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There is no licence to carry out a fire risk assessment in Great Britain and no statutory register of assessors. Anyone can print a certificate. That puts the whole weight of the decision on the responsible person, who is also the person who will be prosecuted if the assessment turns out to have been worthless, so it is worth knowing what to ask.

What competence looks like without a licence

Third party certification under a UKAS accredited scheme is the strongest signal available, because it means somebody has audited their reports rather than their marketing. Membership of a professional body is weaker but real. Neither replaces the direct questions: which buildings of this type and size have you assessed, who will attend, who writes the report, and can I see a redacted example.

What the engagement should deliver

A site visit of a length that matches the building. A report that identifies significant findings and separates them from observations. An action plan with priorities, so you know what to do this week and what can wait for the budget. A statement of the evacuation strategy and whether it still holds. And a named person you can telephone in six months when an enforcing officer asks a question.

Warning signs

A fixed price quoted before anyone has asked about the building. A report produced without the assessor entering the plant room, roof void or riser cupboards. Recommendations that are all products the same firm sells. A certificate offered as the deliverable. And a report that grades the building with a single word and no action plan, which is the format that looks reassuring and tells you nothing.

Local searching, and what it is really about

Searching by town is about travel cost and about somebody being able to come back. Both matter: the second visit after remedial work is where an assessment becomes evidence, and a firm three hours away will quote for that or quietly not offer it. What it is not about is local knowledge of the law, which does not vary by town.

What you still own afterwards

The duty. Article 9 places it on the responsible person, and engaging a consultant does not move it. That is the reason to read the report rather than file it, and to make sure the actions have owners and dates inside your organisation rather than inside the consultant's document.

Questions people ask about fire risk assessment company

Who can carry out a fire risk assessment?

A competent person. There is no statutory register or licence, so competence is judged from experience, third party certification and the quality of the reports a firm produces.

Is third party certification required?

No, but it is the strongest available signal that a firm's work has been independently audited, and many clients and insurers now ask for it.

Does hiring an assessor transfer the duty?

No. Article 9 places the duty on the responsible person, and it stays there whoever carries out the assessment.

What should the report contain?

The significant findings separated from observations, a prioritised action plan, a statement of the evacuation strategy, and a named contact who can answer questions later.

Sources

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