Fire safety for
self-storage facilities.Properly assessed, from £295.
A self-storage operator faces a fire risk problem that no other building type shares: unknown contents. You do not know what is in most of your units, and by the time a fire starts, it may have been fed by gas cylinders, petrol, solvents, or lithium batteries brought in by customers with no understanding of the hazard they are creating. We carry out fire risk assessments for self-storage facilities across the North West and North Wales, built for the unknown contents risk, the detection challenge, and the limited staffing that defines this sector.
Who is the Responsible Person?
In a self-storage operation the duty sits clearly with the operator, including for what happens inside customer units.
The operator of the facility is the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place, covering not just the shared areas and reception but the storage areas themselves and the risk created by unknown customer contents.
The operator cannot control what customers store, but they can control what their terms and conditions prohibit, how prohibited items are communicated, and what inspection arrangements are in place. These controls are part of the fire safety picture the assessment must address.
Many self-storage sites operate with very limited staff, particularly out of hours, and in some cases are entirely unstaffed outside reception hours. The fire arrangements must work for the actual staffing, not for a staffing level that does not exist.
Where a self-storage facility occupies part of a larger building, shared escape routes, compartmentation, and the interface with the building's responsible person need to be explicitly covered.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a self-storage facility is often managed by the site manager alongside the whole operation. These are the gaps we find most regularly.
"Customers bring in gas cylinders, petrol cans, e-bikes, and mobility scooters, and we know some of them store things that are prohibited. We do not have a clear way to address this in our assessment."
Unknown and prohibited customer contents are the defining fire risk of a self-storage facility. Customers frequently store items that introduce significant fire hazards, from gas cylinders and petrol to lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and mobility scooters, which are increasingly being charged inside units. We address the unknown contents risk specifically in the assessment, covering prohibition, communication, inspection rights, and what detection and response arrangements are appropriate for the stock profile you realistically hold.
"Our detection system covers the corridors and common areas but not the individual units, and we are not confident smoke from a unit fire would be detected quickly enough."
The layout of a self-storage facility, with units opening off corridors and smoke having to travel out of a unit and into a corridor before reaching a detector, creates a detection lag that is specific to this building type. The detection strategy needs to reflect that lag and the time available before a fire becomes uncontrollable. We assess your detection arrangements in the context of the building layout and advise on whether they are adequate.
"We operate with very limited staff, and outside reception hours the site is essentially unstaffed. We do not know what our fire arrangements should look like for an out-of-hours fire."
An unstaffed self-storage site at night needs fire arrangements that work without a member of staff present to respond, raise the alarm, or manage an evacuation. Remote monitoring, detection linked to an alarm-receiving centre, and clear automatic arrangements are part of the picture the assessment must address for a site that operates this way.
What makes self-storage
different to assess
A self-storage facility has fire risks that no other building type shares, because the contents of most of it are unknown and the detection challenge is structural.
Gas, petrol, lithium & the rest
Customers store what they want to store, and prohibition clauses in terms and conditions are rarely enforced by inspection. Gas cylinders, petrol, aerosols, and lithium batteries in stored e-bikes and scooters are found in self-storage fires with regularity. The assessment has to address the realistic contents risk, not just the prohibited items list.
Lithium-ion charging in units
Customers increasingly store and charge e-bikes and mobility scooters in their units, and lithium-ion battery fires in these vehicles are serious and difficult to suppress. Charging of lithium equipment in storage units is a specific and growing risk the assessment should address.
Smoke from a unit to a corridor
In a self-storage layout, smoke from a unit fire has to travel out of the unit and along a corridor before reaching a detector. This structural detection lag means a fire can develop significantly before being detected, and the detection system needs to be specified and positioned with this in mind.
Unstaffed or single-staffed sites
Many self-storage sites operate with very limited staff, and some are unstaffed out of hours. The fire arrangements, including detection, monitoring, and response, need to work for the staffing that actually exists, with automatic alarm transmission to an alarm-receiving centre where no staff are present.
Complex escape from storage areas
The layout of a multi-floor or multi-corridor self-storage facility can make escape routes non-obvious, particularly for customers who may be unfamiliar with the building and who may be in a part of the facility they have not visited before. Wayfinding and escape signage need specific attention.
