, and what preparation looks like for a responsible person who wants to be ready.
How buildings get selected for audit
Fire and Rescue Services operate a Risk Based Inspection Programme. Buildings are not selected at random — they are prioritised according to a risk score drawn from multiple data sources: the premises type, occupancy profile, history of fires or complaints, previous audit outcomes, firefighter risk on entry, and wider intelligence about the building and its management. The highest-risk buildings receive the most frequent and most thorough attention.
In practical terms, this means that residential blocks, HMOs, hotels, and care homes are audited more frequently than, say, a standard office building. Purpose-built flat audits increased by 61% in 2024–25, reflecting the sustained national focus on residential building safety following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the rolling implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022. HMO audits, particularly of licensed HMOs, have also increased significantly across the North West as councils and fire services work more closely together on selective licensing enforcement.
Beyond the routine programme, an FRS may audit your premises following a fire, following a complaint from a resident, employee, or member of the public, following a referral from the local authority, or at any time an officer forms the view that there may be a risk to relevant persons. A blocked escape route reported by a resident, a fire alarm fault that has gone unaddressed, or a pattern of small fires can each trigger an unannounced visit. The powers under the FSO to enter and inspect without prior notice are real and are used.
You cannot assume your building is not on the list. Audit activity is increasing, targeting criteria are broadening, and the consequences of being unprepared — an enforcement notice, a prohibition notice, or a prosecution — have never been more significant. Responsible persons who have not reviewed their fire safety documentation recently should treat that as a reason to act, not a reason to feel safe.
What happens on the day
Most audits are pre-arranged, typically by email or telephone to the responsible person or managing agent. You will usually receive confirmation of the appointment, the documents the inspector will need to see, and guidance notes on the inspection process. Some FRSs ask for documents to be sent in advance. Pre-arrangement is standard practice but not a legal requirement — if the FRS has specific concerns about a building, an unannounced visit may be made without warning.
On arrival, the officer will show their identification and warrant card. They will need to be accompanied by the responsible person or a competent representative who knows the building — someone who can unlock doors, answer questions about the fire safety arrangements, and provide immediate access to any area the inspector wants to see. Sending a junior member of staff or a contractor who has not managed the building is not an adequate response — inspectors notice, and it sets a poor tone for the visit before the inspection has begun.
The audit has two distinct parts: a document review, and a physical inspection of the premises. Both carry equal weight.
Part one: the document review
The inspector will want to see evidence that you have met your duties under the FSO. That means documentation — and it needs to be current, organised, and immediately accessible. Inspectors are experienced at distinguishing between a building that is genuinely well managed and one where paperwork has been assembled hastily for the visit.
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Fire risk assessment
Must be suitable, sufficient, and current. It must reflect the building as it actually is — including any recent changes to occupancy, layout, or use. A risk assessment that is several years old and has not been reviewed is one of the most common grounds for an unsatisfactory result. See our article on how often a fire risk assessment should be reviewed for the full picture on review obligations.
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Written fire safety arrangements
Your fire safety policy and procedures — how fire safety is planned, organised, controlled, monitored, and reviewed. This is a separate document from the fire risk assessment and should be specific to the building and its occupancy.
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Emergency evacuation plan and fire drill records
Evidence that evacuation procedures have been documented and practised. Drill records should show dates, participation, and any issues identified. For residential blocks, the evacuation strategy — stay-put, simultaneous, or zoned — must be clearly documented and communicated to residents.
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Staff fire safety training records
Induction training, refresher training, and any specialist training such as fire marshal duties or evacuation assistance. Records should show who was trained, when, and by whom. Online-only training with no on-site element is regularly challenged by inspectors for higher-risk premises types. See our guidance on on-site fire safety training.
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Fire alarm system test records
Weekly tests by management and periodic service records by a competent engineer. Gaps in the weekly test log are a consistent source of breaches — inspectors look at the log over time, not just the most recent entry.
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Emergency lighting test records
Monthly function tests and annual duration tests, carried out by a competent person. The monthly test record should be a physical log, not a verbal assurance.
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Fire extinguisher service records
Annual service by a competent person, with evidence visible on the extinguisher itself. Extinguishers out of service date are a frequent minor finding — and they tell the inspector something about the overall standard of maintenance management.
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Fire door inspection records
Evidence that fire doors are being inspected regularly and that defects are being identified and remedied. Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, responsible persons for buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises must carry out quarterly checks on common-area fire doors and annual checks on flat entrance doors. These records will be requested.
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Electrical installation condition report (EICR)
Evidence of a current periodic inspection of the fixed electrical installation, carried out by a qualified electrician. The EICR should be within its recommended periodicity — typically five years for commercial premises, five years for HMOs.
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Resident information and building information records
Evidence that residents have been given the fire safety information required under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — including the building's evacuation strategy, what to do on discovering a fire, and fire door obligations. For higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022, the golden thread documentation requirements add further obligations around building information records.
The inspector is looking at the pattern, not just the documents. A fire risk assessment that is current but has never been actioned, training records with one entry from three years ago and nothing since, or a weekly alarm test log with entries only in the weeks immediately before the audit — all of these tell an experienced inspector the same thing. The audit is an assessment of how fire safety is actually managed, not just a compliance document review. A building that is genuinely well managed will show it across every document the inspector looks at, not just the ones that have been prepared for the visit.
Part two: the physical inspection
After reviewing your documents, the inspector will walk the building. They will look at the physical fire safety measures in place and compare them against what your fire risk assessment says should be there. Any discrepancy between what the assessment says and what the inspector finds is a finding — either the assessment is inadequate, or the precautions it requires have not been implemented.
The physical inspection will typically cover the following areas.
