Fire safety for resident directors
Overview
This guide summarises the typical fire safety responsibilities for leaseholders who are involved in managing their building through a company, such as directors of a right to manage company or residents’ management company.
Your legal obligations may depend on the specific building, ownership structure and leases. This guide does not replace building-specific professional advice.
Fire safety responsibilities
If a company run by leaseholders is responsible for repairs and maintenance in your building, the company (not the freeholder) will be responsible for building safety, including fire safety. The company will usually be responsible for the parts it controls, although there may be more than one responsible person depending on the building’s ownership and use.
Fire safety rules apply to the common parts of buildings containing flats, such as shared entrances, corridors and staircases, and the structure of the building, including external walls.
The main law about fire safety in England and Wales is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended). A right to manage company or residents’ management company is a “responsible person” under the legislation. It must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of fire, and make sure people can safely escape if there is a fire.
Typical director responsibilities
As a director, you should ensure the company complies with its duties, including making sure that:
- a fire risk assessment is done for the common parts, flat entrance doors and external walls
- the fire risk assessment is reviewed regularly
- there are suitable fire safety measures for the common parts of the building
- residents know what to do if there’s a fire, and understand the fire safety measures for the building
- any problems such as unsafe cladding and other historic safety defects are put right
- you work together with anyone else who also has fire safety responsibilities for the building – for example if the building contains offices or shops as well as flats
For more details see the government’s guidance:
Important
If you use a managing agent, they can advise on meeting these responsibilities and arrange the work needed, but as a director of the company you are still ultimately responsible for making sure the rules are followed.
Rules for taller buildings in England
There are extra responsibilities if the building is over a certain height in England.
Buildings over 11 metres
If the building is over 11 metres, you must make sure that all fire doors are checked regularly.
Buildings 18 metres or higher (or at least 7 storeys)
If the building is 18 metres or higher or has at least 7 storeys, it’s classed as a high-rise building, under the Building Safety Act 2022.
For these buildings you must also:
- register the building with the Building Safety Regulator, and report any building safety issues
- have a strategy for making sure residents are involved and informed
- provide certain information about the building to relevant people and organisations, including the local fire and rescue authority
- prepare a record of how the building’s external walls are designed and constructed, and any risks from the design of the walls
- create an evacuation plan for the building, and residential personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for any residents who need help to evacuate
These buildings are higher risk, and you’ll need to get professional advice.
Find out more:
- Last updated:
- 2 April 2026
- Next review:
- 2 April 2028
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