Fire safety questions, answered
Common questions from London building owners and managers on fire alarm law, servicing, standards, takeovers and costs. If your question is not here, call 020 3837 0778.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for fire safety in a commercial building?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the "Responsible Person", usually the employer, owner, landlord or managing agent, must make sure a fire risk assessment is carried out and that fire precautions are kept in working order. In shared buildings there can be more than one Responsible Person, and they must co-operate.
What law covers fire safety in England and Wales?
The main law is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. It applies to virtually all non-domestic premises and the common parts of blocks of flats and HMOs. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add further duties for certain multi-occupied residential buildings. We work to the 2005 Order and the relevant British Standards.
How often should a commercial fire alarm be serviced?
BS 5839-1 recommends servicing by a competent person at least every six months, so two visits a year, plus a weekly user test of a manual call point recorded in the log book. We provide the six-monthly servicing and issue a certificate after each visit. See our fire alarm maintenance page for detail.
What is the difference between BS 5839-1 and BS 5839-6?
BS 5839-1 is the code of practice for fire detection and alarm systems in commercial and other non-domestic buildings. BS 5839-6 covers systems in domestic premises. Most business and multi-occupancy work is designed and maintained to BS 5839-1.
Do I need a fire risk assessment, and how often?
Yes. The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to carry out and maintain a fire risk assessment, recording the significant findings if five or more people are employed. Review it regularly and whenever the building, its use or its occupancy changes. Most premises review annually.
Can another company take over the maintenance of my fire alarm?
Yes. You are free to change fire alarm maintenance provider whenever you like, and you do not need to replace a working system to do it. We take over systems installed by other companies, and the initial takeover audit is free. See our fire alarm takeover page.
My fire alarm keeps beeping or shows a fault. What should I do?
A beeping panel or a fault light usually means a specific problem, often a low battery, a detector in fault, or a system needing a reset. Call us on 020 3837 0778 during business hours and describe what the panel is showing. Sometimes we can guide you through a simple fix on the phone; otherwise we will arrange a visit.
Are you accredited?
Yes. EH Fire Safety Solutions is an approved installer with Fike and C-TEC and BAFE registered, and our technicians are fully qualified and BAFE certified. We are the fire safety division of Electro Heating Limited, company no. 12609754.
Do you charge for a quote or a survey?
No. Consultations, installation quotes and takeover audits are free and carry no obligation. We survey before quoting because an honest price for fire safety work depends on the building, and we explain the price before any work starts.
Do you offer 24/7 emergency callout?
No. Our phone is answered during business hours. We would rather be honest about that than advertise a service we do not run. For urgent faults, call 020 3837 0778 during business hours and we will help as quickly as we can.
Which areas do you cover?
We are based in Southgate, North London and cover London and the surrounding counties. Our core area is North London, including Southgate, Winchmore Hill, Wood Green, Finsbury Park, Enfield and Barnet, and we work across the rest of Greater London.
Do you issue certificates?
Yes. We issue certificates for fire alarms, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers and fire doors, and we can support BAFE certification. All our services support compliance with insurance policies.
How much does fire safety work cost?
It depends on the building, the system and the scope, which is why we survey before quoting. We do not publish fixed prices we cannot stand behind, and we explain the cost before any work starts. Ask us for a free, no-obligation quote. [CONFIRMĂ CU IONUȚ: intervale de piață citate, dacă vrea publicate]
How do I book?
Use the booking form on our book page, which takes under a minute, or call 020 3837 0778 during business hours. A named person calls every enquiry back within one working day to confirm the details.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. A named person calls every enquiry back within one working day, with no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 020 3837 0778, a named person calls every enquiry back within one working day.