- Means of escape — all escape routes walked, widths checked, obstructions noted, final exits tested
- Fire doors — condition, self-closing function, intumescent seals, gaps, signage, and whether they are being propped open
- Emergency lighting — coverage of escape routes, condition of fittings, illuminated signage
- Fire detection and alarm — panel condition, any current faults, detector coverage, call point locations
- Compartmentation — visible condition of walls, ceilings, and any penetrations through fire-resisting elements
- Firefighting equipment — extinguisher condition, positioning, signage, and service date
- Hazardous materials storage — any flammable substances, their quantity and storage arrangements
- Arson risk — external combustible loading, access control, any signs of vulnerability
- Evidence of maintenance — condition of the building generally as an indicator of overall management standard
The inspector will take photographs and make notes throughout. You or your representative will be asked about specific findings as they arise — this is your opportunity to provide context, explain remedial work in progress, or produce additional evidence. Do not be defensive about findings. An inspector who asks why a fire door is wedged open is not automatically issuing an enforcement notice — they are giving you the opportunity to explain whether it is a one-off or a systemic issue.
What outcomes are possible
At the conclusion of the audit, the officer will discuss their findings with you. A formal outcome follows, typically in writing within a few weeks. The possible outcomes range from full compliance to criminal prosecution.
Satisfactory
Broadly compliant
The premises meets its obligations under the FSO. The inspector may note minor observations for attention but no formal action is required. The building will be returned to the risk-based programme for future audit.
Unsatisfactory
Informal or formal notice
Deficiencies are identified that require action. An informal notification requires the responsible person to take remedial action within a specified period. A formal enforcement notice is legally binding and must be complied with or appealed within 21 days. Both are recorded on the FRS's public register.
Serious risk
Prohibition notice or prosecution
Where there is an immediate risk to life, the FRS can issue a prohibition notice restricting or prohibiting the use of the premises — effective immediately. Prosecution can follow for serious or persistent breaches. Fines are unlimited in the Crown Court. Custodial sentences are possible for the most serious cases.
An unsatisfactory result does not automatically mean prosecution, but it does mean the building will receive increased scrutiny — follow-up audits, higher-priority inclusion in the inspection programme, and a record that will be visible to future responsible persons, insurers, and in any subsequent enforcement action. The cost of achieving compliance under enforcement is almost invariably higher than the cost of maintaining compliance proactively.
How to prepare — a practical checklist
Preparation for a fire safety audit is not an emergency exercise in document assembly. It is an ongoing standard of building management that means every document the inspector needs is always current, every physical precaution is always in the condition the fire risk assessment requires, and every member of staff is always trained. The following checklist represents that standard.
- Fire risk assessment current, building-specific, and reviewed within the last twelve months or following any material change — see our article on review obligations
- All action plan items from the current assessment have been addressed, or remedial work is in progress with documented evidence
- Fire alarm weekly test log complete and without gaps — whoever carries out the test must record it at the time
- Emergency lighting monthly and annual test records complete and accessible
- Fire extinguisher annual service current — service label on each unit should show the most recent service date
- Fire door inspection records in place — quarterly for common-area doors, annual for flat entrance doors in residential buildings
- Staff training records current and covering all staff currently employed, not just those who were here at the last training session
- Evacuation plan current and displayed — including correct assembly point and any changes since last update
- EICR within its recommended periodicity
- Resident information provided and documented for residential buildings
- Escape routes clear at the time of inspection and at all other times
- Fire doors in working order — self-closing, latching, seals intact, not propped
The most common reasons for an unsatisfactory result — across the national audit data, the leading causes are: fire risk assessment that is out of date or inadequate; fire doors that are propped open, damaged, or have failed seals; gaps in alarm test records; staff training records that do not cover the current workforce; and escape routes that are obstructed. All of these are preventable. None of them requires major investment. They require consistent management attention — which is what a good fire risk assessment programme, combined with adequate staff training and regular fire door inspection, is designed to provide.
How FRS activity varies across our region
Fire and Rescue Service enforcement activity varies in intensity across the North West and North Wales. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is one of the most active enforcement authorities in the country, with a well-resourced protection department and a track record of prosecution in serious cases. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has increased its inspection activity significantly in recent years, particularly in the HMO and residential block sector. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service operates closely with Liverpool City Council on selective licensing, creating a combined enforcement environment for residential landlords that is among the most demanding in the region. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service enforces across a geographically large area with specific focus on sleeping risk premises on the coast and in the national parks.
Chester & Cheshire
Cheshire Fire & Rescue
Liverpool
Merseyside Fire & Rescue
Wirral
Merseyside Fire & Rescue
Manchester
Greater Manchester FRS
Salford
Greater Manchester FRS
Warrington
Cheshire Fire & Rescue
Wigan
Greater Manchester FRS
Bolton
Greater Manchester FRS
Wrexham
North Wales Fire & Rescue
Mold & Flintshire
North Wales Fire & Rescue
North Wales coast
North Wales Fire & Rescue
Shrewsbury
Shropshire Fire & Rescue
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire Fire & Rescue
All areas →
Full coverage
If you manage premises in any of these areas and your fire risk assessment, fire door inspection records, or staff training documentation would not withstand the document review described in this article, please get in touch. We work with responsible persons and managing agents across the full North West and North Wales to ensure that when an inspector arrives, everything is in order — not because of the visit, but because of the standard of management that should have been in place all along.
Is your building ready for an FRS audit?
We carry out fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training across the North West and North Wales. If your documentation would not stand up to the review described in this article, please get in touch before the inspector arrives rather than after.
This article draws on published government fire safety audit statistics for the year ending March 2025 and publicly available FRS enforcement guidance. It is general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Enforcement outcomes will depend on the specific circumstances of each case and the discretion of the relevant FRS. Fletcher Risk Management Ltd is based in Chester and provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training across the North West, North Wales, and Shropshire.