Unmonitored areas and night-time access
Self-storage facilities are sometimes targeted for arson, because customer areas are often accessible and intermittently monitored. External and perimeter security, CCTV coverage of customer areas, and the fire risk from deliberate ignition need addressing in the assessment.
Unknown customer contents — the fire risk you cannot fully control but must plan for
The defining fire risk of a self-storage facility is that you do not know what is in most of your units. Prohibition clauses help, but enforcement is limited and the gap between what is prohibited and what is actually stored is a real and material fire risk. The assessment has to address that gap honestly, covering the realistic contents profile, what detection and suppression is appropriate for the building type, and what the response plan is for a fire that starts in a unit whose contents you cannot anticipate. We work with operators to build a realistic picture of the contents risk and assess the adequacy of the arrangements against it.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one company that understands the self-storage sector and its specific risks.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough assessment covering unknown contents risk, detection strategy, staffing arrangements, and the building layout. Clear written report, prioritised action list, and practical advice on terms, conditions, and inspection arrangements.
- Unknown and prohibited contents risk assessed specifically
- Detection strategy reviewed for self-storage layout
- E-bike and lithium charging risk addressed
- Staffing, monitoring, and out-of-hours arrangements covered
- Escape routes and wayfinding in complex layouts reviewed
- Arson and perimeter security assessed
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorSelf-storage facilities rely on fire doors between storage zones, on escape routes, and at final exits. We inspect every component and give you a clear, photographed condition record for each door.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Zone, corridor, and final exit doors
- Photographic evidence per door
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical fire safety training for site managers and reception staff, focused on the self-storage environment including unknown contents response, lithium battery awareness, and evacuation of a complex layout.
- Fire marshal training for site managers and staff
- Unknown and prohibited contents awareness and response
- Lithium battery fire awareness
- Evacuation of a complex, multi-corridor building
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
self-storage operators work within
A self-storage facility answers to the fire safety order and to the fire authority, with the unknown contents risk sitting squarely with the operator.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including self-storage facilities. The operator is the Responsible Person and must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, including for the customer storage areas. The fact that the contents of individual units are unknown does not remove the duty, and a suitable assessment addresses the realistic contents risk and the adequacy of the detection and suppression arrangements for it.
The growing fire risk from lithium-ion batteries in stored e-bikes, scooters, and mobility aids is specifically referenced in fire authority guidance and is increasingly raised during fire authority inspections of self-storage premises. Operators are expected to have addressed this risk in their assessment and in their terms and conditions.
Self-storage operators are also liable under consumer and contractual obligations to customers whose goods are damaged in a fire. A current, well-documented fire risk assessment demonstrating that the operator has taken all reasonable steps is the clearest evidence that the operator's duty of care has been met.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering all of the premises including customer storage areas. Failure can result in unlimited fines or prohibition of the building.
Unknown contents duty
Operator responsibilityThe operator is responsible for the fire risk created by customer contents, and a suitable assessment must address the realistic contents risk even where individual unit contents are unknown.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
From January 2023Requires Responsible Persons to record fire safety measures, provide information to relevant persons, and maintain records of checks and actions. Applies to self-storage in England.
Lithium battery guidance
Fire authority expectationFire authorities increasingly inspect self-storage premises with specific attention to lithium battery risk from stored e-bikes, scooters, and mobility aids. Operators are expected to have addressed this in their assessment and terms.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management to bring genuine expertise and personal accountability to fire safety consultancy in the North West. With more than 30 years in the fire industry, he has assessed self-storage facilities across the region and understands what makes them different from any other industrial or storage premises, the unknown contents, the detection lag, the limited staffing, and the growing lithium battery risk from stored e-bikes and scooters. When you book with Fletcher Risk, Tim carries out the work.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and documentation, so you have one point of contact and a consistent standard of reporting from first visit to final action log. For self-storage operators running more than one site, that means consistent documentation and a single point of contact across your estate.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. The work produced exceeded our expectations by far. I would definitely recommend using this company." — Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building."
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites. I would never hesitate to send Tim — always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
Book an assessment
built for your facility.
Whether you need a fresh assessment covering unknown contents and detection strategy, a review of your out-of-hours arrangements, or training for your site managers, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.