Does my business legally need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. If you run a business, or you're responsible for any non-domestic premises, a current fire risk assessment is required by law — and the duty almost certainly sits with you, not your landlord and not your alarm company.
Independent fire risk assessments across Hampshire & Dorset, carried out by Matt McAllen — a chartered safety professional (CMIOSH) who specialises in fire risk assessment. Fixed prices from £199, and you pay nothing until your report is delivered.
In your business, that's you
The law calls the duty-holder the "responsible person." In a workplace, that's the employer — or whoever is in control of the premises. The day-to-day might sit with a manager, but the legal duty sits with the owner or director.
So if your name is on the business, the responsibility is almost certainly yours — whether or not anyone has ever told you so. It isn't passed to your landlord, your letting agent, or the company that services your alarm. They each have their part, but the duty to hold a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment stays with you.
You need one. Here's how simple it is.
No upfront payment, no obligation, no hard sell. Tell me about your premises and I'll come back to you personally — usually within a few hours.
- 1 Send a quick enquiryA few details so I can confirm your exact price and find a date that suits you.
- 2 I visit and assessA thorough on-site assessment, worked around your trading. No disruption, no closing up.
- 3 Draft, then invoiceYou review a draft report first. The finalised, signed report follows once the invoice is settled. Nothing paid up front.
See your price, then send your details
It takes about a minute. No upfront payment, no obligation — I'll confirm your price and a date that suits, and it's me, Matt, who calls you back.
Fixed from £199 · nothing paid up front
What the law actually requires
Under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must make a "suitable and sufficient" fire risk assessment of the premises. Since October 2023, you must also record it in full — whatever the size of your business.
The Fire Safety Order is the principal fire safety law for England and Wales. Article 9 sets the duty to assess. The phrase that matters is "suitable and sufficient," because that's the test an enforcing officer, an insurer, or a court will measure your assessment against.
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 1 October 2023 and tightened the recording duty. The old "five or more employees" threshold is gone: every responsible person must now record the assessment in full, and record who carried it out. A sole trader sits under the same documentation duty as a national chain.
The Order also expects whoever carries out the assessment to be competent. And the duty to make sure it's suitable and sufficient stays with you, the responsible person, whoever you appoint to do it — which is exactly why who you choose matters.
For a plain-English walk through the whole duty, see our complete guide to fire risk assessments.
What a proper assessment looks at
Your assessment follows the PAS 79-1:2020 methodology — the recognised professional standard for non-domestic premises. In plain terms, here's what gets checked.
Why independent matters. I sell nothing else — no alarms, no extinguishers, no remedial work, no commissions. So the only things in your report are the things your premises actually needs. Nothing is recommended to sell you a follow-up job, because there isn't one.
Transparent, fixed pricing
Priced by floor area and shown upfront. No VAT surprises, no mileage charges in Hampshire & Dorset, and you pay nothing until your finalised report is delivered.
Get your fixed price
Fixed price, no upfront payment. You only pay once you're happy with your report.
Want to understand what sits behind the price? See our guide to fire risk assessment costs.
Serving Hampshire & Dorset — including Southampton, Eastleigh and Portsmouth. See all areas.
A proper report you can stand behind
Not a tick-box template — a narrative report that describes your premises, rates the risk with clear reasoning, and gives you a prioritised action plan you can actually work through. Here's what it looks like.
The actual document you'll receive.
Tap a page to read it full size.
Matt McAllen
CMIOSH (Chartered) · AIFSM · Level 3 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
I personally carry out every assessment — there's no team, no subcontracting, and no sales pitch attached. Just an independent, chartered assessor who walks your premises, asks the right questions, and writes your report himself.
Business fire risk assessment — your questions
How long does it take?
A typical commercial site visit is two to three hours, depending on size and complexity. Writing the report up properly takes longer than the visit itself — that's where the professional judgement happens.
Will it disrupt my trading?
No. The assessment works around how you operate, and I'd rather see the premises in normal use anyway — it tells me far more than an empty building does.
What happens after the visit?
You receive a draft report to review first. Once you've confirmed it's accurate, I issue the finalised, signed report along with the invoice. You pay nothing up front, and the invoice is payable within seven days.
How often do I need one?
Your assessment should be reviewed at least every twelve months, and sooner if anything significant changes — a new layout, new equipment, solar panels, or a change of use. A fresh assessment every few years is sensible practice.
Do I need one if I rent rather than own?
Usually, yes. The duty follows control of the premises, not ownership. If you run a business from the premises, the responsibility for your part of it is almost certainly yours — your lease may set out exactly how it's split with the landlord.
Find out what your assessment costs
A few quick details, a price confirmed, and a date that suits you. No upfront payment, ever.
Independent · Chartered · Hampshire & Dorset